Retirement Coaching: Finding New Adventures In Retirement

After moving to a new city just before starting high school, my brothers and I were constantly on the lookout for things to do that summer. One day my dad told us about a park that was supposedly close by. He claimed it contained basketball and tennis courts, baseball fields and even had a small creek running through it.

He gave us some general direction as to its location, despite the fact that he had never been there himself. For a few days we cruised around the area on our bikes looking for this park to satisfy our midsummer boredom.

After many laps around the same general area and no new clues, we gave up and simply decided to head in a new direction. Freed from the stress of finding that which eluded us, our bikes peddled with greater ease and all seemed to enjoy the ride much more.

New streets, houses and cars revealed themselves in a carefree way that solved our monotony and gave us something new to talk about and experience. It wasn't long before we came around a sharp bend, that the elusive park finally presented itself to us.

It makes me wonder what long and elusive journey you may be on. Could it be time to surrender and go in a new direction? One where peddling might come easier as new things and experiences present themselves.

It seems that sometimes we are all given ideas, directions and goals by others, and that as we pursue them, we hold tightly to what we have been told and where things will take us. However, when we feel the need to hold on, that is usually the moment to let go since most of our searching is looking for ways to discover who we already are.

Take a moment to think about your retirement plan or life. What do you hope to find in yourself or during this phase of life when you come around the sharp bend straight ahead? What are you looking for?

As you can see, in each case I used an everyday life situation, such as carrying groceries or riding a bike, to open up new doors that reveal ideas about retirement. And that’s precisely what retirement coaching is all about—helping others start to think about and prepare for the many areas of retirement.

What’s more, it fills a major retirement planning void. As the old adage goes, “That which is not expressed ends up depressed.” That goes for both advisors and clients because the more we share and bring out what is in us, the more we can bring out in others—something that is essential to creating stronger bonds with clients.

The two examples above were selected specifically because some advisors may already be carrying too much … wearing too many hats … or are afraid to give something up in order to go in a new direction. I know I had my feet in each of those camps at different times and for different reasons. Which is why I use elements of retirement coaching to not only grow and transform myself but others as well. 

Retirement coaching is a rapidly growing trend where the tools and resources will only get more complex and sophisticated. As a result, more credentials will crop up and related trainings will inevitably dominate industry conferences. Advisors who stay ahead of this curve will not only avoid the headaches associated with playing catch-up but will also position themselves to grow and transform lives well beyond the dollars and cents associated with our industry. 

 

Robert Laura is the president of SYNERGOS Financial Group, the founder of RetirementProject.org and the creator of the Retirement Wellness Report and DividendPaycheck.org. He can be reached at [email protected].

First « 1 2 3 » Next