THE MYTH OF RETIREMENT
Retirement is not what it once was, and may not be what many of us expect. In reading Robert Kiyosaki's book "Rich Dad's Prophecy", I am struck by some of the information and perspectives he offers regarding pensions, retirement plans and economic shifts occurring in the next 10-15 years. Because of changes in laws regarding pensions and retirement programs, combined with the fact of an aging population, Kiyosaki is suggesting that millions of people who have worked hard all of their lives will not have enough money to retire when they reach the age where they may want to. As I contemplate these possibilities, it occurs to me that the whole idea of retirement may be outdated and loaded with misconceptions. For one thing, retirement may be hazardous to your health. Far too many men, for example, tend to die soon after retiring. As a culture, we do not honor our elders, and the idea of retirement helps to support the idea that when we reach a certain age we are no longer useful or worthwhile. One of the myths imbedded in the idea of retirement is that you will want to stop what you're doing and do something else—or perhaps nothing. This is based on the assumption that we don't like our work, that it is bad for us, and that quitting will be good for us. Not necessarily so. Perhaps we need to shift our focus from worrying about retirement to the vision of aging beautifully, powerfully and successfully. Kiyosaki is offering financial intelligence, and I find it useful information. Let's decide to age well, and prosper.
