Am I Crazy to Retire Now?

Recently, a friend voiced the concern of many. “Am I crazy to think about retiring now?”

With the current economic upheaval, it’s been well documented many baby boomers are going to change their retirement plans.

I’m going to suggest the recession provides an opportunity to reinvent the retirement of the future.

Ken Dychtwald, author of Age Power aptly stated, "Today's retirees are social guinea pigs. We are shifting away from the model of learning for 20 years, working like a mad dog for 40, and goofing around for 20. What is evolving is some new blend between learning, working and leisure."

Retirement in the future will consist of more people working. But, it doesn’t have to be drudgery. Retirement in the 21st Century provides an opportunity to push back boundaries, explore new options and yes, find new ways of earning income.

In a recent interview, when asked why he doesn’t hang it all up because he had earned the right, Norman Lear replied, “Yes, I’ve earned the right to do what I want to do. What I want to do is wake up every morning to do something that I think matters.”

What have you earned the right to do?