Why retirement is a crock

Dear Reader,

Today’s post is going to be about something that the vast majority of folks across the globe “look forward to”.

Retirement.

Them sunny days on the beach. With “nothing to do”. The freedom from daily responsibilities and “earning money”.

Enjoying the “last part” of our lives before we ride off into the “ever lasting” yonder as it were.

And so forth.

And while all of this sounds good in theory (myth #1, and the biggest one), practically speaking it’s anything but in some regards.

When I was a little boy, my parents used to rent the top floor of a house owned by a kindly old gentleman who had been working for the Government his entire life.

This old man was one of the nicest men you could ever meet. Always nice, always had a warm smile for everyone – – and I’ll still remember the “pre Gorilla Grip” days when I (I think at the age of 13 or so) once shook his hand and he said “It’s good to see Rahul getting some strength in his grip!”

He retired at the age of 60, I believe, or perhaps even before – I’m not sure.

And one day he took me aside and said the following, “Rahul, we men retire. We have nothing else to do but these ladies … (and here he pointed to his wife, busy dishing up meals in the kitches) … their work never stops!”

My young mind processed this, and as he patted me on the back in a grandfatherly sort of manner, up I went to my “third floor” (or second, depending upon which part of the world you live in, haha) apartment – and promptly forgot about what he said as I busied myself with the latest “Sinclair Spectrum” (remember that computer!!?) video game.

This gentleman died shortly after his retirement, by the way – – while his wife lived on a good ten years or more.

Do you think the kind old man’s “philosophies” regarding retirement MIGHT JUST have had something to do with this?

Folks – – as Dr. Maltz pointed out correctly in his pathbreaking Pyscho Cybernetics book – – human beings as BUILT as goal seeking mechanisms.

That’s how we’re built. We can try to “escape” it, but there’s no way around what we are – – or how we’re programmed to function. That’s just how it is!

In Zero to Hero, and all my other writings I talk repeatedly about NOT resting on your laurels after accomplishing a certain goal.

The minute you stagnate – is the minute you go DOWNHILL – and FAST – and I believe I mentioned this exact line in the book above as well, and ‘tis true, my friend.

It’s 100% PLUS true and the above is just one real life example of what I said.

Too many folks have this idea of retirement being a time when you “do nothing”.

In reality, it should be the BEST time to actually DO SOMETHING – – fitness INCLUDED – – that something you’ve not been able to do or haven’t done your entire life, while there are no external pressures around!

And lest you think age is a factor in terms of achievement, think AGAIN, my friend.

W.C.Fields, noted comedian lost all his money and income during the Depression – – when he was PAST SIXTY when most men consider themselves to be “old”.

And yet, he persisted – – and carried on in his attempts to not just make a living but recoup the “past glories”, and eventually he DID – way past the age of 60!

Marie Dressler, Canadian-American actress and comedian too fell victim to this unfortunate occurrence at the age of 60 (during the Depression) and she too went after life with gusto even at that age – – and got the breaks she was looking for!

And those are but two examples, my friend. So if you’re got the “age is a barrier” mentality – – both in terms of fitness as well as LIFE – – well – – put it to rest right NOW as you read this.

The second (I believe, third, by now?) retirement related myth I’d like to cover is THIS – the myth of  “slogging all life” so you can enjoy the “golden years”.

Hey, I don’t know if it’s just me – – but if we’re doing something that we don’t really like (a.k.a the word “slog”) for the vast majorities of our lives – – then wouldn’t that make our lives kind of pointless in the first place?

Why not AIM towards doing what you like NOW – instead of in the future when you’re “old and grey”?

Why “slog” when you could be “having fun” during your life? The very concept of “slogging” has always been stupendous to my thinking – – what is the entire purpose of LIVING – – or LIFE itself, if each breath, or each action were to be a “torturous slog”?

This one concept seems unbelievable for most people and I don’t blame you if you’re one of the group that thinks “oh, that’s just him talking. He did it, but I never can!”

But I WILL say this – you’re selling yourself short – – and dearly short if you continue through life with that attitude, my friend.

If  “I” am doing it – – and if scores of other successes before me and you have done it – – and retired at an age where most people believe a man “starts to achieve” (ever heard of Edwin Barnes?) – – well, so can YOU, my friend.

Why not make every year a “golden one” – or every day? Better still, every waking MINUTE of your life?

The trick lies in getting your subconscious to BELIEVE you can do it – – and this is accomplished through REPEATED visualization for one; and once you do this, watch out.

You’ll shatter myths, move mountains – – and leapfrog obstacles – – all in one breath seemingly!

I’ll have more on this in the future if you’re so interested – let me know. In the meantime, I’m out – to do some light exercise – something I highly recommend YOU DO as well on a daily basis, my friend.

Here is the System that’ll get you cranking out them “quickies” within no time at all (with no equipment required, and minimal time investment) – – https://0excusesfitness.com/0excusesfitnessystem/

Best,

Rahul Mookerjee

P.S. – And no, age is NOT a barrier when it comes to working out – and if you need proof, well, look at Herschel Walker for one. Dude is a literal machine – and is well past the age of 50, which is about 25 years more than when most people “give up” on their fitness goals and ambitions. There is a VERY GOOD reason I include Herschel Walker in the 0 Excuses Fitness book – you can find him right at the start, actually, and again, for good reason! Drop the excuses now, my friend and get on the program that has been changing lives all over the world – – https://0excusesfitness.com/0excusesfitnessystem/

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