We've met several fishermen, who love their sport, and have found a way to expand their interest to make lives better for others.  We know a dynamic Texan who is volunteering with Reel Recovery (www.reelrecovery.org) a national non-profit organization that conducts free fly-fishing retreats for men living with all forms of cancer.

Another individual we met is with Project Healing Waters, www.projecthealingwaters.org)  which offers services and programs to injured military service personnel and disabled veterans throughout the country.

We have also seen situations where people took their passion, made a real business out of it and it wasn’t so much fun anymore because it had become work.  On the flip side we have seen successful passions become great businesses where owners say,  “This isn’t work…I’m living my dream!”

Of course as with any idea…only invest what you can afford to lose.  It can be a great way to create a next act that makes life very interesting and as well as fulfilling.

PART 1: USING YOUR PASSION FOR PROFIT OR PURPOSE

As the authors of Don’t Retire, REWIRE! we continue to travel the globe “preaching” the importance of rewiring yourself after all major life transitions. The retirement boom is on and eager audience members are trying to figure out how to get the most out of their futures! There isn’t one pathway for the future, but many. You just need to choose what you would like to pursue.

Some people told us they only want a future of fun, fun, fun…until they either get bored or they run out of money! Others say that they want to work but in jobs with less stress and less responsibility. Some want to try the entrepreneurial route but don’t have any ideas, and a good number are viewing their hobbies as possible pathways to new businesses or volunteering opportunities(look for blog number 2 on this subject coming soon.). The possibilities are numerous but to capitalize on them you have to use your imagination, and your curiosity needs to be in gear.

To give you an example of what we are talking about…look what happened when some mahjong players looked at the game with a new set of eyes! I took mahjong lessons several years ago with a group of friends, having never been exposed to the game before. We did it for fun; the bonus was seeing our friends with more regularity.  We thought it would be great for the brain! And it has been just that on all counts.

 But something else emerged from our playing mahjong.

Two of the women, who have always been interested in art, became intrigued with the artistry of the “tiles.” They started collecting antique mahjong sets and I am thrilled to report that they have just come out with their first book from Tuttle Publishing, MAH JONGG, The Art Of The Game. The book is a collector's guide to mah jongg tiles and sets, and the photography is sensational. They are speaking on the topic to a range of audiences, both experienced players and beginners (or want to be players as well as art afficianados).  A third player in our group has started teaching the game, with the goal of teaching mahjong on cruise ships!

Remember… we were just playing mahjong and look what happened! Let your imagination go wild!

But lest you think that this is just one group, I discovered that there is a club of avid mahjong players in the Philadelphia area (almost 120 at the time of this writing). Several of these women created a training/members site entitled mahjonggmentor.com/. The site includes over 50 videos and is a supplement to teachers as a standalone teaching tool, and as a great info resource for beginners and players alike.  

Remember …what was first and foremost an interest and hobby for these women has now turned into much more. It’s a business.

In both of these scenarios these women rewired and are working, just differently.

The Age Busters Power Summit for Boomer Men is Coming!

It’s always a good thing to get insights on topics that are near and dear.  There is a great opportunity coming which will provide important information to Boomers.  The Age Busters Power Summit for Men is a virtual event broadcast on the internet Beginning October 17 and running for 2 weeks.  The cost is exceptionally good:  It’s free.  This very unique program will offer tips and strategies on retirement, health issues, wellness, relationships, social security, lifestyle changes and financial issues for men over 55 years old.  They have already done a successful event for women.  This should be another good one.

Jonny and Jodye Friedman, a husband and wife team, are co-founders of Age Busters.  They provide information, advice and services to help people “dazzle within” as they call it.  They have taken it upon themselves to interview experts in a variety of areas important to the over 55 set. Rick was interviewed on the subject of finding a new job when you are a mature worker.  Jonny did the interviewing.  Jonny is exceptionally passionate about getting good information into the hands and ears of Boomers who are either looking forward to retiring, already in it, or looking to cycle back in to new work opportunities.  He has selected and interviewed some great experts in the field.

Each interview lasts about 45 minutes to one hour and will be available on line by going to the following link:   The Age Busters Power Summit

You can tune in any time 24/7 during the offering period to get valuable strategies, insights, and reflections on the things that matter during this key life stage.  It will be well worth the time investment!!  You don’t have to be a man to listen.  Anyone who has a guy in their life: father, brother, son, husband, partner, etc.  may get some very helpful info to pass along.  Don’t miss it. 

 

 

Is Globetrekking For You?

Overseas travel is a huge topic for retirees.  Everyone's Bucket List, or whatever you call yours, seems to have several places they want to visit.  Forbes.com recently published an article by Judy Martel titled: Globetrekking: the new retirement. The article features our friends and fellow authors, Tim and Lynne Martin.  Their new book, Home Sweet Anywhere, highlights their retirement, and it isn't what you would typically imagine.  They had a dream for adventure.  After selling their home in California, they have been living in a variety of cities around the world.  Their retirement is not for the faint of heart.  They are very flexible, adventurous, and are inspirational for anyone who has a travel bone in their body.  The book is a great read, but a lot more than that.  It is full of insights on how retirees (or anyone with courage) can cast off the lines and head for parts unknown.  Globetrekking has become another way Boomers are breaking the mold.

We were interviewed for the article because as authors of the book, Don't Retire, REWIRE! and as "rewiring experts" to get our views on how people execute on their dreams.  We think that not only do Lynne and Tim know themselves well, but they know their drivers---what motivates them.

We highly recommend you read the article and apply it to the many aspects of your life...not just travel.  Yes, packing it all in and leaving the country on an adventure is extreme, but you have to have some idea what's there when you arrive that will give you driver fulfillment.

If you read the article with an open mind, be prepared to have it stretch your thinking and to be challenged to dare to imagine different things for yourself.  Ask yourself..."Do I envy Lynne and Tim, or do I think their retirement choice is too extreme? Or am I somewhere in the middle."

It takes courage to do what they.  All we can say is BRAVO!!!

When a Vacation is More than a Vacation

Travel can become a big part of any retiree’s life.  Whether you are a current retiree or about to become one, you probably have some travel destination on your TO DO or BUCKET LIST.

Recently we met some retirees who said they weren’t sure where they were going to travel next, because they had already seen most of the places they had longed to see. We were a little surprised because some of these people were only in their late 60’s and early 70’s, and could have a long longevity runway in front of them with no place to go.

We decided to turn the idea of travel on its head and challenged people to REWIRE their thinking and attitude when it came to seeing new places and experiencing new cultures. …and we are happy to report that it worked! People began to use a new set of eyes when they looked at their vacations!  

A retired engineer told us that he was not eager to visit another beautiful cathedral (or ABC to seasoned travelers) but after visiting Chartres Cathedral he decided that he was going to figure out how Chartres Cathedral was built! One day it just hit him that rather than just look at beauty, he would turn the cathedral into a project for himself when he got back home. A fellow traveler suggested that he begin by reading Ken Follett’s book, PILLARS OF THE EARTH, to jumpstart his interest.

Or how about the couple who took an unplanned food tour in Paris and couldn’t believe how much enjoyment they got by learning about a culture through its food. They decided that looking at a city through a “food lens” was going to be their new travel criteria.

Other examples included a woman who visited Vienna, attended an opera against her will, and loved it! Or the person who saw a Santiago Calatrava bridge in Seville, Spain, and said “when I get home I’m going to Google him to learn more! Maybe we’ll visit his other works around the world!” Who knows….maybe there are architectural tours for non-architects? If not…maybe there should be!  There are countless stories of people traveling the world…Asia, South America, Africa…..who discovered new interests   simply by being curious and asking questions.

Travelling and acquiring new experiences and making new memories are powerful ways to be engaged in life. Rewiring how you look at travel can make your future trips more fulfilling and rewarding in ways you never dreamed.  It will be no surprise that you will also meet new friends along the way who may even become traveling companions.

 

 

Reconnecting With Your Past Through Basketball

When you saw the title, Reconnecting With Your Past, you probably thought that we were recommending that you visit Classmates.com to look up old friends, or go to Ancestry.com to check out your family tree. Many people are checking out those great sites especially as they may now have more time or interest to do so, but that is not what we are talking about here. You might have noticed the words….Through Basketball in the title?  This is about a recent experience I had and relates to some of the topics we write about in our book, Don’t Retire, REWIRE!

 I’m a graduate of Michigan State University, and admit to having no real involvement with the university since graduation. With no family, and few friends left in Michigan, I haven’t walked the campus for many years. Yes, I would randomly support my college when they called for a donation but for whatever reason my heart really wasn’t in East Lansing; college was a point in time. Maybe some of you can relate to what I am saying; others may be shocked because you are strong alums. The point is everyone’s experience is unique, then and now.

During the last few years I had accepted a few invitations from MSU to attend events in New York City, but again my attendance didn’t result in any commitment. Maybe this is sounding familiar to some of you? All that changed last week however when I attended a pre-game MARCH MADNESS event prior to the MSU-Virginia match up at Madison Square Garden.

Surrounded by Spartans in green and white attire, I was treated to remarks by MSU President Lou Anna K. Simon, a tremendously effective leader, and Basketball Coach, Tom Izzo, who inspires and entertains, and is one of the great human beings of college sports and a legend at the NCAA.  Was it cool to be there? Absolutely! Did I have a sense of belonging to something bigger than myself? For sure! Was I proud? Yes. And things took a very positive turn when I introduced myself to the man standing next to me who turned out to be very involved in the alumni program. His pride, his stories, and his enthusiasm for the new horizons that MSU plans to reach to inspire current and future generations in and outside of Michigan and the United States was infectious.

What I learned from my research on Don’t Retire, REWIRE! is that two of my personal Drivers or motivators, as identified in the book,  is to have new experiences, and to belong. Sometimes we don’t know what hidden treasures associated with our past can be found, until we start showing up at events, asking questions, listening to stories, making new acquaintances who may turn into friends.  The key here is to show up.  I asked a lot of questions that night and just joined the MSU Alumni group today.  I am looking forward to meeting the 7000 MSU alums in the New York area….well not all of them, and going back to East Lansing to see a campus that has become a beacon to the future in a state that is rising once again and headed back to greatness. 

As I always say, when the student is ready the teacher will appear.  Moral of the story?

When you Rewire make sure you show up at activities and ask questions! And know what your Drivers are!

National Womens History Month

Jean Chatzky, Financial Expert for NBC's Today Show and blogger for the website, Retailmenot.com, had a great idea for Women’s History Month.  She reached out to sucessful women and asked them to remember the best finanical advice they got from afemale role model. I am so pleased to be included with others such as Barbara Corcoran from ABC's The Shark Tank, Gerri Willis from Fox Business, Jane Bryant Quinn from the Dailyvoice.com, and of course, Jean, who I think is terrific.  The advice is varied and will hopefully make you think back to where you got and get your financial advice. This is a good blog to send on to daughters, sisters , nieces, granddaughters