GoRetirement works with individuals, government, private sector employers and other stakeholders to help all of us prepare for, create and live the very best retirement.

The research tells us that retirement is a tough time for many of us. It is one of the top three of four most challenging times in our lives. And leaving work is only one of many things that all seem to come together for many us in our 60’s that make this time so demanding. We shouldn’t underestimate it.

We focus on the lifestyle aspects of retirement not the financial side (that is the job of financial advisors) because it is the lifestyle aspect of retirement that determines how happy we are in retirement, not how much money we have.

We help pre-retirees best prepare for retirement, to turn retirement dread into excitement and anticipation. To help existing retirees keep their retirement in top shape. To help couples build critical alignment in retirement.

We work with government on the development of retirement friendly policies, and with HR groups and employers to help older workers (if they wish) transition their work life to a more retirement friendly arrangement rather than stopping work altogether. We help organisations with content and programs necessary to support older workers in their transition and we help retirees return to the workplace if that is of interest.

We try to build a realistic picture of retirement, not the overly romanticised one that many of us carry with us. To acknowledge and deal with its many challenges. Retirement is no state of nirvana. It is hard work. It has many pitfalls. It can be lonely and isolating and boring. We need to know what these pitfalls are and be ready for them.

We offer real practical solutions and approaches and tools and support to help prepare for and live the very best retirement. To turn retirement dread into genuine excitement about our upcoming retirement. To help keep retirement fresh and exciting. To help couples build retirement alignment and connection.

And we really dislike the name ‘retirement’. This time of our life is not a time of retreat and decline, our final act, as the word ‘retirement’ suggest, but rather an unprecedented once in a lifetime opportunity to wrap our arms around the world and experience it more fully than we have ever done before. To take the time to experience its joy and wonder. Retirement is a time to leap forward, not step back.

We just have to make it happen. And that is down to us.

We offer a wide range of on-line and face to face programs for pre-retirees seeking a smooth transition to a great retirement, for existing retirees who feel their retirement could do with a lift (or a major overhaul), and for couples who are keen to ensure their retirement plans and ambitions are aligned and working for both.

Our 7 Step program and its associated tools, methodologies, solutions and approaches are designed to help you at all stages of your retirement from pre-retirement planning and transition, to unique challenges of early stage retirement and the issues faced by longer term retirees.

We work with corporations on the development of in-house transition to retirement programs and associated content.

These solutions are available to individuals, corporations, government, internal HR for training programs and their associated support strategies for their mature workers and their retirement transition, and for other key stakeholders.

Issues and problems can and do occur at all stages of retirement. Great retirements are an ongoing work in progress.

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MEN’S MUSIC CLUB

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There are some great initiatives out there to help older people connect leading up to and within retirement.

This year we started the first MMC here in Sydney and it is growing fast.

MMC is about getting guys together to listen to and talk about music. Reliving songs from their past and finding exciting new music of today and yesterday, exploring new styles, reggae, rock, punk … pushing our musical knowledge and experiences.

MMC is a chapter based initiative. In other words, you can start one in your own suburb or town and invite people along. Generally they are hosted in a members home – someone with a good stereo perhaps. The structure is up to you. The initial MMC in Mosman, Sydney has ten members (limited to keep it chatty) and we break the three hours into two parts. The first hour is a theme for the night agreed the previous session – it might be the work of Bob Dylan, or Paul McCartney’s solo years or the life and times of Sun Studios – anything you like. We usually research this so we can talk about it and play some relevant music and learn the background and history.

The second part is about playing and discussing songs suggested by the members of the chapter. In the Mosman chapter we ask that each member suggest three songs for the next session for example. We stop half we through for a pizza, some drink beer or wine, some Coke.

We get together every six weeks. It is a great way to connect and build friendship around a common interest.

If you are interested in starting a chapter please contact me through the contacts page. There is no cost in joining the MMC network and of course you don’t have to contact us at all, simply start your own. Just please don’t call it Mens Music Club. If you want to use MMC or be part of our network you will need to agree that with us through this site. We building a connected MMC network not only with the face to face meetings of each chapter but also through an online site that connects MMC members everywhere. As an MMC member this will be available to you of course.