Q: My ex-husband and I are happily divorced and have successfully raised three children together. Now that retirement is fast approaching, I’m making tentative plans, but I’m easily distracted by well-meaning advice from others. My parents and my ex-husband have each navigated retirement well and are happy to share ideas on how I should retire. My employer is also hinting at me retiring in the near future and my friends want me to quit my job. Now that the children are gone, you may sell your large family home and live in a smaller community. But even my kids seem to have plans for what I look like in retirement and tell me to keep the house, so there’s plenty of room for family gatherings. and my father wants me to downsize but stay local to help them. How can I stay focused on my goals and what I’m trying to accomplish in retirement?
A: Please bear with us as we speak of unique experiences that can be easily translated into life skills and retirement planning. Many years ago I was invited to train at his School of Race Car Performance. I never intended to be a race car driver, but this program teaches the basics of car control, road handling, road safety and advanced high performance technology for everyday drivers like me. It was a wonderful education.
Braking and steering at different speeds, dry and wet roads, we learned the proper responses to safely bring the vehicle back under control in difficult driving conditions such as blown tires and oil films. , a skill that helps you avoid the gray squirrels that regularly run around the streets of Hamilton!)
It was a thrilling experience and built confidence and ability behind the wheel. I still remember and practice the defensive driving strategies I learned. But the biggest lessons were the ones I could easily translate into my life and retirement plans. The passenger seat instructor negotiates the curve of the track with a fake wall and flips a switch to mimic the loss of traction (like an ice patch). Inevitably, I was staring at the wall as it came right up against me at about 200 km/h. No I want to go and crash into a fake wall!
Repeatedly, the instructor nudged my head back to the track I really wanted to go to and quietly said, See where you want to go! “
Likewise, it’s a good idea to ignore symbolic walls that may look like danger. Instead, look to your own future. you I want to go to the end Ask yourself: How long will you be able to enjoy your job? What would you like to do in your future retirement? How close do you want to be physically with your friends?
You’ve successfully managed your career, parenthood, friendships, and support for your mother and father, so I’m confident you can handle these important decisions. Please point By becoming better at negotiating the road ahead, ignoring the inevitable distractions and focusing on your vision for the future, you can move toward and survive the retirement you want.
Sitting safely in the driver’s seat will make you even more ready to steer safely whenever the metaphorical gray squirrel crosses your retirement path.
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