A Teenage Conviction That Still Drives Me Today
Because the financial plan for retirement is only part of the plan
🟢 I made a decision as a teenager that has truly shaped my life.
I grew up in a home shaped by alcoholism. Somewhere in the middle of all of that instability, I made myself a promise:
I would get a good education. I would always have options. I would never feel stuck.
That conviction had a financial edge to it because I wanted to ensure I could be independent and always be able to take care of myself and my kids alone if it ever came down to it. However, it was about more than money. It was about building something solid underneath me, so that when life got hard I’d have something to stand on.
🧭 I’m 47 now. Retirement is at least a decade away for me but when I reflect back on that teenage conviction today, I realized something interesting.
It still applies and the question underneath it hasn’t changed:
What do I want my life to look like? And do I have a plan to get there?
Most of us spend our careers building the financial plan. We save, we invest, we hit the magic number that tells us we can retire. Then retirement arrives and we realize the financial plan only answers one question. It tells us we can leave. It doesn’t tell us what we’re stepping into.
.
🌱 I started working with a new coaching client recently and she said something that I believe will resonate for all of us.
“I know I have more life behind me than in front of me. I want to use it well. I just don’t know what that looks like.”
She said she feels lost.
I don’t think she’s lost. I believe she’s at the beginning of something and she just doesn’t have the map yet… and I’m honoured to walk alongside her to help her create it.
What I’ve noticed, especially with women, is that so many years of our lives are shaped by (often loving) obligation. Careers, kids, aging parents etc. and what we personally want gets buried under what needs to happen. If it stays buried long enough, we can lose track of who we are outside of our roles.
💡 As a teenager, I knew I wanted options so that I could always step forward with confidence. What I know now is that options are only meaningful if you know what you want them for.
This is the work that I’m passionate about. It’s about completing the retirement plan because that includes so much more than financial readiness. I love helping people get clear on what gives them energy, what feels meaningful, and what they want their next chapter to actually look like.
The freedom retirement promises is real. We’re all looking forward to the “golden years” when we have more choice over how we want to spend our time. However, I have learned from so many others that freedom without direction can feel a lot like being lost.
The good news? You don’t have to have it figured out before you begin. You just have to be willing to start asking the questions.
✍️ I’d love to hear from you: is there a conviction you formed earlier in life that still quietly drives you today?
💚 If this resonates and you’d like to hear more, I’d love to have you join me at my free webinar. It’s this Sunday, October 18th at 2 PM Eastern.
3 Keys to Retiring with Confidence.
The more the merrier and I’ll be giving away signed copies of my book!
Tammy Martins is the author of Designing Your Second Act, publishing November 4th through Routledge Productivity Press. She is the founder of Next Chapter Life Design.
Comments