I have several books that have become my “Go-To” books for solving issues that arrive in my life. One of them is “The One Thing” by Gary Keller and Jay Papasan. www.the1thing.com. In this book, the authors suggest the reader use a question whenever they’re stuck.

That question is:

What’s the ONE Thing

I can do such that by doing it

everything else will be easier or unnecessary?

I’ve used this question in many ways. Sometimes I use it to determine what item on my pages-long TO DO Menu is first on a given day.

Sometimes I use it to determine the path of my errands.

Sometimes I use it to decide which large project to begin focusing on next.

I also use it to choose what next step to take in a long-range plan. That’s what I want to talk to you about today.

When it comes to retirement most people just don’t know where to even begin to think about it.

This is because we know it’s not just a choice of when we’ll stop working our day job. The real choice is when we’ll begin this huge life transition.

If you were to google the word “retirement” you would be rewarded with pages and pages of articles, websites, products, etc. that are all money centered. On the surface, this seems logical. Of course, we can’t retire, AKA stop working forever, without some sort of income source.

I’m going to challenge this premise on a couple of different levels.

First, who says that because we happen to be in our 60’s and leave our current day job that means we’re going to stop working forever. In fact, I believe there would be nothing but bad things to come out of that assumption.

As humans, we must have a purpose, or we find no reason to live. That purpose doesn’t need to be humongous or world-changing. It just needs to be a purpose we find important enough to get us out of bed each morning.

Next, I must challenge the assumption that work, must create a financial income. There are so many ways to “work” that create a sense of purpose we need, but give us non-financial benefits, such as volunteering or watching our grandchildren. (This is where those pages and pages of Google information will come in handy because chances are you’ll need to have money that is flowing to you from somewhere in order to pull this off.)

Finally, who’s to say that we can’t create a powerful financial income for ourselves after we leave our current day job. A CNBC article stated that 700,000 new millionaires were created in the USA in 2017. https://www.cnbc.com/2018/03/21/us-added-700000-new-millionaires-in-2017.html. This equates to 1917 new millionaires each and every day. The article didn’t say that only people under the age of 60 became millionaires.

Here is where my One Thing comes in.

After looking at this conundrum every which way, I have determined that for me, personally, the ONE Thing I can do such that by doing it everything else will be easier or unnecessary is to exercise and become as strong-bodied and healthy as possible.

You’re like, “What!?” How does a strong body and becoming a millionaire relate, unless I’m thinking of making my millions in some sort of sports industry?

Simple, the stronger and healthier I am the more stamina I have, the more brainpower I maintain, and the more focused I will stay. This is true for you, too.

One of the largest expenses we face, as we grow older, our health expenses. In fact, our health system is set up with the expectation that we’ll burn through our assets with our health costs in old age. So, the longer we can stay healthy the longer we can hold on to our assets.

Health gives us options. If we’re healthy we can work our current day jobs for as long as we want to, barring the company having a different idea for us.

If we’re healthy, we’ll have the energy needed to launch a business or travel the world or run after grandkids.

There are some things that may happen that we can’t foresee or forestall, cancer, car accident, but if we’re healthy prior to these events the better chance we have at survival. Being healthy makes everything else in our lives easier and a whole lot of things unnecessary.

So you read it here. I’ve made a commitment to rebuild my body in a healthy way. So now what?

I joined the local Y!

I’ve been a member in the past and really like their set up and programs. As an extra special bonus for myself, I signed up Guy, too. Who doesn’t want a hard-bodied man in their life? (If you’re a man than obviously you have the option of being your own hard-bodied man.) I can’t wait to tell him how much easier I just made his future! 😉

Are you ready to prepare for your retirement by going to the Y, too?

I love hearing from you, so please don’t hesitate to Opt-In, reach out, comment, share, etc.

I was never meant to do life alone, and I’m better for the friends I’ve created along the way.

I love having you as one of my friends and if we aren’t friends yet, I hope we will be soon!

Until next time!

Linda

Savvy Silver Haired Lady