Robin Ryan (1)

Robin Ryan starts out her book by emphasizing the importance of retirement planning. According to Ryan, successful retirements don’t evolve without the execution of a plan. Anecdotal evidence is given in the form of testimonials from clients who’ve sought her help over the years. It’s ironic that people can be successful in their careers but failures in retirement.

One of the biggest mistakes new retirees make is immediately moving to a new destination. Not only is a move like this show more considered to be one of life major disruptions, but it also means that these retirees leave behind friends, contacts, and a well-known infrastructure. A similar mistake is made when buying an expensive motorhome with the idea of touring the country. Living in Florida, I’ve seen many of these retirement acquisitions in local used RV vehicle lots selling at deep discounts.

Alternatives to these rash decisions include volunteering pursuits or starting a business, both of which should be based on the retiree’s interests. Nearly half of the book is comprised of stories about successful retirees who have done these things. Not all of them did them initially but did so after counseling from Ryan. Their new paths to self-satisfaction resulted in fulfillment and retirement success.

Recently retired, I have read several retirement books and I recommend that others approaching this stage in their life by doing the same. I did move to a new location, but it is one that I had researched prior to retirement. The new location provides me with activities and acquaintances my age that I lacked in my previous community. While my former home served me well while I was working and raising a family, the neighborhood had grown in population density and the traffic in the community had become unbearable. Because of traffic, I found myself not wanting to leave the house. In my case, moving was the best thing. I had planned for it as part of my retirement plan. Making such a plan is what Ryan’s book emphasizes and planning for retirement is something that I readily endorse. show less

Ryan focuses on planning and looking at the consequences of change from retirement. The chapter on transitioning from work to retirement was especially helpful with its tips on loss of professional identity, workplace friendships, and psychologist adjustments. Several checklists, tables, and fill in the blank sections are included.

Very good method for interviews. I've used this method in my past several interviews with sucess.

Robin Ryan