Originally posted on Money with Merne’s Facebook Page on May 22-23, 2017:
So, what do you want to do when you retire? How will you spend your time?
If you’re like me, you may not have had a great answer for that at first. I probably would’ve said travel, bingewatch Netflix, and keep my house clean ha. But I don’t really want to travel 24/7 (the hitch-hiking backpacker hostel-hopping life style is not for me!). I would go stircrazy sitting on the couch watching Netflix for days on end. And I really hope that all my time will NOT be spent keeping my house clean! I definitely need a better plan.
So think, REALLY think, on what you want to do when you retire. And don’t imagine yourself as an old person in retirement, what if retirement was closer? What would you do if you didn’t have to work?
Is it fun to think about? I ask the question because the last two finance books I’ve been reading really try to get at how you will spend your time when you don’t have to work. I’ve been so focused on, “I just don’t want to work” that I need to figure out what I’m going to do when I don’t have to!
The key theme is that you need a purpose outside of yourself. Fulfillment will most likely come from helping others. This is your chance to volunteer for all the organizations for which you never had time before! Is there something you love doing that you would just do it for free and donate your time/services to an organization? Would you watch your grandkids for free? What is YOUR purpose?
It may sound like a pipe dream, but these more detailed plans are important in crafting your retirement vision – because it will motivate you to take care of your finances NOW in order to make that vision a reality!