Status symbols are useless. Live the life you can afford and you will be much happier in the long run. The less a person cares about what others think, the happier they will be.
I am 55 and working a low paying job because I went on a sabbatical for 2 years and traveled the world. There are no regrets as I made it a priority to travel while young and mobile. Time is everything!
I used to work 70 plus hours a week I retired at 52 due to poor health. My father used to say if money isn't first it must be a very close second. I now know what is in first place it's your health because if you are healthy you can always make more money. I am 55 now and started renovating houses to flip or rent with my son I work about 20 hours a week and make almost as much as I did when I was working those ridiculous hours for someone else. When I'm not working on houses I restore cars. I am as busy as I want to be but still have a reason to get out of bed each day.
As you get older, time goes faster as when you are 10 years old, 1 year represents 1/10th of your life. But at 50, 1 year is only 1/50th of your life and experiences. I always believe that the mind is like a camera but a very smart one. It doesn't waste space and removes duplicates. So the view sitting at your desk every day is not remembered each day for example. So if you are at work all week uour mind only remembers 1 image, probably the same one from last year or even longer. I discovered that taking in new scenery when I cycle tour. My mind is capturing thousands of new and ever changing images. So 1 week of cycle touring feels like 1 month, it is just magical.
My best advices are: 1) eat only healthy food, (eat only whole foods, no processed foods, use lots of spices and herbs, no seeds' oils and no sugars.) 2) don't get in the trap of modern medication (if you have a health problem go to a very good nutritionist and not to a doctor) 3) Exercise as much as you can. (Long walks will work just fine). 4) Get into meditation and promote positive attitude to anything that life throughs at you. 5) Smoking and alcohol consumption is strongly discouraged, but if you really cannot give it up, just gradually reduce it to 10% from your current 100% and think of giving it up for good. all the best
I'm 54 and do walmart spark grocery delivery. I feel retired and just doing a side gig. Its not stressful and I enjoy it. I choose when I want to work, I get to enjoy being outside and carrying the groceries to customers door is keeping me strong and able.
When I retired four years ago, at 58, I started a concerted exercise routine and lost 50 pounds, and my blood pressure went down to a healthy 110/75 from a near hypertensive level, so I believe I have added at least 10 healthy years to my life. Health, time, and financial independence.
Well done. We were hopelessly unfit when I was fifty but we bought a couple of cheap mountain bikes and turned it around. Now around thirty years later we have enjoyed twenty fantastic years of retirement. So good luck and keep it up.
I am 59 and divorced for 2 years. I going to the gym and learned about nutrition and vitamins. Learned that healthy gut microbiome is essential for health. From a young age but even more as we get older. Now . I do not a knee replacement , no more high blood pressure. Cholesterol, sugar, diabetes and sickness is almost non existence. I feel as in my fortys . An awesome feeling
My time and life has never been my own. My needs never mattered even when I'm sick. Life was only about obedience until my mid 20s and then caregiving. Friends want to hang out with people who have freedom so I don’t really have any left. In my 50s and my life feels like its over and I never had a chance to live. Between stressful work and stressful demands at home, I feel burnt out. No family of my own. Strict upbringing so didn't date much and always told I'm not good enough. Don't be like me. Find a good person to build a life with in your 20s and find joy in life.
Material possessions mean less and less to me now. I began to realize how much stuff I had and started packing things up and donating to our local thrift store. The proceeds go to charities in our town. All the stuff people collect through the years begin to be a burden in your later years. Minimalism is so freeing. No more managing my stuff.
Do not listen to anyone telling you to work on beyond 67. I hit my 35 years of national insurance contributions when I was 55. I'd prepared my path ten years earlier. I invested (£95k with the help of my Fa). We sold up in the UK at 55 and have lived on the proceeds since then. I have a private pension which started aged 60. My full State Pension finally starts in 3 weeks (I plan on investing it all for my grandkids secret nest egg) Every day is absolutely amazing. Don't work a day longer than you have to. The clock is ticking. We are not slaves to the system. No Government can tell you when to stop. Go find your own freedom.
I’m 75 now (blessed with good health) and the one thing I would tell people to seriously review is how you view your time, well before retirement. We get so caught up in work, money and having things; because that’s what we think we should be doing, and it’s what everyone else is doing; that we miss a big one. Your time is so under valued. I have lived in places where an extra day off was worth a lot of groceries because I could shop at sales. Is working an unnecessary day worth it to pay for child care, when you could spend that time with your kids in a more relaxed low stress environment, when you’re not tired. I know I was lucky to nearly always work less than “full time”. I made up for it by being more self reliant. When you adapt to what you’re making without wanting more, you win more than you realize. Dare to think outside the box.
Love it. I wish there was more interaction with people in their 70s & 80s plus. People forget that the older generation are wise. It's something that we've lost a lot of focus on in our western way of living. In many other cultures, they know this already.
After my grandmother died early, my mom freaked out and started traveling the world, bought a Mercedes and was so busy non stop with hobbies, church, etc... When my Mom died at age 66, she was content and told us not to be sad, she had a full life and had no regrets. 66 is too early to die, but from my Mom's perspective, since she LIVED she was okay dyeing.
Im a 56 yr old woman and retired last year. Being healthy and energetic I lasted about 4 months. I went back to full time work and have decided to go back to school for a different career. Heavy equipment operator here I come😊
The triangle is a good way of visualising it. I’m 79 and we have pretty much the equilateral triangle, we’re going away next week and taking our bikes to do some cycling and hiking, plus we have a couple of good restaurants picked out. My advice is learn to enjoy rigorous exercise and healthy eating. Most, or all, retirement advice badly understates the amount of exercise you should be doing, you should really be doing maximum effort exercise for lungs and muscles. We cycle, hike or ski just about every day. When you retire you are probably unfit, no time to exercise or cook healthy meals and too stressed out to care. Job one should be to get your health and fitness to where it should be and build on that so you can look forward to many years of happy retirement.
My Mom was extremely healthy, walked 7 miles a day, 6 month doctor checkups, no meds, no health problems. Fell over dead at 71 with a sudden heart attack. Just bx you're healthy and feel great doesn't mean you'll live another hour. Plan as if you'll die later today. Plan the funeral, etc...
I grew up traveling to different countries due to my dad’s job. Today my idea of fun is going nowhere- cuddle with my cat and a good book on the sofa ❤
Health is everything. I’m in my mid 50s and I’m scared for some of my friends who have really let themselves go…missing teeth and issues from obesity. Take care of yourself, mentally and physically.
At 59 and who has lived in 3 continents I realize that what i believe as true has a validity of 24 hours. Life and our beliefs can change drastically in a second. Each day is a gift.
The "rent the experience" point really hit home. My father loved to sail the Chesapeake. He did it often. Sometimes with the family. Sometimes with his lifelong friends. He never held back. Every time he wanted to go sailing, he did. He had more than enough money to buy a sailboat but chose to rent every time. He calculated the total cost of ownership vs. renting. It wasn't even close. The cost of renting a sailboat was easily 25% (or less) of the total cost to own a similar vessel.
Prioritizing your health is THE most important aspect of retirement, no contest. The amount of money you have is irrelevant if you are too sickly to put it to use enriching your life. I realized this in my late 40s and, as a result, I scaled back my work hours and started on the path to optimal health. Now I'm 55 and in the very best health of my life. Knowing that my health is in order gives me a certain level of confidence in my ability to do all of the activities I want to do in retirement. It's also just as important to have a (non-financial) retirement plan. This is in reference to his comment about making sure you have something to run toward, not just away from. I've been working this too and it's gratifying to figure out ahead of time what will fill your time (and feed your soul) after retiring.
I am 65 and retired 6y ago.... family ties is the most important asset. Friends come and go and not together 24/7. Only family members can provide this. Pure happiness!
4 out of 40 working years have been good. Long commutes, miserable managers, coe workers nothing but disappointing results after always being called a high performer and model employee has prepared me to retire in 3 years at 60 never will I miss working and will look forward to being Free!!!
In that season when your life is dominated by work (and maybe also raising children) try to make and maintain a network of personal contacts and friendships outside those circles.
My friend Kathy and I lost touch in our twenties and got back together again in our fifties. We're still going strong 15 years later. Lots of travel, lots of fun, lots of heart to hearts. Call your old friends--you never know!
All advice right on point, except one small thing. at @7:56 you suggest paying someone else to change oil for you. I think that in this case it is better to learn a new mechanical skill even if you don't like it and it takes time. Part of the problem in aging is laziness. You find it's hard to soap your back so you stop trying, and then you can't any more. Same goes for learning new skills (on RUclips or elsewhere). Exerting an effort develops your brain and pays off.
First time I've seen you. You're articulated and natural without being pretentious. Very good advice. I'm 52 and in my forties started my life again. Children, a house, new city, etc. I'm changing slowly and my goals have drastically changed. I'm needing less people and more quality, a slower more meaningful working experience where I'm not in a hustling environment, and working towards buying a rural property in the next couple of years. It's incredibly hard to achieve what we need and keeping it the focus is the only way I can navigate the obstacles. Thanks again. From New Zealand
which is why i am convinced generational wealth is so important .. give your kids a very early kickstart not too much but enough to have a leg up, this will snowball down to a gigantic difference down the line
As a 46 year I have summed everything up into one phrase. Do not WASTE your time. If you're going to "buy" time to get a few hours of it back, do something with that time you bought otherwise you just wasted your time and money. Don't always lean toward paying for something even if you have the money because doing something that is either challenging or just time consuming gives you many psychological and physical benefits that sitting on your duff watching TV doesn't do for you. More leasure time is not what you should be looking for. Chances are you have too much of that already. Don't sit in front of the TV. Clean the house, fix something, learn a new skill or language, go visit a friend, play video games. Do something that engages your mind. Don't ever do nothing as long as your body is able.
I am just cutting back on the extra hours I was doing at work because I realised the time was more important than the money. Plus not being tired in my free time and prioritising my health. I am mid way between 50 and 70.
By 40 put your health as no #1. I’m 71, traveled a lot when young, good career, enough hobbies, took fair care of myself but maybe not good enough. I have no chronic illness but I still could had done better. No one talked about health much then, not as much was known, but if I would go back it’s the only thing I would change.
I have just retired..Good advice....I always lived a very active life....travelled a lot, enjoyed my life...I did not put off things till retirement..I did them way before.....I managed the life / work relationship...I prioritized my health...So at 68 I am still very active, fit and weigh the same as I did in my 30's and on zero medications...I saved heavily...zero debts...so I am in good shape.I see too many of my friends who reach retirement... and a day out is to go to the doctor....they are all broken up..unhealthy...and many are BROKE!
I cannot tell you how much I appreciate you. You are so kind and humble. I am 65 and divorced for 2 years. I’m feeling great and getting great advice from you. You are truly a Godsend. I have started prioritizing my health and I just got a kitten after 15 years of no animals. My friend told me people live longer that have an animal to take care of. I should’ve done it two years ago when my husband blindsided me and left. 😇
I have 10 years left and just slogging through day by day. I wish so much I could retire today. My fear is that in 10 years everything we’ve saved and worked hard to invest as a nest egg will be worth nothing due to hyperinflation.
I worked hard from my mid teens up until 55. Learned a lot, associated with great mentors, did the courses, read the books and filtered through and kept the (metaphoric) gold. I always rewarded myself along the journey ~ trips away ~ surfing ~ training ~ playing music and so on .. hobbies are important! I’m enjoying my well earned retirement and doing more of what I love. I cannot emphasise enough ~ movement and being in nature is so important. 🚶♂️ 🏃 🏊♂️ ☀️🏄♂️ 🏄♀️ 💦 ✈️ 🏝️
Make sure your home is accessible for your later years. There’s nothing worse than being absolutely trapped in your own home. Plan on being in a wheelchair. Wide doors, roll in shower, accessible bathrooms, kitchen tables you can drive under, outdoor ramps that give you the ability to enter and leave your home by yourself. Lifts to access lower/upper levels of your house. Modify when you have the energy, resources and planning time. If your home can’t be modified for some reason, consider making the move to new quarters. You can make the yellow and red zones of your timeline much more tolerable, and give yourself and your spouse a better chance of staying out of a nursing home. It also gives you peace of mind that knowing you’re prepared for the future. Instead of the Porsche, think about a good van with a sliding side door and a floor ramp that can be pulled out. Doing these things when they are forced on you because of a health event is an absolute nightmare.It takes a lot of time, and doesn’t get cheaper with time. Worse, you might have to lay out big $ just to put you in a temporary accommodation while your house is being modified. Take it from someone who went through this. It sucks bad not being prepared!
You put out great videos. It’s funny how we all look at things through different lens, yet we all have that same goals, for the most part. One thing for me as a 55 year old retiree is that I no longer desire status symbol items, such as a fancy car, expensive jewelry, or a plethora of clothes. Little by little I’ve become more minimalist. I am thankful for the decisions I’ve made to put me in a position to retire early. I’ve learned to live within my means, but not constrain myself to a point where I’m not enjoying the fruits of my labor. I’m definitely not rich and I’m definitely not poor, so I have to be smart with my resources. But I have to also enjoy what I have. Keep putting our great content !
Invaluable insight!! As a 68 year old retired for 11 years now your 10 pieces of advice resonate so strongly. You have the outline for a best selling book! Well done. Subscribed!
My experience is that unless you have children you plan on leaving an inheritance to then you do not want to die rich. When your health fails the system will eat your estate away like a ravenous lion. Give, or spend any excess cash you have on your family or on yourself before you cannot any longer. You will eventually pass away so make sure that you are poor in your final years. That’s how you either enjoy or preserve your wealth before the state gets it all. Probably plan on Long Term Insurance too as a hedge against early failing health. Expensive, yes. You may find yourself saving your money in the long run if you do. Every one’s situation is a little bit different.
"I do what I do best, and I pay for the rest." I love that. A friend of mine (a now-retired physical therapist) used to decide what she wanted, to buy or do, and then worked PRN on her days off at other hospitals to make the money to buy what she wanted, or hire contractors for what she wanted, or go on the vacation she wanted. I personally would rather work a few extra hours at what I do best, and pay someone to clean the house and mow the lawn so I can spend more time with my family.
It is all a game. In middle age/pre-success, we play the game to look for deals, negotiate, barter, etc. As you get older, you realize that playing the game isn't worth the minor financial gain compared to the time. The oil change example is perfect to describe this idea. So is our habit of hunting for the cheapest flight, laptop, phone, etc. Stop wasting time by bargain hunting and use that time to live. Youve won the game - enjoy the spouls.
Thanks Dave so much for your example of the guy wanting to buy the Porsche. That was exactly me last year. I couldn’t get myself to spend that kind of money so I had a long weekend down in Miami where I rented the sports car for $2500. It was very enjoyable, but at the end of the three days, I had convinced myself it wasn’t some thing that I really wanted to do
😂 I left corporate life at 48, had a marriage at 50 and rwo boys at 52 and 53... Now at 60, I strongly believe life begins at 60 🎉 never looked back... Heaps of dreams to fulfil, goals to achieve and fun to have ❤
I appreciate your mellow and modest narration. I usually turn off on videos that are loud and egotistical. I'm 55 now, so your video hit it on the nail for me , yes the years go by very fast , too many mistakes and missed opportunities . If I can tell a 30 year old, do plan ahead , don't want things you cannot ever get.at 50, I realized I was in the later period of my life, so I tried to make amends with family , and clear my conscious of some misdeeds . I did. Recently, I started taking various vitamins , in the past I thought it a nuisance to swallow pills , but now I don't mind. The vitamins seem to make me feel a few years younger .I hope to read my own post at 70.
Good list. I'd add one more for those in 50s and early 60s. Time to get any lingering health problems addressed. And get on anything new immediately. Old bodies don't self-remediate or tolerate and respond to treatment, as well as young bodies. The chance to get things fixed or managed well will fade quickly from here on out.
I’m 51 and exactly where you have been talking about being a caregiver, not enough time and not taking care of myself but this is going to change. I’m not going to retire yet, but things are going to change with more self-care and recovery.
I am wiser than I thought. I knew it before knowing it in my core. Some of these advises I gave them to my ex because he tended to overwork himself, forget about friends and hobbies. It's reassuring knowing I am doing the right things for me already. Thanks!
Many of my acquaintances enjoy frequent major overseas trips in their retirement years while the mere thought of planning and packing in order to visit places and view monuments makes me shudder. For me, RETIREMENT = FREEDOM + TIME ~ from enforced routine, external demands, daily commutes. I like my daily life as well as catching up with interstate friends and occasionally experiencing things in my own country. I feel fortunate to have travelled the world extensively between the ages of 20 and 45 and to a lesser degree in the thirty years since.
A lot of these comments are telling people to live the life they are living. They have the key to a successful retirement. I, personally enjoy a slower lifestyle. I don’t need to be exercising, traveling, going out with friends and family all the time. Just do what you want to do. Don’t feel guilty because you’re not doing everything these commenters are doing. Been retired for a very long time and enjoying the life I want to live
My message to people (young and old) is.. “mind your own business”. That’s literally all you have to do and watch how amazingly easy your life becomes. People who mind their own business even age and look better than nosey people do! ♥️
Retirement is boring only for those who don’t have health, wealth , friends and hobbies! You will enjoy yourself more if you have all these especially with no worries of running out of money!
I retired from the military at 42, then went to work for the federal government for the next 8 years, then bought and renovated homes for rentals for the last 10 years and counting. Still have two kids at home going through college, so not empty nesters. I just bought a Lamborghini a few months ago and I still love it. Unlike a Porsche, it is not a daily driver (and a fair weather car) so it will take a lot longer to get bored of it. When we were working we had status and purpose; contributing to society. The four reasons you stated for why we may make purchases like these are telling.
I retired 4 years ago at the age of 54. I started a new business but haven't done much else outside of that. This video lit a fire under me to get back into doing my morning miles.
In my early 40s and I loved this video and analysis. My kids are finally old enough that they can entertain themselves a bit, and minimal daycare costs finally means our budget has breathing room. I’ve spent the last couple years finding (or rediscovering) the things that bring me joy. I feel loads more mentally healthy (and physically since the gym is one of those things) now and will keep this advice in mind as I move to the next stages.
I spent years staring at my neighbors truck I always wanted him to sell it to me but after 18 years he finally passed and I pretty much gave up on the truck. But to my surprise his son asked me if I wanted it. I didn’t hesitate I got the money and bought it which made me so happy. It was a great way to remember my friend neighbor but now that I have had it for a year I wonder if I have enough time to do everything I want to do to it. I planned to use it as my hobby to continue to tinker. I don’t regret buying it but time is what I may not have enough of but I do have a son.
I’ve been telling all these kids online complaining about how the old people have all the money that I’d be happy to trade them money for health. The smart ones shut up pretty fast.
Thank you!! This is the best video for pre-retirees out right now. Seriously. It makes way more sense than just the isolated monetary piece. Great work!
Health is key! Invest in health by vigorous, demanding, strength oriented workouts. Much money without health and capability is not much fun. I'm 73 and have been working out vigorously since my teens and never regretted the thousands of hours invested. I thoroughly enjoy it, compete regularly and can do things others 20 years younger cannot do.
Ironically, working gives me the most energy, and it has been so since I was a kid. I plan to cut back on the volume of work substantially when I turn 67. I have already started unwinding my volunteer commitments, where I am in a senior role, and will begin winding down the business next year. I plan to work no more than 12 hours per week in retirement, either earned or volunteer, until I cannot work anymore.
Good content, I’m 56 still working with my monetary assets just shy of $1,100,000. When I was younger if I could haveforeseen that I would have that much I would have thought I had arrived but as I tell everyone all I feel is emptiness when it comes to my worth, all it provides me is security nothing else. Contentment plays a big role in our lives and it took me far to long to learn it, I now do most of my purchasing at thrift stores and wouldn’t have it any other way. It’s an odd feeling when one reaches that point in their life where their own mortality starts coming into focus, it’s made me prioritize things like my health, faith, and a handful of relationships.
I love dancing and stopped performing when I began having kids. I picked it up again in my late 40's . I am 50 now and i still love it and have met many wonderful people that have the same passion i do.
4:11 yep. I’m there now. 51, spent the last several years getting back into climbing. Sumitted the Matterhorn 4 months ago. In the sweet spot with enough time, health, money to pursue those goals.
Worked hard for everyone else for 50 yrs & now have cancer. Live your own life!
My husband is 74 and still works full time. He says it keeps him physically and mentally healthy. Do what you love.
Status symbols are useless. Live the life you can afford and you will be much happier in the long run. The less a person cares about what others think, the happier they will be.
Agreed
As a 70 year old my advice would be to dig deeply into your values. What do you really, deeply care about…then prioritize them. You’ll be happier.
Everyone who reads this, we don't know each other and probably never will but I wish you all the best in life and all the luck in the world
Right back at you: sending good wishes your way!
I am 55 and working a low paying job because I went on a sabbatical for 2 years and traveled the world. There are no regrets as I made it a priority to travel while young and mobile. Time is everything!
Good advice.
Get rid of all those possessions you don't need. Simplify.
I used to work 70 plus hours a week I retired at 52 due to poor health. My father used to say if money isn't first it must be a very close second. I now know what is in first place it's your health because if you are healthy you can always make more money. I am 55 now and started renovating houses to flip or rent with my son I work about 20 hours a week and make almost as much as I did when I was working those ridiculous hours for someone else. When I'm not working on houses I restore cars. I am as busy as I want to be but still have a reason to get out of bed each day.
Watching in my 40s... And only just starting I feel so behind!
As you get older, time goes faster as when you are 10 years old, 1 year represents 1/10th of your life. But at 50, 1 year is only 1/50th of your life and experiences. I always believe that the mind is like a camera but a very smart one. It doesn't waste space and removes duplicates. So the view sitting at your desk every day is not remembered each day for example. So if you are at work all week uour mind only remembers 1 image, probably the same one from last year or even longer. I discovered that taking in new scenery when I cycle tour. My mind is capturing thousands of new and ever changing images. So 1 week of cycle touring feels like 1 month, it is just magical.
Learning to say NO is so liberating...
So true!
Yes! And, family and friends often don't like it when we say "No". Oh well. ;-)
I've been watching these videos as a 24 year old and it's really helping me prepare for the future. Thank you!
My best advices are:
1) eat only healthy food, (eat only whole foods, no processed foods, use lots of spices and herbs, no seeds' oils and no sugars.)
2) don't get in the trap of modern medication (if you have a health problem go to a very good nutritionist and not to a doctor)
3) Exercise as much as you can. (Long walks will work just fine).
4) Get into meditation and promote positive attitude to anything that life throughs at you.
5) Smoking and alcohol consumption is strongly discouraged, but if you really cannot give it up, just gradually reduce it to 10% from your current 100% and think of giving it up for good.
all the best
I am 49 and so glad I came across this .
I'm 54 and do walmart spark grocery delivery. I feel retired and just doing a side gig. Its not stressful and I enjoy it. I choose when I want to work, I get to enjoy being outside and carrying the groceries to customers door is keeping me strong and able.
When I retired four years ago, at 58, I started a concerted exercise routine and lost 50 pounds, and my blood pressure went down to a healthy 110/75 from a near hypertensive level, so I believe I have added at least 10 healthy years to my life. Health, time, and financial independence.
Well done. We were hopelessly unfit when I was fifty but we bought a couple of cheap mountain bikes and turned it around. Now around thirty years later we have enjoyed twenty fantastic years of retirement. So good luck and keep it up.
I am 59 and divorced for 2 years.
I going to the gym and learned about nutrition and vitamins.
Learned that healthy gut microbiome is essential for health.
From a young age but even more as we get older.
Now . I do not a knee replacement , no more high blood pressure.
Cholesterol, sugar, diabetes and sickness is almost non existence.
I feel as in my fortys
. An awesome feeling
That’s great to hear!
My time and life has never been my own. My needs never mattered even when I'm sick. Life was only about obedience until my mid 20s and then caregiving. Friends want to hang out with people who have freedom so I don’t really have any left. In my 50s and my life feels like its over and I never had a chance to live. Between stressful work and stressful demands at home, I feel burnt out. No family of my own. Strict upbringing so didn't date much and always told I'm not good enough. Don't be like me. Find a good person to build a life with in your 20s and find joy in life.
Material possessions mean less and less to me now. I began to realize how much stuff I had and started packing things up and donating to our local thrift store. The proceeds go to charities in our town. All the stuff people collect through the years begin to be a burden in your later years. Minimalism is so freeing. No more managing my stuff.
Do not listen to anyone telling you to work on beyond 67. I hit my 35 years of national insurance contributions when I was 55. I'd prepared my path ten years earlier. I invested (£95k with the help of my Fa). We sold up in the UK at 55 and have lived on the proceeds since then. I have a private pension which started aged 60. My full State Pension finally starts in 3 weeks (I plan on investing it all for my grandkids secret nest egg) Every day is absolutely amazing. Don't work a day longer than you have to. The clock is ticking. We are not slaves to the system. No Government can tell you when to stop. Go find your own freedom.
I’m 75 now (blessed with good health) and the one thing I would tell people to seriously review is how you view your time, well before retirement. We get so caught up in work, money and having things; because that’s what we think we should be doing, and it’s what everyone else is doing; that we miss a big one. Your time is so under valued. I have lived in places where an extra day off was worth a lot of groceries because I could shop at sales. Is working an unnecessary day worth it to pay for child care, when you could spend that time with your kids in a more relaxed low stress environment, when you’re not tired. I know I was lucky to nearly always work less than “full time”. I made up for it by being more self reliant. When you adapt to what you’re making without wanting more, you win more than you realize. Dare to think outside the box.
Love it. I wish there was more interaction with people in their 70s & 80s plus. People forget that the older generation are wise. It's something that we've lost a lot of focus on in our western way of living. In many other cultures, they know this already.
After my grandmother died early, my mom freaked out and started traveling the world, bought a Mercedes and was so busy non stop with hobbies, church, etc... When my Mom died at age 66, she was content and told us not to be sad, she had a full life and had no regrets. 66 is too early to die, but from my Mom's perspective, since she LIVED she was okay dyeing.
Im a 56 yr old woman and retired last year. Being healthy and energetic I lasted about 4 months. I went back to full time work and have decided to go back to school for a different career. Heavy equipment operator here I come😊
The triangle is a good way of visualising it. I’m 79 and we have pretty much the equilateral triangle, we’re going away next week and taking our bikes to do some cycling and hiking, plus we have a couple of good restaurants picked out.
My advice is learn to enjoy rigorous exercise and healthy eating. Most, or all, retirement advice badly understates the amount of exercise you should be doing, you should really be doing maximum effort exercise for lungs and muscles. We cycle, hike or ski just about every day.
When you retire you are probably unfit, no time to exercise or cook healthy meals and too stressed out to care. Job one should be to get your health and fitness to where it should be and build on that so you can look forward to many years of happy retirement.
My Mom was extremely healthy, walked 7 miles a day, 6 month doctor checkups, no meds, no health problems. Fell over dead at 71 with a sudden heart attack. Just bx you're healthy and feel great doesn't mean you'll live another hour. Plan as if you'll die later today. Plan the funeral, etc...
I grew up traveling to different countries due to my dad’s job. Today my idea of fun is going nowhere- cuddle with my cat and a good book on the sofa ❤
Health is everything. I’m in my mid 50s and I’m scared for some of my friends who have really let themselves go…missing teeth and issues from obesity. Take care of yourself, mentally and physically.
At 59 and who has lived in 3 continents I realize that what i believe as true has a validity of 24 hours. Life and our beliefs can change drastically in a second. Each day is a gift.
The "rent the experience" point really hit home.
My father loved to sail the Chesapeake. He did it often. Sometimes with the family. Sometimes with his lifelong friends. He never held back. Every time he wanted to go sailing, he did.
He had more than enough money to buy a sailboat but chose to rent every time. He calculated the total cost of ownership vs. renting. It wasn't even close. The cost of renting a sailboat was easily 25% (or less) of the total cost to own a similar vessel.
Prioritizing your health is THE most important aspect of retirement, no contest. The amount of money you have is irrelevant if you are too sickly to put it to use enriching your life. I realized this in my late 40s and, as a result, I scaled back my work hours and started on the path to optimal health. Now I'm 55 and in the very best health of my life. Knowing that my health is in order gives me a certain level of confidence in my ability to do all of the activities I want to do in retirement. It's also just as important to have a (non-financial) retirement plan. This is in reference to his comment about making sure you have something to run toward, not just away from. I've been working this too and it's gratifying to figure out ahead of time what will fill your time (and feed your soul) after retiring.
I am 65 and retired 6y ago.... family ties is the most important asset. Friends come and go and not together 24/7. Only family members can provide this. Pure happiness!
4 out of 40 working years have been good. Long commutes, miserable managers, coe workers nothing but disappointing results after always being called a high performer and model employee has prepared me to retire in 3 years at 60 never will I miss working and will look forward to being Free!!!
Your time in the 60-69 blows by VERY fast. Crazy busy full of changes. Your 70th birthday sneaks up very quickly and will surprise you :-)
In that season when your life is dominated by work (and maybe also raising children) try to make and maintain a network of personal contacts and friendships outside those circles.
An impressive amount of valuable advice contained in a 20-minute video.
The things you find on RUclips.
Thank you.
My friend Kathy and I lost touch in our twenties and got back together again in our fifties. We're still going strong 15 years later. Lots of travel, lots of fun, lots of heart to hearts. Call your old friends--you never know!
That's so great to hear! How fun!
yes this is why it's good to treat yourself. and avoid negative people
A friend of mine that is well of financially told me that he rents a nice car every few months to get that nice car feeling.
All advice right on point, except one small thing. at @7:56 you suggest paying someone else to change oil for you. I think that in this case it is better to learn a new mechanical skill even if you don't like it and it takes time. Part of the problem in aging is laziness. You find it's hard to soap your back so you stop trying, and then you can't any more. Same goes for learning new skills (on RUclips or elsewhere). Exerting an effort develops your brain and pays off.
First time I've seen you. You're articulated and natural without being pretentious. Very good advice. I'm 52 and in my forties started my life again. Children, a house, new city, etc. I'm changing slowly and my goals have drastically changed. I'm needing less people and more quality, a slower more meaningful working experience where I'm not in a hustling environment, and working towards buying a rural property in the next couple of years. It's incredibly hard to achieve what we need and keeping it the focus is the only way I can navigate the obstacles. Thanks again. From New Zealand
You’ll never hear a dying man say I wish I spent more time in the office
In pie chart add more on faith coz everyone has one destination, going back to your maker
which is why i am convinced generational wealth is so important .. give your kids a very early kickstart not too much but enough to have a leg up, this will snowball down to a gigantic difference down the line
As a 46 year I have summed everything up into one phrase. Do not WASTE your time. If you're going to "buy" time to get a few hours of it back, do something with that time you bought otherwise you just wasted your time and money. Don't always lean toward paying for something even if you have the money because doing something that is either challenging or just time consuming gives you many psychological and physical benefits that sitting on your duff watching TV doesn't do for you. More leasure time is not what you should be looking for. Chances are you have too much of that already. Don't sit in front of the TV. Clean the house, fix something, learn a new skill or language, go visit a friend, play video games. Do something that engages your mind. Don't ever do nothing as long as your body is able.
I am just cutting back on the extra hours I was doing at work because I realised the time was more important than the money. Plus not being tired in my free time and prioritising my health. I am mid way between 50 and 70.
By 40 put your health as no #1. I’m 71, traveled a lot when young, good career, enough hobbies, took fair care of myself but maybe not good enough. I have no chronic illness but I still could had done better. No one talked about health much then, not as much was known, but if I would go back it’s the only thing I would change.
After 10 yrs an old friend and I got back in touch it was like there was no time we lost
I have just retired..Good advice....I always lived a very active life....travelled a lot, enjoyed my life...I did not put off things till retirement..I did them way before.....I managed the life / work relationship...I prioritized my health...So at 68 I am still very active, fit and weigh the same as I did in my 30's and on zero medications...I saved heavily...zero debts...so I am in good shape.I see too many of my friends who reach retirement... and a day out is to go to the doctor....they are all broken up..unhealthy...and many are BROKE!
I cannot tell you how much I appreciate you. You are so kind and humble. I am 65 and divorced for 2 years. I’m feeling great and getting great advice from you. You are truly a Godsend. I have started prioritizing my health and I just got a kitten after 15 years of no animals. My friend told me people live longer that have an animal to take care of. I should’ve done it two years ago when my husband blindsided me and left. 😇
One of the most valuable video I've ever seen when it comes to planning my present and future life. I've just turned 49 years old
Thank you so much!
I have 10 years left and just slogging through day by day. I wish so much I could retire today. My fear is that in 10 years everything we’ve saved and worked hard to invest as a nest egg will be worth nothing due to hyperinflation.
I worked hard from my mid teens up until 55.
Learned a lot, associated with great mentors, did the courses, read the books and filtered through and kept the (metaphoric) gold.
I always rewarded myself along the journey ~ trips away ~ surfing ~ training ~ playing music and so on .. hobbies are important!
I’m enjoying my well earned retirement and doing more of what I love.
I cannot emphasise enough ~ movement and being in nature is so important.
🚶♂️ 🏃 🏊♂️ ☀️🏄♂️ 🏄♀️ 💦 ✈️ 🏝️
Make sure your home is accessible for your later years. There’s nothing worse than being absolutely trapped in your own home. Plan on being in a wheelchair. Wide doors, roll in shower, accessible bathrooms, kitchen tables you can drive under, outdoor ramps that give you the ability to enter and leave your home by yourself. Lifts to access lower/upper levels of your house. Modify when you have the energy, resources and planning time. If your home can’t be modified for some reason, consider making the move to new quarters. You can make the yellow and red zones of your timeline much more tolerable, and give yourself and your spouse a better chance of staying out of a nursing home. It also gives you peace of mind that knowing you’re prepared for the future. Instead of the Porsche, think about a good van with a sliding side door and a floor ramp that can be pulled out. Doing these things when they are forced on you because of a health event is an absolute nightmare.It takes a lot of time, and doesn’t get cheaper with time. Worse, you might have to lay out big $ just to put you in a temporary accommodation while your house is being modified. Take it from someone who went through this. It sucks bad not being prepared!
You put out great videos. It’s funny how we all look at things through different lens, yet we all have that same goals, for the most part. One thing for me as a 55 year old retiree is that I no longer desire status symbol items, such as a fancy car, expensive jewelry, or a plethora of clothes. Little by little I’ve become more minimalist. I am thankful for the decisions I’ve made to put me in a position to retire early. I’ve learned to live within my means, but not constrain myself to a point where I’m not enjoying the fruits of my labor. I’m definitely not rich and I’m definitely not poor, so I have to be smart with my resources. But I have to also enjoy what I have.
Keep putting our great content !
Invaluable insight!! As a 68 year old retired for 11 years now your 10 pieces of advice resonate so strongly. You have the outline for a best selling book! Well done. Subscribed!
I must say this is a well thought out video. These life lessons from older retirees are common but you presented them in a different light. Well done.
I’m 53 and a major procrastinator, but love video editing and graphic design, so maybe will start a RUclips channel 🤔
This really lays it out very well. This is exactly the place that I am. I am not going to delay my life and squander the good health I have.
My experience is that unless you have children you plan on leaving an inheritance to then you do not want to die rich. When your health fails the system will eat your estate away like a ravenous lion. Give, or spend any excess cash you have on your family or on yourself before you cannot any longer. You will eventually pass away so make sure that you are poor in your final years.
That’s how you either enjoy or preserve your wealth before the state gets it all. Probably plan on Long Term Insurance too as a hedge against early failing health. Expensive, yes. You may find yourself saving your money in the long run if you do. Every one’s situation is a little bit different.
"I do what I do best, and I pay for the rest." I love that. A friend of mine (a now-retired physical therapist) used to decide what she wanted, to buy or do, and then worked PRN on her days off at other hospitals to make the money to buy what she wanted, or hire contractors for what she wanted, or go on the vacation she wanted. I personally would rather work a few extra hours at what I do best, and pay someone to clean the house and mow the lawn so I can spend more time with my family.
It is all a game. In middle age/pre-success, we play the game to look for deals, negotiate, barter, etc. As you get older, you realize that playing the game isn't worth the minor financial gain compared to the time. The oil change example is perfect to describe this idea. So is our habit of hunting for the cheapest flight, laptop, phone, etc. Stop wasting time by bargain hunting and use that time to live. Youve won the game - enjoy the spouls.
Thanks Dave so much for your example of the guy wanting to buy the Porsche. That was exactly me last year. I couldn’t get myself to spend that kind of money so I had a long weekend down in Miami where I rented the sports car for $2500. It was very enjoyable, but at the end of the three days, I had convinced myself it wasn’t some thing that I really wanted to do
😂 I left corporate life at 48, had a marriage at 50 and rwo boys at 52 and 53... Now at 60, I strongly believe life begins at 60 🎉 never looked back... Heaps of dreams to fulfil, goals to achieve and fun to have ❤
I’m 66 and still working. Maybe the most important video I have watched and rewatched on RUclips. Thank you.
I appreciate your mellow and modest narration. I usually turn off on videos that are loud and egotistical. I'm 55 now, so your video hit it on the nail for me , yes the years go by very fast , too many mistakes and missed opportunities . If I can tell a 30 year old, do plan ahead , don't want things you cannot ever get.at 50, I realized I was in the later period of my life, so I tried to make amends with family , and clear my conscious of some misdeeds . I did.
Recently, I started taking various vitamins , in the past I thought it a nuisance to swallow pills , but now I don't mind. The vitamins seem to make me feel a few years younger .I hope to read my own post at 70.
Good list. I'd add one more for those in 50s and early 60s. Time to get any lingering health problems addressed. And get on anything new immediately. Old bodies don't self-remediate or tolerate and respond to treatment, as well as young bodies. The chance to get things fixed or managed well will fade quickly from here on out.
I’m 51 and exactly where you have been talking about being a caregiver, not enough time and not taking care of myself but this is going to change. I’m not going to retire yet, but things are going to change with more self-care and recovery.
I've travelled but it got too expensive. I'll enjoy all that staying home has to offer, including money in my bank account.
I am wiser than I thought. I knew it before knowing it in my core. Some of these advises I gave them to my ex because he tended to overwork himself, forget about friends and hobbies. It's reassuring knowing I am doing the right things for me already. Thanks!
At nearly 65yo, my #1 tip to young people, and to myself if I could start over, is to be born into a wealthy family.
This video couldn't have shown up at a better time for me and my wife. Thank you.
You're very welcome
Many of my acquaintances enjoy frequent major overseas trips in their retirement years while the mere thought of planning and packing in order to visit places and view monuments makes me shudder.
For me, RETIREMENT = FREEDOM + TIME ~ from enforced routine, external demands, daily commutes.
I like my daily life as well as catching up with interstate friends and occasionally experiencing things in my own country. I feel fortunate to have travelled the world extensively between the ages of 20 and 45 and to a lesser degree in the thirty years since.
I love that your not about the money, and put equal value in health, and boundaries!
I agree. This type of content is so helpful. The financial “advice” is all over the internet.
First time here and the fact that you mention faith and scripture 👍🏽 📖💙
A lot of these comments are telling people to live the life they are living. They have the key to a successful retirement. I, personally enjoy a slower lifestyle. I don’t need to be exercising, traveling, going out with friends and family all the time. Just do what you want to do. Don’t feel guilty because you’re not doing everything these commenters are doing. Been retired for a very long time and enjoying the life I want to live
As a recently (semi) retired person, I found this video very affirming! Thanks! 👏👏👏
Thank you, Dave. You are making a difference in people's lives. You are appreciated.
Than you very much !
My message to people (young and old) is.. “mind your own business”.
That’s literally all you have to do and watch how amazingly easy your life becomes.
People who mind their own business even age and look better than nosey people do!
♥️
Retirement is boring only for those who don’t have health, wealth , friends and hobbies! You will enjoy yourself more if you have all these especially with no worries of running out of money!
I retired from the military at 42, then went to work for the federal government for the next 8 years, then bought and renovated homes for rentals for the last 10 years and counting. Still have two kids at home going through college, so not empty nesters. I just bought a Lamborghini a few months ago and I still love it. Unlike a Porsche, it is not a daily driver (and a fair weather car) so it will take a lot longer to get bored of it. When we were working we had status and purpose; contributing to society. The four reasons you stated for why we may make purchases like these are telling.
I think the part about renting an expensive car or whatever else you're thinking of investing in is a really good idea. And makes sense.
Sounds great to retire early, but what about health insurance? Have to wait until age 65 to get medicare
I retired 4 years ago at the age of 54. I started a new business but haven't done much else outside of that. This video lit a fire under me to get back into doing my morning miles.
This guy is brilliant, balance the financial and personal.
In my early 40s and I loved this video and analysis. My kids are finally old enough that they can entertain themselves a bit, and minimal daycare costs finally means our budget has breathing room. I’ve spent the last couple years finding (or rediscovering) the things that bring me joy. I feel loads more mentally healthy (and physically since the gym is one of those things) now and will keep this advice in mind as I move to the next stages.
I spent years staring at my neighbors truck I always wanted him to sell it to me but after 18 years he finally passed and I pretty much gave up on the truck. But to my surprise his son asked me if I wanted it. I didn’t hesitate I got the money and bought it which made me so happy. It was a great way to remember my friend neighbor but now that I have had it for a year I wonder if I have enough time to do everything I want to do to it. I planned to use it as my hobby to continue to tinker. I don’t regret buying it but time is what I may not have enough of but I do have a son.
This is more focussed, concise and useful than much you tube content that strings out the message to no benefit, thanks
I’ve been telling all these kids online complaining about how the old people have all the money that I’d be happy to trade them money for health.
The smart ones shut up pretty fast.
I'm turning 50 in January and I needed this! I subscribed
Took up mountain biking in my early 50s - last big chance I reckon, to do something quite so exciting
Thank you!! This is the best video for pre-retirees out right now. Seriously. It makes way more sense than just the isolated monetary piece. Great work!
Glad this video popped up in my algorithm! Very powerful information here....
Health is key! Invest in health by vigorous, demanding, strength oriented workouts. Much money without health and capability is not much fun. I'm 73 and have been working out vigorously since my teens and never regretted the thousands of hours invested. I thoroughly enjoy it, compete regularly and can do things others 20 years younger cannot do.
Ironically, working gives me the most energy, and it has been so since I was a kid. I plan to cut back on the volume of work substantially when I turn 67. I have already started unwinding my volunteer commitments, where I am in a senior role, and will begin winding down the business next year. I plan to work no more than 12 hours per week in retirement, either earned or volunteer, until I cannot work anymore.
Good content, I’m 56 still working with my monetary assets just shy of $1,100,000. When I was younger if I could haveforeseen that I would have that much I would have thought I had arrived but as I tell everyone all I feel is emptiness when it comes to my worth, all it provides me is security nothing else. Contentment plays a big role in our lives and it took me far to long to learn it, I now do most of my purchasing at thrift stores and wouldn’t have it any other way. It’s an odd feeling when one reaches that point in their life where their own mortality starts coming into focus, it’s made me prioritize things like my health, faith, and a handful of relationships.
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This is fabulous information. Gave me lots to think about at 49 years old.
I love dancing and stopped performing when I began having kids. I picked it up again in my late 40's . I am 50 now and i still love it and have met many wonderful people that have the same passion i do.
It's never late to learn and get a wake up reminder of life 😊
4:11 yep. I’m there now. 51, spent the last several years getting back into climbing. Sumitted the Matterhorn 4 months ago. In the sweet spot with enough time, health, money to pursue those goals.