She's building toward $2.1M by 55. When she imagines that person, all she feels is dread. The diagnosis when the blueprint you're following isn't yours.
Brilliant article because not only does it have me replaying some of the choices I made during my 32-year career, but more importantly, now that I'm retired, it has me seriously contemplating the future version of myself and whether my retirement financial plan aligns with that person.
And when I say retirement financial plan, I prefer to think of it as a retirement spending plan.
Whether there was a mismatch before I retired is water under the bridge. What's done is done, and I have no regrets. That said, I also recognize that my blueprint was likely mapped out at a very young age, almost to the point where I wonder if it was destined to play out the way it did.
What your article has me realizing is that I'm still figuring out my "retired guy" blueprint. To be honest, that's a little unnerving, especially given my ongoing challenges with spending. It's hard to know exactly what resources I'll need when I'm still discovering who I'm becoming.
The bottom line for me is this: I need to think of my retirement spending as a capital investment into my evolving identity.
Retirement spending as a capital investment into my evolving identity"…wow, that is an absolutely magnificent way to frame it!
It is completely normal to find the "retired guy" blueprint unnerving, precisely because we never stop evolving. We are always uncovering the next version of ourselves.
I’m so glad the article sparked this reflection for you, and I love the framework you’ve built to tackle it. Thank you for sharing such deep wisdom here!
This one hit home. At 78, I’ve seen how easy it is to follow a financial blueprint simply because it’s the one everyone around you treats as “the right path.” Your framing of Future Self Mismatch is powerful — especially the idea that the real cost isn’t money, but becoming someone you never actually chose to be. I appreciate your article because it pushes people to pause and ask whether the plan they’re executing is truly theirs.
I am so incredibly moved by your comment. To have someone with your lifetime of experience validate this framing means the world to me.
You put it so beautifully: the real cost truly is losing the chance to choose who we become. It is so easy to stay on autopilot, but as you said, the cost of not pausing is just too high.
Grateful for your kind words and this beautiful gift of a comment!
If when you’re younger you don’t learn to live a full life that’s true to you, it will be even harder in retirement. As always life is a balance, but all the money in the world will not help if you live a life full of regrets.
So true! We often treat living an authentic life like a switch we can just flip down the road, but you can't suddenly start living a life true to yourself if you haven't been practicing it all along.
Money is just the fuel; it can't buy the direction or the meaning.
This was a great piece. The external blueprints handed down are truly deceptive. One of the hardest, but freeing, realizations is that you were living out a blueprint that wasn't yours. Again, wonderful piece.
Thank you! It means a lot coming from you. Waking up to the fact that the blueprint isn't yours can feel incredibly disruptive at first, but it’s the only way to get to that true sense of freedom. Really appreciate you reading and your thoughtful support as always!
We might plan but yet future will have some bumps. So as you said rightly, we must take decisions by making the best of whatever information is available at the time.
Indeed, flexibility is everything, because the future always loves to throw us a curveball. Thanks so much for reading and for always showing up with your support!
Brilliant article because not only does it have me replaying some of the choices I made during my 32-year career, but more importantly, now that I'm retired, it has me seriously contemplating the future version of myself and whether my retirement financial plan aligns with that person.
And when I say retirement financial plan, I prefer to think of it as a retirement spending plan.
Whether there was a mismatch before I retired is water under the bridge. What's done is done, and I have no regrets. That said, I also recognize that my blueprint was likely mapped out at a very young age, almost to the point where I wonder if it was destined to play out the way it did.
What your article has me realizing is that I'm still figuring out my "retired guy" blueprint. To be honest, that's a little unnerving, especially given my ongoing challenges with spending. It's hard to know exactly what resources I'll need when I'm still discovering who I'm becoming.
The bottom line for me is this: I need to think of my retirement spending as a capital investment into my evolving identity.
Retirement spending as a capital investment into my evolving identity"…wow, that is an absolutely magnificent way to frame it!
It is completely normal to find the "retired guy" blueprint unnerving, precisely because we never stop evolving. We are always uncovering the next version of ourselves.
I’m so glad the article sparked this reflection for you, and I love the framework you’ve built to tackle it. Thank you for sharing such deep wisdom here!
The wisdom is a direct result of a thought-provoking piece. Thank you for that.
That is incredibly kind of you to say! Cheers to the continuous journey of figuring it all out! Have a wonderful weekend.
This one hit home. At 78, I’ve seen how easy it is to follow a financial blueprint simply because it’s the one everyone around you treats as “the right path.” Your framing of Future Self Mismatch is powerful — especially the idea that the real cost isn’t money, but becoming someone you never actually chose to be. I appreciate your article because it pushes people to pause and ask whether the plan they’re executing is truly theirs.
I am so incredibly moved by your comment. To have someone with your lifetime of experience validate this framing means the world to me.
You put it so beautifully: the real cost truly is losing the chance to choose who we become. It is so easy to stay on autopilot, but as you said, the cost of not pausing is just too high.
Grateful for your kind words and this beautiful gift of a comment!
I really enjoy reading your articles. They are so personal.
Few things beat learning from real stories of real people....
I am so glad you enjoy these stories, Bob. Many thanks!
Truly insightful, as always!
Thank you so much @Debra Douglas! I really appreciate you taking the time to read it and leave such a kind note. Have a wonderful weekend!
You too! Developing your plan project! ❤️
If when you’re younger you don’t learn to live a full life that’s true to you, it will be even harder in retirement. As always life is a balance, but all the money in the world will not help if you live a life full of regrets.
So true! We often treat living an authentic life like a switch we can just flip down the road, but you can't suddenly start living a life true to yourself if you haven't been practicing it all along.
Money is just the fuel; it can't buy the direction or the meaning.
Thank you for framing it so beautifully!
This was a great piece. The external blueprints handed down are truly deceptive. One of the hardest, but freeing, realizations is that you were living out a blueprint that wasn't yours. Again, wonderful piece.
Thank you! It means a lot coming from you. Waking up to the fact that the blueprint isn't yours can feel incredibly disruptive at first, but it’s the only way to get to that true sense of freedom. Really appreciate you reading and your thoughtful support as always!
Always a pleasure reading your posts!
Thank you so much! I truly appreciate this 🙏
We might plan but yet future will have some bumps. So as you said rightly, we must take decisions by making the best of whatever information is available at the time.
Indeed, flexibility is everything, because the future always loves to throw us a curveball. Thanks so much for reading and for always showing up with your support!