Retirement is a crap word because you are not retiring from anything, as if your work and career were a race and you suddenly pulled up short and said to hell with this; I’m done.  You’re not retiring or worse, celebrating retirement.  You are celebrating the completion of every goal and objective you ever set for yourself the day you sent out your first resume.  

Reimagine the meaning of the word “productive.”  

What would a day look like if you defined productivity in terms of: 

• The number of great conversations you had
• The number of times you did not lose your temper
• The number of times you greeted a barista or checker at the store with the phrase: “how are you doing,” and you paused long enough to let them answer
• The number of naps you took
• The number of times you thought, I should call that person, and you did
• The number of Mariner day games you saw
• The number of times your wife or kids said, do you have time to do this for me, and you said yes
• The number of books you finally had time to finish
• The number of insights you had
• The number of times you got up in the morning, jotted down a to do list and then decided to go hiking instead because you could
• The number of times when asked “so, what are you doing now that you are retired?” you answered, whatever I want
• The number of times you caught yourself thinking, I’m happy