“Retirement Scares Me” – Why This Conversation Stopped Me in My Tracks

The other day, I caught up with a former colleague. We were chatting about life after work when he said something that’s stuck with me ever since:

“Retirement scares me. I’d have nothing to get up for in the morning.”

It was brutally honest and it stopped me in my tracks.

For many, especially those who’ve built their identity around work, retirement doesn’t feel like freedom. It feels like a void. Without structure or purpose, the fear of stopping is sometimes greater than the pressure of continuing.

And honestly – I get it.

My Own Transition Took Time

When I retired, I didn’t leap straight into a passion project or start ticking off a bucket list. In truth, it took more than a year before I even had the headspace to think about what life after work could look like.

Here’s what I wish I’d known back then:

Burnout doesn’t end the day you stop working.

The fatigue followed me into retirement. I needed more rest, and more time, than I expected.

Slowing down feels strange at first.

After years of working at pace, having no schedule or goals felt unsettling. I had to relearn how to ‘just be’.

Guilt is part of the process.

Even though I didn’t need to work, I still felt guilty for not being productive. It took time to realise that rest isn’t failure, it is recovery.

Don’t rush into reinvention.

There’s pressure to find your “next thing” quickly. But I discovered that clarity only came once I gave myself permission to pause.

Structure helps when the dust settles.

When I felt ready, I started using tools like BHAGs (Big Hairy Audacious Goals) and the V2MOM framework (Vision, Values, Methods, Obstacles, Measures) to shape what came next.

Retirement Doesn’t Have to Mean Drifting

There’s no shortage of advice on how to save for retirement,  but far less on how to live it well.

Almost 2 years into retirement I have learnt that its not about slowing dow but rather living with more intention, more joy, and more freedom than ever before.

That’s why I’m exploring life coaching — to help others step confidently into this season and design a life that feels rich, grounded, and deeply fulfilling.

What about you?

If you’re approaching retirement, what’s your biggest fear or surprise so far?

And if you’re still working, what would you most look forward to and what would you miss?

Else find out more at http://www.great2live.com