Rethinking Work
I caught the last half hour of "Castaway" the other day on television. I've seen this 2000 morality tale several times. Directed by Robert Zemeckis and starring Tom Hanks, the plot is straightforward. A Federal Express executive survives a plane crash, only to find himself alone for four years except for the company of a sports ball he names Wilson. When he is finally saved, a reunion with his beloved girlfriend is bittersweet. Having reconciled herself to having lost the "love of her life," she has since married and become the mother of a baby girl. The film ends with the protagonist standing at the crossroads where four paths converge, deciding on his next move and feeling sad but hopeful about what tomorrow will bring.
As I read "Boomers Find 401(k) Plans Fall Short" by E.S. Browning (Wall Street Journal, February 19, 2011), I kept thinking how more and more people are finding themselves cast away on remote islands of life, having to figure out how to survive and overcome tough times. With the typical balance of "less than one-quarter of what is needed in that account to maintain" a "standard of living in retirement," it is no doubt a shock to countless individuals to discover that a trip down easy street won't come any time soon. Whether starting too late or saving too little or both, the net effect is the same. With rare exceptions, current monies are insufficient to support early retirement. To the contrary, working longer may soon become the new norm.
Like Tom Hanks whose rescued film persona looks to the future, learning from the past, attitude is everything. According to "'I'll work till I die': Older workers say no to retirement" by Jessica Dickler (CNNMoney.com, September 28, 2010), some individuals refuse to exit the labor force, even if they can afford to do so. Citing a study by Barclays Wealth, "nevertirees" choose to earn a living for as long as they can.
Tom Hanks is a fine actor but he too must be sensing a sea change in how people live their lives. Later this year, he plays Larry Crowne, a middle-aged man who "reinvents himself by going back to college" after losing his job. I've read that he also bought the movie rights to "How Starbucks Saved My Life: A Son of Privilege Learns to Live Like Everyone Else" by Michael Gates Gill. This former executive and now best-selling author says that "losing my job turned out to be a gift in disguise." See "Fired exec: 'Starbucks saved my life'" by Lola Ogunnaike, February 5, 2009.
As French entertainment legend Maurice Chevalier said, "Old age isn't so bad when you consider the alternative."
Retirement doesn't have to be an existential experience. Understanding goals and planning accordingly can lead to a different outcome. We posted a piece on planning to make a bucket list a reality that offers some answers. See http://www.retirementtownhall.com.