Overall
This is a must-have book for anyone in the “second-half” of their career. In my experience as a Career Coach and Counselor, it is never too early to begin planning for “Retirement” - your reward for all those years of hard work and dedication. While most of us have heard this advice from our financial experts, this book focuses on “everything else” we need to prepare for in retirement – just read the Table of Contents! Things like Emotional Well-Being; Social Connections; Purpose and Meaning; New Interests – and even Business Opportunities – in YOUR TIME of YOUR LIFE.

Retirement Readiness Assessment
And the Author’s starting point is her Retirement Readiness Assessment – easily downloaded and free with purchase of the book. Not a “Dollars and Cents” Readiness Assessment – just the opposite. It’s about the reader’s own thoughts and feelings when beginning to think about Retirement – in all the Key areas listed in the Table of Contents. After taking the assessment, the reader can then “confront those thoughts and feelings” using the over 200 pages chock-full of sage ideas, thoughts, and suggestions to increase their very own personal “Readiness” to retire. This assessment does an exceptional job of triggering thought for individuals. I found it particularly useful when my wife and I both completed the assessment individually, then sat down and engaged in discussions comparing our individual ratings in each category. Spurred great conversation and took our partnership to a whole new level!

The Book

With the Assessment in hand before diving headlong into the book, the reader’s experience is further enriched by the connections they make with the author’s excellent personal stories and the receptiveness they feel for some of the author’s great – and easily doable – ideas, thoughts and suggestions in each category.

In developing people in my life and career, I always tried to “Prepare the Person for the Path” rather than “Preparing the Path for the Person.” What I really like about the techniques described in the book is that it “Prepares the Reader for the [Retirement] Path” - rather than just guiding the reader on “Preparing the [Retirement] Path,” as most books on this subject try to do.

The author is clear in Chapter 1 – “…nothing ever goes exactly according to plan.” The most successful and fulfilled retirees are the ones who, themselves, are well prepared for handling the unexpected – both “Good Unexpected” (openness to new experiences) and “Bad Unexpected” (handling the inevitable disappointments).

My personal favorite Chapter is Chapter 3 – The Power of Social Connection… In retirement, Social Connections do not come to us IF we choose to simply sit on our porch in our rocking chair! We have to go out and get them – and the author offers a buffet of opportunities as well as “what to do” and “where to do” them!

I found Chapter 5 most helpful to my wife and me – Planning Where to Live After Retirement. This is not a single “one-off” decision for the rest of one’s life! Retirement is fluid just as is Life itself! This book’s way of “Preparing the Person for the Path” is just what is needed in deciding “where to call Home” as one enters retirement and throughout the ensuing journey.

In Chapter 11, it is all about creating the healthiest “ecosystem” in which one’s – anyone’s – retirement can thrive. An ecosystem (“outlook on life”) filled with Gratitude, Curiosity, Possibility, Flexibility, Resilience – and JOY!

Overall, this book – and its companion Retirement Readiness Assessment – provides a great lens through which one may peer at their future in retirement, see their dreams and make them tangible, and recognize that not all of those dreams may come true AND also be assured that some other unseen but wonderful surprises await them in retirement. Seeing this balance prepares the reader for the most fruitful journey on their own [Retirement] Path ahead.