Many of my peers have gone into retirement. Some of them were more than ready, others felt like it was time, and a few didn’t have a choice. They are all vibrant people who will make the most of their time and energy, whether or not they have a job.

I bumped into an article recently, “Why you should never retire,” and was intrigued for obvious reasons. The article stated that:

One poll that was conducted last year found that almost one in three Americans say they may never retire. The majority of the nevers said they could not afford to give up a full-time job, especially when inflation was eating into an already measly Social Security cheque. But suppose you are one of the lucky ones who can choose to step aside. Should you do it? (Italics mine.)

The author describes well known people working into their eighties and nineties, acknowledges that lifespans are stretching, and accurately reasons that “there is depth in being useful.” The concept of retirement will change as we become healthier and live longer lives. We will not be old longer, we will be young longer. Retirees are realizing that they need purpose, a reason to get up in the morning. The author says:

The arc of corporate life used to be predictable. You made your way up the career ladder, acquiring more prestige and bigger salaries at every step. Then, in your early 60s, there was a Friday-afternoon retirement party, maybe a gold watch, and that was that. The next day the world of meetings, objectives, tasks and other busyness faded. If you were moderately restless, you could play bridge or help out with the grandchildren. If you weren’t, there were crossword puzzles, TV and a blanket.

The three-stage life, consisting of education, work, and retirement, is changing to a multiple stage life. For example, a multi-stage life could look like this: education, work, education, transition, work, time-off, education, work, etc.

This approach has multiple advantages. If married, spouses can plan their work, breaks, and education, to complement each other and perhaps pause to raise children or do other things. It also allows for expanding interests to be explored and developed resulting in a broad range of knowledge, experience and skills.

For the generation of baby-boomers retiring now, the days of planning a multi-stage work life have passed, but we can take that mindset into retirement. It is simply the next stage of life. For some, that means continuing in their full-time jobs and for others, it means restructuring their lives with purposeful activities. Hopefully, it means more than a TV and a blanket!

What Will You Do?

1. The first thing to do is to take a sabbatical.

Intentionally take time to rest, refresh yourself, travel, seek the Lord, and don’t worry about what you will do next. But after three, six, or nine months, begin to consider what you would like your new schedule to look like. Of course, life happens, and it will never be ideal, but dream and think about what would be interesting for you to pursue.

2. Next, redefine work as anything and everything you do.

For decades, you’ve probably thought of work as synonymous with your job. It’s more than your job; it’s all the activity that makes you yourself. Thinking about work in these expansive terms might make it easier to construct a schedule for your life after you leave a paying job.

3. Third, redefine retirement.

Retirement is simply leaving your full-time employment and income. It’s not becoming irrelevant. It doesn’t mean you have nothing more to contribute. It doesn’t mean you’re old. It means you will continue to work (see above definition), but you have personal freedom to do more of what makes you yourself.

Many retirees find that staying in their jobs part-time or as a consultant is a good first step. Skills stay sharp, you are still in touch with co-workers, but you have more flexibility to explore and develop other interests.

Some enjoy the prospect of defining a new routine, trying out different activities, exploring options never before considered. Volunteering at local and national organizations, spending more time with family, children and grandchildren, expanding education in a different arena, finding an interesting (new) job, joining a health club, and starting or finishing projects at home are a few of your abundant alternatives.

4. Most importantly, ask God.

This is what I do when I have too many options; it’s overwhelming. I know that he created me in his image, knows exactly who I am and what he created me to do, and is more than capable of letting me know what to do next. If I’m listening.

When I am following the plan that everyone else seems to be on, I’m not listening to God. When I wonder about the future, I’m not listening to God. When I feel overwhelmed by tasks and opportunities, I need to acknowledge that the Holy Spirit will give me everything I need to accomplish what is in front of me. Spiritual resets are often called for, and I always feel more settled, determined, and better equipped after talking with God.

The three-stage life plan is a cultural creation, and God has a unique multi-stage plan for each one of us. If we rest in God, listen to and trust him, he will lead us on the path that will be most fulfilling, purposeful, and productive.

At some point, we will leave our full-time jobs. Then we can ask a better question: What is my purpose in this next stage of life?

I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you (Ps. 32:8).

Editor’s note: This article has been republished from the author’s blog with permission.