I’m at that point in time when I’m
looking forward to retirement with a mix of anticipation and dread. Some days I
imagine how nice it will be to sleep in, to not have to get up if I don’t want
to, and then I remember that I usually get up way before the alarm goes off,
and that within a few days I would be bored stiff sitting around and counting
the days until the next social security check arrives. With that in mind, it’s
easy to see why I jumped at the chance to read Launch Your Encore: Finding Adventure & Purpose Later in Life
by Hans Finzel and Rick Hicks (Baker Books, 2015)
Many Christians
will especially enjoy chapter 16: “Who Does God Say I Am?”, but non-Christians
might take issue with it, so the authors have given permission to anyone who
might be offended by that chapter to skip it. Although there are godly
principles presented, this books is deliberately not written as a ‘Christian guide
to retirement’, nor as a ‘guide to Christian retirement’. Men and women from all walks of life and diverse
ethnic and religious backgrounds will equally be able to apply the principles and
increase their chances for a successful ‘life after work’ whether that happens
at 40, 60, or 80. And the primary secret is simple: find something that you’re
passionate about and then find a way to do it!
Even
though almost anyone can benefit from reading this book, it is definitely not a
one-size-fits-all program. But certain things do seem to apply across the board.
Part one deals with a challenge faced by many after they retire: what do I do
now? We want to live life to the fullest after retirement, not just move from
the swivel chair in the office cube to a rocking chair on the porch. The authors offer some cautions and
suggestions along those lines.
Part II is a reminder that the transition from the work
force can take a couple of different directions: entitlement or contributor. Most people would say that they want to
continue to contribute to society, even after they retire, but unless they take
some steps to make sure that happens, they are likely to find themselves
unpleasantly surprised. In this section the reader is taught to make a life
map, which helps him or her determine interests, passions, desires along with
how they learn and what brings satisfaction.
Part III is stories of people who have made a graceful and successful
transition, and now find themselves in the position of happily being
contributors. A little bit of look what others are doing… see, it can be done. And Part IV is a detailed plan for finding a
purpose and a meaning to life.
I've worked quite a bit with the elderly in several
different capacities. Some of them were a delight to be around, they knew that
their entire worth was not wrapped up in their ability to bring home a
paycheck. Others were miserable: without
that job (which often they had hated but held onto because it paid the bills)
they were just hanging on and waiting to die. They really though life was over.
This book should be on the mandatory reading list for
everyone transitioning from the work force to retirement or an ‘independently
wealthy life of leisure’.
The publisher provided me a copy of this book in exchange
for the review.
5/5
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