Edition 14
Poem called Ulysses by Alfred Lord Tennyson. The poem ends with these lines:
Though much is taken, much abides; and though
We are not now that strength which in old days
Moved earth and heaven; that which we are, we are;
One equal temper of heroic hearts,
Made weak by time and fate, but strong in will
To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield.
Though much is taken = we have lost a lot.
Much abides = much lives on.
We are what we are and who we are because of who and what we have experienced.
“The things that we’ve encountered in life deliver us to the moment and also create the lens through which we see the world” – Clark Lea
Retirement - Lessons and Learnings
I very rarely talk about my age and I never say never. I am 50 years old. There it is, both are out there.
I read that the average life expectancy for USA males is around 76.5 years means 38 is middle age for a male in the USA. For women, it’s about 81.4 years, so middle age is around 41.
"Never get so busy making a living that you forget to make a life." —Dolly Parton
Are you living to work, or working to live?
"Strive not to be a success, but rather to be of value." —Albert Einstein
Retirement was practically nonexistent until the Industrial Revolution, with most people working until they died or were physically unable. The modern retirement concept emerged in 1889 when German Chancellor Otto von Bismarck introduced the world's first state-sponsored pension plan, initially setting the retirement age at 70. History of retirement - Wikipedia
Today: According to the Mental Health Foundation, one in five of present-day retirees experiences depression. Those living alone because of bereavement or divorce are more at risk. Physical health problems can also make people more vulnerable to mental health issues too. Recent studies have indicated that "retirement increases the chances of suffering from clinical depression by around 40 percent, and of having at least one diagnosed physical illness by 60 percent" On the other hand, many workers have adopted scaling back in their jobs at around 55 or 60, or even changing careers, but still working for 15–20 more years so they are into their 70’s and even 80’s.
I am painting kind of a bleaker picture of retirement and it does not have to be. I consider myself very fortunate to know several people who I also consider friends, who have “retired” from the professional workforce. I know several friends who have not retired from the professional workforce and some even re-created their career journey.
I believe I have found some commonalities amongst those who I believe are “happy”.
#1 – They stay active and connected no matter what.
#2 – They have a strong partner.
#3 – They have a friend network.
#4 – They don’t have to worry about money as much. This does not mean they are “rich”, more so, I notice that they are fine with what they have and stay active doing things they can afford.
#5 – Those who are still working are not ashamed to be working and those who stop working are not ashamed to have stopped working. They are happy with their decision.
#6 – They do things, they exercise, they are active outdoors, they travel, and they read.
#7 – They go to the doctor, but it’s not the sole purpose of what they do.
#8 – They have fun.
#9 – They don’t work or play all the time. Rest is important and having a purpose beyond play is important too.
#10 – Likely, they have saved enough money to feel and be secure for how they want to live.
The lessons I take from what I observe, read, and hear:
#1 Be lucky enough to have a spouse and life-long partner. “The best way to get a great spouse, is to deserve one.” – Charlie Munger. Foster your luck by being a person that others want to be with.
#2 Have a friend network and be the one to nurture it. Don’t be too prideful that you are the one that “always” initiates contact with friends. It’s better to be the one versus be with no one.
#3 Somehow be happy with what you have and not what you don’t. Realize we all end the same. Whether you are on Elon Musk (lots of money, but is he happy?), or the person who has just enough to be well fed, comfortable, and has friends. Money likely does not buy happiness.
#4 Do things - unfortunately, I know of some people who are not very happy in retirement because: they don’t
Foster a friend and/or family network.
Stay active with something more than going to the doctor, dentist and haircuts.
Live in the moment vs thinking of the end all the time and they have some spontaneity too.
#5 They are financially where they need to be. If you are someone who has saved, have a plan on how to spend your retirement savings.
If you are someone who has not saved yet, it’s not the end.Many people want to work past 65, regardless of money.65 does not have to be “your number”.Your number is likely more about the money you need and want during last half of your life.Therefore, it’s never too early to learn how to save and spend for a retirment that fits you.
Great! Podcasts and Books
694: Clark Lea - At The 2026 Learning Leader Growth Summit: The Mission Is Winning, Checking the Cabinets, Leading as an Introvert, Alabama Week, Decoupling Worth From Outcomes, and Building a Championship Culture
The Learning Leader Show With Ryan Hawk
Clark Lea is the head football coach at Vanderbilt University. He spent 14 years as an assistant coach, including three as defensive coordinator at Notre Dame, before returning to his alma mater in 2021 to inherit a program that had gone winless the year before. He's now the back-to-back SEC Coach of the Year and the architect of one of the great turnarounds in college football history. When you try to go opposite of what you're trying to avoid, you eventually become it. Clark spent his first years at Vanderbilt rejecting the program's past. Going opposite. Then he realized it was just attaching his identity to the very thing he was trying to escape. Now he plots toward the vision instead. What got you here won't keep you here. As Clark has grown, the program has grown. Once he understood that, he could sit with a player and listen first, instead of looking to them for affirmation. The mission is winning. Clark scrapped a beautiful, eloquent, unclear mission statement and replaced it with three words. Now every dollar spent, every coach hired, and every player retained is measured against the same lens. Well-better-learned. What did we do well? What do we need to do better? What did we learn?
Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-learning-leader-show-with-ryan-hawk/id985396258?i=1000774619780
Strength to Strength – Book by Arthur C. Brooks
From Strength to Strength: Finding Success, Happiness, and Deep Purpose in the Second Half of Life by Arthur C. Brooks is a guide to navigating career and life transitions. It argues that while fluid intelligence (innovation) declines with age, crystallized intelligence (wisdom) increases, enabling a pivot from professional burnout to a more fulfilling, service-oriented second act.
Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals
Book by Oliver Burkeman
Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals by Oliver Burkeman argues against the modern obsession with productivity, urging readers to embrace their finite, ~4,000-week lifespan. It promotes accepting limitations, letting go of the need to "do it all," and focusing on what is truly meaningful rather than efficiency.
pic by Mike Hofer not AI - Farm in Smith County, KS
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