THE ROAD TO SUCCESSFUL RETIREMENT-ODUNZE REGINALD C

Life in retirement is another kind of life, in Europe and America, the old man may be sent to an old peoples home, but in Nigeria and in most African countries , you may be lucky to enjoy the rewards of African extended relationship by enjoying a relationship and a stay within your relations house. No wonder a former president of Nigeria put a note of warning that whoever among his children that is nursing the ambition of sending him to an old peoples home, will not live to see old age.

But in Europe and America, old people look up to such homes as they reach their retirement age, that is differences in culture and tradition. So how do make out the best out of old age is entirely a function of the retiree, but the underlying reason is the ability to see the positive side of life and believe you can.

Henry Ford said “Think you can, think you can’t, either way you will be right” and according to Robert Schuller 1988 “I can! Said the retired postman.  He was a rural mailman for twenty years” Schuller (1988:64)

But when retired after two decades of postal service in Makanda, Illinois Wayman has acquired a small pension and $1100 savings. His travel company does nearly $7 million in sales a year with Presley Tours. How does a retired mail man become a prosperous businessman and according to Schuler, he did it by believing in himself and his abilities and by making people happy. Schuller (op cited)

But in my own opinion Wayman succeeded because he was doing what he loves most, and he has a positive mental attitude. Positive attitude in life is that all that matters and secondly doing whatever you have been assigned to do with dedication and happiness irrespective of how much you are paid. According to research it has been discovered that people who continued whatever they spend many years doing are more likely to succeed than those who change vocation, job after retirement.

On how many people fail during retirement, is a function of their ability to kick starting whatever they are used to even on a smaller scale during old age. Old age comes with it issues, problems, non  acceptance , health issues and  a disconnect with current happenings in life, there is also the generation gap, and so doing what you love most or whatever you have been doing most is the key to survival. So a retired policeman, or army officer can comfortable operate a security outfit and consultancy.

And how Wayman did arrived at that, “one day someone said to him” I would love to see the ocean. That simple wish enthusiastically  expressed to Wayman led to a tour of 546 people to Miami Beach , Wayman made $120  and had such a good time that he decided to go into business” Schuller op cited.

That is passion, passion is all that you need to excel, in all areas of life, everything dies without passion. With passion you can excel in all your life aspiration, its passion that makes the difference in vocation.

But from my interaction with retirees within my six years in pension industry, I want to believe that what drove Wayman was not the money but the actual sharing of one’s thought and deepest hopes fulfilled. And as Chinua Achebe will say the sharing  of one’s thought and deepest hope fulfilled can drive human beings to success. And the keen desire to return and do what he was doing before was the actual driving force for Wayman Presley.

It has been proved that people always wish for what they don’t have, I believe that Wayman was looking forward to his retirement during his working career but it did not take time for him to realize that he could have love going back to work may be after staying for the initial period of six months. That is the irony of life. The irony of life is that people tend to be what they are not, that is why you see the whites sun tanning and the blacks bleaching.

What this is indirectly saying is that within the working career ,work with zeal and dedication, know all that you need to know about the job, because you may never can tell, that you are indirectly  developing a business for yourself during old age.

In an article captioned “You may never retired” that appeared in wall street journal it states” that sum sizable number of retirees  may continue to work after retirement due to so many reasons like their pension pot  was not enough, they were ripped off  of the retirement savings and majority because they love what they do.

And according to Walter Updegrave in an article captioned “ Three Little mistakes that can sink your retirement,  which appeared in Yahoo Finance it states that “It’s almost become a cliché. Virtually every survey asking pre-retirees what they plan to do in retirement shows that the overwhelming majority plan to work. Indeed, a recent Merrill Lynch survey found that nearly three out of four people over 50 said their ideal retirement would include working. Which is fine. Staying connected to the work world in some way can not only offer financial benefits, it can also keep retirees more active and socially engaged”

But a more interesting story was the story of life of Mary Calendar, “Mary was making potato salad in an inn in Los Angeles during world war 11, her boss asked her to make pies for a large crowd. That was the start of a new career for Mary” Schuller (op cited). Continuing he stated that in 1948, she and her husband sold their car, to buy a refrigerator and an oven “in 1964 they open their first pie shop in Orange county and by 1986, they sold the family business about 115 restaurants to Ramada Inn Inc for $90 Million “What a tremendous accomplishment as that business may be hitting 2 billion Dollars in 2014.

Finally life during retirement is a great and rewarding life and what you make out of it is a function of the zeal, knowledge and experience, you acquired during your working career and when you are happy you are more likely to live long, and others will be jealous of your state and according to Dave Bernard in an article captioned “Finding Retirement state of mind”  which appeared in US News .he stated that “they appear to be genuinely happy with their state of affairs and making the most of each day. When you ask about their retirement experience they shine a genuine smile and are happy to regale you – often at length – about how wonderful it is to be in their shoes. Their happiness is infectious and you may find yourself caught up in their joy. Although it is safe to assume not everything is perfect in their world, their overall outlook is positive”. But when these are lacking, the retiree may likely not live long, thereby prompting others to fear retirement.

 

Odunze Reginald is the Lead Consultant, Chareg Consulting, a management and marketing consultant  a social media and social marketing consultant , you can visit our twitter anchor @regydunze, find us on Facebook @ Reginald odunze and reginaldodunze.com, at google+ @ Reginald Odunze and at Linkedin@reginald odunze