Book Review: Retirement Reinvention

Retirement Reinvention

About the Book:

For twenty years, Robin Ryan has been helping clients get the most out of their careers and their lives. Now, in Retirement Reinvention, she shatters the myths of retirement.  The old model of retirement is changing. The majority of retirees today are seeking fun and meaningful ways to spend their time. 

Full of practical advice, this thought-provoking guide offers readers a path for reinventing their own retirements, including step-by-step instructions for:

   • Leaving an old career behind 

   • Pinpointing interests and skills 

   • Exploring different places to live 

   • Defining new, satisfying opportunities 

   • Finding meaningful ways to give back to your community 

   • Striking the right balance between work and leisure 

From starting a dream business to shifting to the nonprofit sector to volunteering, Robin Ryan will help you create a plan and pivot toward a future as vital as it is truly rewarding.

My Comments:

When I say "retire", what comes to your mind?  The beach?  Your bed?  Fun?  Boredom?  In Retirement Reinvention Robin Ryan pushes the idea of retirement being not the time after you quit your job but the time during which you participate in activities (possibly including jobs) that are fun and meaningful to you.  Instead of your 66th birthday being the end of your working life, Ryan suggests you see it as a new beginning.  

Robin Ryan uses stories of real people and how they have been able to make a difference in a way that is meaningful to them.  Some have started small businesses, others have taken up time-consuming hobbies while yet others have chosen to learn something new.  The key to a successful retirement is choice--you may not make a fortune blogging as a hobby but if writing is fun, you can try to build an audience (and since you don't need one, you don't have to do SEO research, create pinworthy graphics or maintain a mailing list).  

One thing I do regularly is peruse the posts on Rockstar Finance and last night when I was starting this post, this one caught my eye:  Our "High School Rule" for early retirement.  The ideas are much the same as expressed by Robin Ryan.

If you are trying to figure out how you are going to spend the rest of your healthy left Robin Ryan has a lot of good ideas of things to do and suggestions about how to get started.

I'd like to thank the publisher for providing a review copy via NetGalley.  Grade:  B+