“Many people are so occupied with getting out of a career trap that they seem to care little about what happens after they leave their jobs. Too many people retire to nothing and then wonder why they feel empty and disenchanted.” From “Comfort Zones”, by Elwood Chapman and Marion Haynes

The point being, if you would like to avoid feeling empty and disenchanted, you shouldn’t just wing it. Yet it seems that is how a lot of people approach retirement. They wait until they’re into it before they start planning. As a result, things may not work out as well as they would if they had addressed them earlier, and they can end up unhappy and disillusioned. They had grown weary of the daily race of their workaday life, but they may find retirement filled with new anxieties. They can’t seem to slow down.

By deciding your destination up front, you can set your own pace. You will know how much income you need to accomplish your goals and still live comfortably the rest of your days. The “Retirement Red Zone,” as Prudential calls it, should begin five years prior, and probably ten years if you are a business owner. Many people have an investment plan but no overall financial plan.

Visualize the lifestyle that you will find most satisfying and fulfilling. Give your life direction by setting goals so you can anticipate, plan and prepare. Focus on expectations. Start now; download a free chapter of my book DistributionLand (www.distributionland.com) for the strategies and risks to consider as you begin the journey.