Finding Meaning in Retirement: How to Embrace a Passion Later in Life
With life expectancies rising, 65 is no longer the finish line. From volunteering to writing crime fiction, here is how today’s retirees are "rewiring" themselves for a vibrant second act.
After 28 years in global sales, Jim Walker wasn't happy. "You get trapped in your career," says Jim Walker. "After many years of stress and anxiety, I had several panic attacks, one of which was so devastating that it put me in the hospital."
Walker, 62, did some soul-searching and discussed his options with his wife. "We agreed she would rather have me around with less of a financial career and be happy than not," says Walker, who lives in Denville, N.J.
To figure out his next move, he researched the top 100 franchises, hoping it would give him ideas for different business areas he could pursue. He didn't want to work in a restaurant, and gravitated toward activities that were associated with the outdoors, kids and animals. Eventually, he applied to own a Wild Birds Unlimited franchise, a backyard bird-feeding and nature specialty store. It was a perfect fit.
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Walker retired from his corporate job and opened his store in 2020. Today, he wakes up looking forward to going to work and bringing Tux, his rescue dog, with him.
He spends his days talking about something that has always interested him: nature and birds. And he doesn't get tired talking about squirrels.
The best part is that he leaves work behind when he goes home. "If my body and my wife would allow me to work here seven days a week, I would," says Walker. "I feel like this is retirement that I get paid for."
The concept of retirement has changed. Today, people segue into multiple opportunities later in life, especially since they are living longer.
"A generation or two ago, you turned 65, you moved to Florida, you played shuffleboard for a few years, and then you died," says David Rich, guest faculty at Modern Elder Academy, an educational organization that supports people in the second half of life.
"Younger people, such as those who are getting into their 60s are like, ‘Wait a minute, I could have 30 good years here.' That might lead you to do things differently," says Rich.
Regrouping after a successful career.
Transitioning to another career or finding that second passion isn't easy. Rich, 58, who lives in New York City, was an entrepreneur who started and sold several businesses in the marketing services world.
Rich sold his last business when he was 49, and then spent time traveling and visiting friends. One year turned into two, and his next move wasn't coming to him. So he tried a lot of different things to see where his passions lie, including becoming a certified sommelier and taking improv classes.
He then started working with Modern Elder Academy, where he coaches entrepreneurs and executives through life's transitions.
During his work as a coach, he realized that people don't recognize how they become tied to their careers. "This is who we were, how people saw us," says Rich. "This company was our purpose, and no amount of money can replace that. I don't think people realize that until after the fact."
To figure out his next move, Rich reflected on time he spent in Spain years earlier. "What's remarkable about the culture, particularly in Southern Europe, is people don't care about what you do," says Rich.
"They're just so focused on who you are. What can I learn from you? What can you learn from me? How can I help you? And that just fostered so many friendships."
While in Spain, he loved hosting dinner parties and connecting people over meals. Those experiences sparked the idea for his next business. Today he runs Palabra, a platform that brings together business leaders through themed, story-driven conversations.
"We think about retirement as an end, but in many ways it can be a beginning," he says. "And it could be multiple events. There are people taking these mini retirements. At 40, they're just like, ‘You know what? I know what I've been doing the last 20 years, but it's not what I want to be doing for the next 20 years. So maybe I'm going to take a little time to figure that out.'
Then they go on a sprint for another 10 years, and they're like, 'All right, that was good, but let me try something again.'"
Alfred D., who lives in Orlando, Fla., retired from a 30-year career as a systems engineer and knew he wanted to spend his days volunteering. "I didn't want to just sit around and watch Netflix and play pickleball," says Alfred, who is 75 and asked that his last name not be published. "I needed to do something constructive. I wanted to give back to the community."
His former employer had given him 40 hours each year to volunteer, so he was already familiar with Second Harvest, a food bank in Central Florida. He volunteered when he could and then, after he retired, scaled up to four or five days a week.
Alfred has now spent over 7,000 hours working in the warehouse at Second Harvest and benefits both mentally and physically. "I meet a lot of really good people here that are volunteering on a regular basis," he says. "They're kind, they're generous and they're hardworking. And that's a real lift for me to see people who believe in the cause, like I do."
Brian Brady, 78, of Penngrove, Calif., spent over 35 years in various law enforcement positions and another 12 years in the corporate security world. He retired without a plan. "About a year of me being retired was about all my wife could stand," says Brady.
He started writing crime fiction. "I was still doing consulting work in law enforcement, but the writing locked me away in my office for hours at a time, which my wife thought was great," says Brady. "Part of it was maintaining her sanity. The other part was that, for me, it was a challenge. It was new, it was different, and it stretched me."
He shared his stories with friends, received favorable feedback, and decided to publish. Now he's written four novels and is working on a fifth. He and his wife travel together to learn about new locations for his books. It's a way for them to stay connected as he explores this new phase of life.
"Writing keeps your brain working," says Brady. "And I think it's important to be in a position where you've got to think. In my case, I get to add, create and edit and hopefully come up with a good finished product."
Where to begin.
Figuring out the next step starts with understanding what brings you joy. Robert Laura, founder and president of the Retirement Coach Association, a professional organization that focuses on the non-financial side of retirement, recommends looking for a job or starting a business that combines your passion with perks.
"For example, if you like baseball or theater, working at a stadium or theater [in any capacity] can be fulfilling," he says. "If you love dogs or pets, starting doggy day care, etc."
The trick is helping people find or figure out their passion, he explains.
He encourages people to first ask themselves three questions:
1. What feels timeless when I do it?
2. What can I relentlessly pursue without ever growing tired of it?
3. What is a constant source of energy in both my words and actions?
Over time, he adds two more questions:
4. How can I use this passion/purpose to connect with others?
5. How can I use this passion/purpose for the good of others?
Many people who are retired, or are soon to retire, have the financial stability to explore. "Hopefully, you're in a financial position that you can stick your toe in the water," says Brady, the novelist. "Take a shot. Do something different. If it doesn't pan out, so what?"
After nearly 30 years in academic medicine, Ruth Gotian retired, or as she calls it "reWIREd," and shifted fully into keynote speaking, executive coaching, teaching and writing about high-performance and overlooked high achievers.
She is now an executive coach for high achievers and the author of The Success Factor, who studies what happens after someone leaves behind an identity that defined them for decades.
"[I am of] the generation who kept the same spouse and the same employer for our entire careers, and part of it was because of the safety and security that it provided, the benefits of pension and all those things that don't exist anymore," says Gotian.
She knows people who have taken early retirement because organizations offer a way out with full benefits at 55. "The benefit is the safety and security," says Gotian. "That's why you stayed. So if you were able to do that and build your second career, why not do it?"
She recommends her clients take a "passion audit" where, in a first column they list everything that they're good at. In the second column they list everything they're not good at and everything they don't enjoy doing. In the third column, they list what they would do for free if they could. And she recommends they think critically, rather than leaning on past passions.
"What interested you and your passions in your 20s are not going to be your passions in your 40s and 50s," says Gotian.
Then she recommends researching to find someone else who works in a similar space. "Everything is online," says Gotian. "
You just have to look for someone who curated all of it. Whatever you want to learn, it's out there."
Embracing your new self.
Veronica McCain, 63, worked in the federal government for 31 years. During her first year of retirement, she traveled, but soon realized she wanted to do something that would inspire her, something new she could carry on throughout her retirement. That's when she looked into retirement coaching.
McCain, who lives in Potomac Falls, Va., is the author of the book My Retirement, My Way and publishes a monthly newsletter, Savvy Retirement Living.
She also hosts curated travel experiences for women in retirement through her Savvy Retirement Sisters Cruise, which brings together women in retirement.
"The women I work with need an environment where they're surrounded by other ladies in the same kind of situation, and they can talk things through," says McCain. "Then they start looking at their whole perspective on retirement in a different way."
Beverly Gianna knew it was time to move on after a 30-year career in public relations. Gianna, who lives in New Orleans, was 62 and had been caring for both her aging mother and mother-in-law while working. Since she was already driving to Mobile to see her mother each week, and Gianna loved learning, she decided to attend classes at Spring Hill College to get her master's in theological studies.
Then she saw a posting for a volunteer job as an ombudsman at various nursing homes. Gianna thought about everything she had done for her mother with navigating paperwork, appointments and Medicare.
Her experience with her parents deepened her interest in and understanding of aging, so she signed up as a volunteer ombudsman and spent 25 hours a week volunteering her time.
She wasn't looking for a new job but loved the role so much that after volunteering for a year, she accepted when offered a paid part-time ombudsman position.
Gianna currently visits 26 long-term care settings, including nursing homes, assisted living communities, group homes and skilled nursing facilities, each year — a role she's had for 13 years now.
As Gianna built up her experience, she wanted better credentials to support her new role, so she applied to school for her master's degree in gerontology. She was elated to receive a scholarship to attend the program and graduated when she was 75.
"In hindsight, you see the things that directed you," says Gianna. "If I sit down and reflect, I think of my life like little bumper cars. You bump here and need to go over there. I'm taking what I've learned in my education; I'm taking what I've learned as an older adult, and I'm taking what I'm learning from what older people tell me. It's [all] so enriching to my life. What I learned from them, what I've applied from my schooling is making my life worthwhile, purposeful and happy."
Whether a new passion comes about as a way to make money or to simply feel more fulfilled, the goal is to find meaning in something that gets you out of bed excited to start the day.
"We want to be in a place where our future is bigger than our past, and all too often, this is where people get tripped up," says Rich, the guest faculty member at Modern Elder Academy. "They're reliving the glory days, and they don't have a frame that the future can be bigger, and it can be better."
Finding that passion can invigorate all areas of your life. "After about a year and a half of doing this new job, my wife pulled me aside and said, ‘You're back,'" says Walker, the owner of the Wild Birds Unlimited store.
"My old job was so all-consuming that it was taking me away. I'd be so distracted that I wasn't present. I'm present now."
Resources that can help you find a new passion.
Whether you're just transitioning out of a lifelong career or have been retired for years, there are many resources available to help you figure out your next move.
To start, think about activities you've always been interested in exploring. For example, check out classes offered by a local community college or through programs in your retirement community, like art, music or writing. Find a nonprofit that needs volunteers and lean into your strengths. Or consult with experts who can guide you moving forward.
Many online resources offer a range of commitment levels, from attending in-person workshops to simply watching online videos. A few places to start include:
- The Retirement Coaches Association focuses on the nonfinancial side of retirement to help make your transition from work-life to home life successful. Coaches are available online or in person and have a variety of skills.
- Modern Elder Academy is an educational organization that offers workshops and programs around the world designed to give you the tools and support to thrive in the second half of life. You can also find videos and podcasts on their site.
- National Council on Aging: A nonprofit that offers job training, placement and volunteer opportunities to older adults. Its site offers resources, tools and information on advocacy.
- CoGenerate is a nonprofit that brings older and younger generations together to solve social problems. The organization's Encore Physicians program places retired physicians at health clinics so they can treat underserved people and mentor younger colleagues.
- Women's Connection is a member-led nonprofit for women over 50 that provides support and inspiration with chapters across the U.S.
Note: This item first appeared in Kiplinger Retirement Report, our popular monthly periodical that covers key concerns of affluent older Americans who are retired or preparing for retirement. Subscribe for retirement advice that's right on the money.
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