Living a Heroic Retirement: What Is a Hero?
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You may be planning a peaceful retirement, an active retirement, or an engaged retirement, but have you ever thought about living a heroic retirement? Over the course of the next several episodes, we\\u2019ll explore what it means to live a heroic retirement with Michael Balchan from\\xa0Optimize.\\xa0
In this series, you\\u2019ll learn how to build a framework to lean into the kind of person you want to be every day. I\\u2019m excited to bring this teaching that we already use in the\\xa0Rock Retirement Club\\xa0to you. Listen to this episode to learn what a hero is and how you can be the hero of your own retirement.\\xa0
Michael Balchan understands the search for meaning
Michael Balchan is 36 and not approaching retirement. However, he is working on his second act. His first career was as a commodity options trader and after achieving all of the outward trappings of success he had to reassess his life. He recognized that he had achieved everything he set out to achieve yet he felt that his life was a bit hollow. This led him to explore what would give him true satisfaction.\\xa0
Michael understood that the default path that he had fallen into brought wealth, fame, and popularity. These extrinsic goals were not bad goals to have, but they gave him no inner fulfillment. He then began to recognize that a deeply meaningful life comes from expressing the best version of himself in service of something greater than himself.
What is a hero?
Oftentimes, people\\u2019s second act steps away from the outward displays of success. They shift from a \\u201cwhat can I get\\u201d mentality to one that explores \\u201cwhat can I give?\\u201d This is why we are exploring the concept of the hero.\\xa0
The word hero comes from the Greek word and means the protector, but not necessarily in the way that you think. Greek heroes are protectors of the values and community that they hold most dearly. Heroes do the hard work by taking courageous action with their secret weapon: love.\\xa0
Heroes live a life of deep meaning by intentionally expressing the best versions of themselves in service of something greater. You can be a hero in your own life by looking for the places where you fall short and taking courageous action to improve them. Lean into the amazing abilities that you already have. Consider how you can help or connect with others.
How to find your purpose
The top tier in\\xa0Maslow\\u2019s Hierarchy of Needs\\xa0is self-actualization, however, it is said that there is actually a level beyond self-actualization: self-transcendence. We can go beyond self-actualization in service of something bigger than ourselves.\\xa0
However, being a hero doesn\\u2019t mean that you have to set out to save the world. You get to choose your sphere of influence. Being a mentor, a great neighbor, a grandparent, or a spouse are all ways that you can serve others. The size and scope of your impact is up to you.\\xa0
Upon retirement, you may not know your reason for waking up in the morning. Your purpose gives you energy and vitality so it is important to think about what lights you up. To find your purpose it can be helpful to look back at what you have done in the past. Look at your past experiences and consider what brought you meaning.\\xa0
Find the ways in which you already make an impact in what you are doing. How are you already creating purpose and meaning in your life? Start to look for other opportunities to make contributions in the lives of others.
Make sure to come back next week to learn the core virtues you can use as guideposts to build intentionality into your retirement. If you found this episode helpful, make sure to share it with a friend!
OUTLINE OF THIS EPISODE OF THE RETIREMENT ANSWER MAN
PRACTICAL PLANNING SEGMENT
- [6:00[ What is a hero?
- [18:48] You get to choose your sphere of influence
- [21:05] How to find your purpose
LISTENER QUESTIONS
- [30:08] How long does it typically take to recover from a bear market?
- [35:55] Should Bill\\u2019s wife take Social Security now or wait for Bill\\u2019s delayed benefit?
- [38:31] How should Steven allocate his mom\\u2019s savings?
TODAY\\u2019S SMART SPRINT SEGMENT
- [43:40] Find the ways in which you already make an impact in your life
Resources Mentioned In This Episode
Holding Out for a Hero\\xa0by Bonnie Tyler
BOOK -\\xa0The Second Mountain\\xa0by David Brooks
BOOK -\\xa0Flourish\\xa0by Martin Seligman
BOOK -\\xa0The How of Happiness\\xa0by Sonja Lyubomirsky
Maslow\\u2019s Hierarchy of Needs
Roger\\u2019s YouTube Channel -\\xa0Roger That
BOOK -\\xa0Rock Retirement\\xa0\\xa0by Roger Whitney
Roger\\u2019s\\xa0Retirement Learning Center
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