What if you never retire?
I was listening to a group of people talk about retirement the other day.
They were dreaming about the day they’d be done with work. And then wondering what they’d do to stay engaged. How they’d avoid boredom. What might give them purpose.
I found the conversation… perplexing.
Because I love what I do. I can’t imagine not wanting to do it.
Not because I’m a workaholic. Not because I don’t like downtime. I love my rest days. Love my quiet mornings. Love getting outside.
But I also absolutely love my work.
Not every moment. Not every meeting. But the work itself? The mission? It lights me up. It gives me energy. It fills me with purpose and joy.
So I kept thinking… what if we stopped talking about retirement—and started talking about what’s next?
What if the goal isn’t to stop working—but to stop doing the work that drains us?
What if the real goal is to design a life you don’t want to retire from?
You’ve probably heard that old quote: “If you love what you do, you’ll never work a day in your life.”
It’s not about escaping responsibility. It’s about alignment. Loving the work. Loving the life.
And if you don’t yet love what you do?
Don’t settle. You get to choose again.
Your next chapter is yours to write. It can be joyful. Playful. Deep. Purposeful. It can be full of new adventures. New contributions. New meaning.
You can consult. Mentor. Create. Teach. Start a foundation. Lead a movement. Launch a small business around what you love. Or do something completely different.
But whatever you choose—let it be something that pulls you forward. That lights a fire inside. That you can’t wait to wake up for.
Because that’s the sweet spot. That’s where time feels different. That’s where energy flows.
Not everyone will understand. And that’s okay.
You’re not retiring. You’re reimagining. You’re beginning again.
And that… is worth getting excited about.
(The work I LOVE to do is helping others create their exciting next chapter. If you’re thinking about that, email me. We’ll talk! [email protected] )
