I consume a lot of YouTube videos about retirement planning to help in my post-career life planning. It isn’t because I don’t trust my financial advisors. It’s because I’m trying to answer a question a portfolio alone can’t solve: What kind of life do I want once work no longer structures my days? Retirement is
What my mother taught me about using retirement while you still can and how that impacts retirement lifestyle planning. My mother managed her money well. What was even more impressive was how she was able to save so much to be able to retire. My parents followed the American dream and put most of their
I went in for my annual physical. My primary care physician did what doctors do, I was given a clean bill of health with an order to get the corresponding lab work completed. That was not difficult, because it is right next door. The results came within 48 hours, and I was able to view
Gloria is a “dwelling jumper.” In her mid-eighties, she resides in a high-end senior living facility that has great amenities. She has a lot of friends and engages in many community activities. Yet, she is not happy, and that is her pattern. Since moving out of her house 5 years ago, Gloria is at her
When Your Retirement Starts Revolving Around Your Parent Read More »
Growing up, my dad had a plant in his office that sat in the corner, year after year. It was a Golden Pothos, commonly called a pothos or devil’s ivy. The plant is remarkably resilient. You can trim a vine, place it in water, wait for roots to appear, and start an entirely new plant.
Ben frustrated the heck out of me. The first in and last out each day, he did not lack effort. Yet, I constantly had to ask for details and to challenge him with a lack of follow-up. Intelligent and driven, Jimmy wore me out because he could never make a decision. He would frequently call
You’re Busy. But Are You Actually Moving Forward? Read More »
As I type this, my youngest son is being pursued by his nephew (my grandson) in a game of “chase me”. We are up visiting my oldest son and his family to celebrate his graduation from Cornell and receiving his PhD in horticulture. I’ve had a wonderful time watching my kids and their lives as
I’ve worn multitasking like a badge of honor. It’s more like a badge of shame now. One of my direct reports invited me to a monthly update they were having with a client. I “attended” but was not fully there. I was in the middle of updating a report I needed to turn into the
Logan is a 75-pound tri-color English setter who is friendly to humans but aggressive with other dogs. Not long ago, my wife and I came around the corner with Grace (our 65-pound goldendoodle) while Logan’s owner Mary, is in her late sixties, had her back turned. Logan saw Grace and immediately lunged forward. He spun
What Your Pet Reveals About the Life You’re Designing Read More »
The biggest conversation around artificial intelligence has centered on one question: “What jobs will AI replace?” I think we’re asking the wrong question. Recently, AI quietly eliminated one of mine. Not my career. Not my income. Just one task that had belonged to me for years. Oddly enough, I was happy about it. Confidently my
What Will You Do When AI Gives You Your Time Back? Read More »
Judy needed to put her husband in a memory care facility. His dementia caused increased mood swings, and the police had to visit their home multiple times. She now lives alone yet still cares for her partner. Harry lost his wife to cancer. They planned to do a lot of activities together, but now he
The pastor was in the middle of his sermon preaching on John 14 when he said, “Be a model of trust, not confusion.” That simple statement stayed with me long after the service ended. It also reminded me of something a former boss and mentor used to say whenever projects started slipping: “You’ve got to
We live in an attention economy. Most people think that battle is happening on social media. It isn’t. The biggest competition for your attention is inside your workplace and even your home. I have dispensed a lot of advice in my 230 newsletters. From tools to behaviors, you’ve read guidance on: The list could go
Every Sunday at my local church, those attending the early service are invited to receive Communion. While Christians hold different theological views about this sacred practice, that is not what stayed with me one particular morning. What I noticed was something much simpler. As the congregation formed a line, each person received a piece of
They ran out of seating in the Fellowship Hall after worship service, so I grabbed a piece of cake and found a spot for my drink on the windowsill. A couple came and joined me and after some small talk the conversation turned toward, of all things, knee replacement surgery. Sheri recently completed her first
English