Over the Hill? Climbing New Mountains in Retirement
Retirement Goals in Action
Micheal Neiger, a retired Michigan State Police detective, highly-skilled wilderness explorer, and author of several guidebooks about the Michigan region recently led me and a group of outdoor explorers on an incredible and challenging trek through Picture Rocks National Lakeshore in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. My legs and lungs were tested while backpacking and caving in Pictured Rocks, and then I broke off for a solo canoe camping trip into the U.P’s Big Island Lake Wilderness.
“When you cease to make a contribution, you begin to die.”
The wilderness sites were fantastic, and we had a great group. I enjoyed it all—including learning more about Michael and his non-stop retirement years.
Micheal is a retirement inspiration! He combines his wilderness passion and seasoned detective expertise to not only introduce people to the wild places he loves, but he also volunteers to help solve missing person cold cases in an effort to bring family’s of the missing closure. In fact, Michael recently wrote a book, Missing Person Sourcebook: Strategies & Tactics for Finding Your Loved One From the World’s Top Experts, which he offers for free on his website.
My Personal Retirement Goals
Although I don’t plan to retire anytime soon, helping people achieve their financial goals and introducing people to the outdoors are two areas that I think will always be a part of my life. I am continually fascinated by economics, investments, the puzzling and problem solving of insurance, tax, real estate, and estate planning, and most challenging and rewarding of all: humans and their relationship and decision making around money! While the form of my financial advising work may evolve as the years go by, it’s hard to imagine not continuing to be engaged in helping people optimize their financial lives in some fashion.
Like Michael, spending time in wild places is in my blood! I find introducing people to the outdoors through teaching wilderness skills classes and guiding outdoor adventures particularly rewarding, and I hope to do even more of it in my later years. If you’d like to read about my wilderness pursuits or come along the next time we hit the trail, check out Bull Moose Patrol.
Below are some of the photos I took while exploring Michigan’s Upper Peninsula:
Your Retirement Goals
I've spent a lot of time over the years talking with clients about how they plan to spend their retirement, and I have had the pleasure of watching many of them live out those dreams. A good retirement requires solid financial planning to make the numbers work, but thinking beyond money and planning for ways to combine your passions, skills, expertise, and most valued relationships can help make a truly fulfilling retirement. I’ve found through my own volunteer efforts that the old adage is true: you often feel as though you get far more than you give when volunteering.
Retirement planning and helping people design their future is one of my passions. If you’d like to talk about your future retirement years, just let me know!