Top 10 Keys to Retirement Success

Success means different things to different people, here are the top 10 keys researchers have found that can contribute to a successful retirement:

1. Healthy aging — One of the key factors in your retirement success is your health.

2. Financial comfort — There is no real rule of thumb on how much money will give you comfort in your retirement. Each person/family is different. It’s critical to assess what kind of life that you want to lead in retirement and then assess the costs associated with that life.
3. A hardy personality — Have what experts call the “hardy personality”. There are four key elements to a hardy personality:
   1. Connectivity to your community and to your world.
   2. Control over your life, or the confidence that you are in charge.
   3. Desire to continue to grow and learn no matter how old or secure you are.
   4. Belief that you can live on purpose and by planning ahead you can live your dream life.
4. Positive outlook on life — Are you a positive or a negative person? Happiness is how you live your life. Happiness is an action — not a result. Your attitude towards your life and your desire to maintain your hardy personality will directly contribute to your overall optimistic (or pessimistic) outlook in retirement.
5. A positive definition of “work”  — Our work is the thing that we do to contribute our skills, experience, labor or knowledge to society in some way. Even when we leave the traditional workplace, we still need to share our strengths and skills in society in meaningful ways. 
6. Active social relationships. “No man (or woman) is an island” — We need relationships, particularly when we leave the workplace and our work- related relationships begin to disappear.
7. Nurturing family relationships — In general, we need close family relationships. Our relationships define us, give us a purpose for living our lives and force us to create life goals. Relationships give us a sense of purpose.
8. Meaningful and fulfilling activities — How often do you hear someone who is retired exclaim; “I never seem to have enough time to do the things that I want to do!” When you question them on what it is that they are actually doing, it turns out that they have filled their days with activities that help pass the time. There is a big difference between fulfilling activities and activities that simply fill time. 
9. Positive view on aging and life transitions — The transition from one stage of life to another can be a difficult one, as many retirees will attest. Have you ever wondered why some retirees make the transition easily while others struggle for years? Part of the answer comes from the way that we process change in our lives. Retirement is really just the next stage of life for many people. It is not the “end”, but rather the beginning of a new life.
10. Spirituality — How do you view yourselves in relationship to your world and beyond? “Spirituality” refers to your sense of who you are and why you are here. Your view of the world flows directly from the values that you hold and the primary purpose of your life. What is it that gets you up in the morning and makes you want to face the day?

Developing and maintaining goals and dreams will give you the opportunity to live your retirement life “on purpose”.

For more information about transitioning into a meaningful and successful retirement, please call Best Care EAP at (800) 801-4182 or (402) 354-8000.