The Case for Not Retiring

Given the challenges of retiring, there are some compelling reasons not to retire. Especially for men, their work has become an important part of their life and part of their personality and reputation.

Surveys show that many folks who have retired become bored with their daily routine and miss some of the things they may have taken for granted while they were working:

1. The social interaction with their fellow employees and others. We know that social relationships are beneficial to one's general health and wellbeing.

2. A sense of purpose. The late Jim Rohn, an early motivational speaker and mentor to many of the present day motivational speakers, used to say ..."If you don't produce, you won't be happy".

3. There is a health benefit, both physically and mentally to having a schedule and dealing with challenges. The mind needs constant stimulation and being forced to get up and move around keeps rigor mortis from setting in.

4. The addition of money helps to preserve our lifestyle. Working and getting paid is obviously a benefit. It may be a good idea to work as long as you can. There will eventually come a day when you may not be able to physically or mentally continue to work. If you do retire, the reality is that once you reach your 60s, 70s and 80s, finding a job becomes very difficult. It is a shame that we have Baby Boomers reaching retirement age at the rate of 10,000 a day who are virtually unhirable. Especially since they have acquired valuable, marketable skills, common sense and experience!