Originally published by Carl Landau, I Used to Be Somebody: My 6 Best (Un)Retirement Decisions
I’m currently starting my 4th year of what we call (Un)Retirement. And maybe I’ve learned a thing or two I can share to help you.
1. Actually do it and retire!
I thought about it many times. Exactly when should I cut the cord and stop working the crazy hours and dealing with the pressure of running my own business for 40+ years? The best advice I give people about (Un)Retirement is do it sooner rather than later. I wish I had sold/quit 5 years earlier. The last couple of work years were a drag on my mind, body, and spirit. And I didn’t realize it until I stopped.
2. Hire a pro to create a financial plan.
The reason I felt comfortable in stopping the job/career is that I had been working with a great financial planner for several years in anticipation of the change. That person is Ian Castille, CFP®, Senior Financial Advisor at Capital Advantage, Inc. and I consider him a good friend at this point.
I talk to so many people that have/had successful careers and have created wealth that they manage themselves. Or at least they try. This is crazy. What do you truly know about the financial market? I’d rather pay someone that studies the market all day to make my decisions. I sleep so much better at night because of this.
3. Avoid the temptation to go back!
You are an expert with experience and it’s so tempting to go back. I was in the live event biz for the past 20 years. I know that business back and forth and have seen so many opportunities to return. But every time I return to my senses (also with the wise counsel of my wife Diana, who had to put up with my totally-consumed-working-self for many years). Now I focus on where I’m going!
4. Do something new.
Use the skills you already have, except in a new way. After working for decades, we all have developed incredible insights into organization, management, writing or whatever. Just use that toolbox in some new and cool endeavor.
5. Hire someone to do the stuff you don’t like to do or aren’t good at.
When I first was launching our podcast and newsletter, I was going to hire an assistant. But my friend Bekah said I should consider hiring a virtual assistant company. I did that 3+ years ago. I hired a company, Monkey Creative. It was one of the best decisions I ever made. No employees for me to worry about and I only pay for what I need done. I get to do the writing and they handle the graphics, e-marketing and all the other stuff I don’t want to do or am not good at.
6. Just start and see what happens.
I didn’t have a plan beyond starting the I Used to be Somebody podcast and newsletter. Then I took a leap of faith. Perhaps it would lead to something else? It led to me interviewing 80 incredible people that I would never have met in a million years. Many I now consider my friends. The podcast and some pickleball talk led to Diana and I co-authoring (with our instructor and friends Mo and Reine) the Amazon best-seller, Pickleball for dummies. Most recently, my new path has led to us leading vacation tours around the world for our podcast audience. You never know…
Learn more about Carl Landau and his making-the-most-of-retirement themed podcast, “I Used to Be Somebody“.
