Stardate 10.11.2025
I chatted with a gentleman I deeply respect yesterday and asked how his retirement years were going. He was brutally honest with his reply.
“It didn’t start well for me,” he confessed. “I was so in tune with my team at work that when I retired, I felt lost.”
He eventually made adjustments and discovered a new sense of purpose. His words hit me hard. My own countdown to retirement is underway, and while 4.75 years may sound like a long time, I know it will go by in a flash.
Some friends have asked why I’d even consider retiring when I still have so much passion for my work. The answer is simple: as much as I love my day job, I love my wife more. I promised her I won’t go more than a single day past my 70th birthday.
That conversation stirred something in me — a reminder that discovering purpose before retirement isn’t optional; it’s essential. For me, travel is at the top of the list. Not the kind of one- or two-week vacations I take now, but extended adventures lasting two or three months at a time.
I see myself inspiring others of all ages to make travel a priority, not as an escape, but as a way to reconnect with the beauty of God’s creation and the people who inhabit it. My purpose in retirement will mirror my purpose during my working years — to help others maximize their lives through storytelling.
If you’re curious about finding your purpose, stay tuned. My hope is that these stories encourage you to start dreaming again — before your next chapter begins.
Captain’s Log — Addendum
Michael: Purpose doesn’t retire. It only evolves. The mission continues, even when the uniform changes.
Spock: Logic would suggest that preparation for the next phase of existence increases the probability of fulfillment.
Bones: I’ll toast to that, Spock — but make it decaf for the Captain. We’ve got miles to go before sunset.
Scripture Pairing:
“Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.”
— Proverbs 19:21
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