Using the Green Retirement method of retirement planning, is simple and easy, and allows you to retire early with less savings. I have created a 12-step program for over-coming over consumption, which is essential, if you want to take advantage of this new retirement planning method. However, there are a few more things you will need to overcome, before you even start planning your retirement: Fear, Ignorance, Greed. FIG.
Our culture and society, including retirement planning, is controlled by these three elements. Government and business use these elements to effectively control the population. It is important that you over come these elements, to not only take full advantage of the Green Retirement method, but also to protect yourself from being manipulated. I would like to on the Retirement Blog, briefly address each of these items, starting with Fear.
Fear of Retirement
More and more, I am coming across articles, indicating that Americans have a tremendous amount of anxiety when it comes to the subject of retirement. Even the word “Retirement” is scary to some. Take for example this quote from an AP story, where Hugh Delehanty, editor of AARP Publications says:
“My father worked for the Postal Service for 30 years, retired at age 57, and he was fine. He was happy,” Delehanty said. “I can’t imagine that now. No one even uses the word ‘retirement’ in a positive way anymore.”
Wow! Dad retired at 57, was happy, and son has an issue with that. Worse, the organization that uses the word “Retired” in it’s name, has a problem with the word “Retirement.” On the other hand, Canadians have no problem using the word “Retirement.” According to one recent study, 91% of Canadians do not “object”, to the use of the word “Retirement.”
Why are Canadians comfortable, with the word “Retirement”, while Americans find the word “Retirement” objectionable?
Allstate Insurance Company conducted a survey titled “Retirement Reality Check” the findings are shocking.
“When Americans look forward, they see a future fraught with peril…The top two answers, according to the survey, were terrorism and saving for retirement, both cited by 55 percent of respondents….What surprised us is that people said they worry equally about terrorism and saving for retirement,”
Americans are as afraid of retirement as they are of terrorism? That is an incredibly powerful fear.
Although the Allstate survey cites, not saving enough for retirement, I believe the fear of retirement goes deeper than just savings. I believe that Americans have an existential fear of retirement, as the AARP qoute would indicate, and the reasons are many. Here though, are a few of the surface fears, I believe Americans have regarding retirement.
- Identity – “Where do you work?” Is the question most Americans, ask each other, when they first meet. When you stop working – who are you?
- Failure – Not having enough money for retirement, or running out of money during retirement, are indications of failure.
- Change – Change can be scary. And retirement represents a big change in people’s lives.
These fears must be overcome, if you wish to retire early, or to have a successful retirement. Each of these fears has the potential to cause you to work longer than is necessary, and make costly retirement mistakes. So let’s overcome those fears.
Overcoming Fear of Retirement
What’s so great about being a dentist or an accountant? Retirement gives you the opportunity to pick a new identity. Become an environmentalist, an author, or an expert of 12th century Chinese ceramics. Choose a new excititing identity for yourself.
Failing to plan is planning to fail – so the saying goes. If you have a plan, especially and importantly an Green Retirement Plan, your chances of failure are very small. Overcome your fear of failure by creating a plan.
Change is good. The first change that occurs in retirement is – freedom. You are no longer a wage slave. You can take better care of your health, devote more time to hobbies, schedule your day. You can change where you live, if you want, the world is yours.
What you are losing is a false sense of yourself, some lame friends at the office, and a boring routine. Make it happen, overcome your fears, and get a plan. Now onto ignorance and greed…
Learn more about Green Retirement Planning – And find out how you can save your retirement and the planet!
1 response so far ↓
1 RetiredSyd // Jan 16, 2008 at 11:18 am
Very good insight. I have recently written about this fear as I have observed it over and over again, just as you have. (And your Canadian/American observation is very interesting–Americans hear “dead” when you say “retired”.) I think there is a fear of not having enough money in retirement, but more importantly, many are defined by their jobs and they don’t really know who they “are” when they don’t have that identity anymore.
It may very well be an American thing. When you meet Europeans at a party, they almost never ask you what you do for a living when you meet them. In fact, I have offended a few by asking that question. But in the US, that is usually one of the first questions you ask someone when you meet them–because it seems we do believe that is who you “are”.
I will be retiring in 6 weeks at the age of 44. I can’t wait to get to know this person outside of the “finance professional” identity!
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