My wife and I recently went to the Paul McCartney concert here in Tampa.  It was an incredible show.  He played songs from the Beatles, Wings, and his solo band.  Through his songs, he brought us through an emotional journey by invoking memories from long ago.  One of the most amazing things he did was play music for two and a half hours and did not even take a sip of water.  He came out for his encore and played an additional 30 minutes.  At the age of 75, Sir Paul played for three solid hours with only one break and his encore was just as strong as the beginning of his show.  When it comes to your life, are your encore's just as good?

 

Let me explain further, Paul has all the money he needs and does not require any more fame, so why does he continue to tour at his age?  My guess is that he loves what he does and he knows the affect he has on his fans.  I don't think he considers it a 'job' and I think the job defines him.

 

I think it is safe to say that Sir Paul is not retired.  Part of my job as a wealth coach is having discussions with clients about when to 'retire' and 'what will they do'.  It is a difficult and emotional decision for some.  Some clients have no problem giving up their career.  Others don't want to retire as they love what they do and their career defines who they are.  Eventually, everyone has to retire.

 

 I never really liked the word 'retire', it sounds negative to me.  I prefer to call this next chapter of your life, as your "ENCORE", just like Sir Paul did at the end of his show. I got this concept from Bevan Gray-Rogel, who was kind enough to share with me information about her non-profit called Encore Tampa Bay.  Their goal is to help people find their encore career or encore in life.  Many of the people they help are retirees.   Some of the things they help you discover are: 1. Who do you want to be when you grow up. 2. Are you ready to make a difference in the community? 3. Are you looking for volunteer or paid positions in the nonprofit world?  I think this a valuable resource and I plan to use her as a resource for my clients to help them discover their encore.

 

When your start thinking about 'retirement' you can now think about it differently, start thinking about it as your encore.  Whether your encore is being a grandparent, a volunteer, a golfer, a garden club member, a world traveler or you keep working, take a bow and enjoy life!