Welcome to Sabbatical — where we help ambitious people like you take a mid-career break. Since last issue, 20 people have signed up. Woo!

The Collapse of Retirement (And Why That’s a Good Thing)

The retirement enjoyed by baby boomers and older generations is fading from view. You know, the whole “work for 30 years and then retire to somewhere warm” approach that was the expectation for years.

This week I talk to Richard Banfield. At 54, he views retirement as “self-imposed imprisonment” and is taking a different approach. One he calls “thin-sliced retirement” (see the three types of retirement here).

Our conversation continues a theme of Sabbatical: you have more control over your life and path than you may think. Born in South Africa, Richard is a widower and father of two young children, and he’s taking this next act of his life to embracing what he calls his “second harvest.”

We cover…

• How to embrace “thin-sliced” retirement and remove “what ifs” from your mind.

• Earning money in the U.S. and spending it in Europe.

• The agency we have when something bad happens to us.

• How Richard’s approach to life results in an unconventional educational experience for his two children.

You’ll enjoy Richard’s story if you have…

• …seen success in your field, but are ready to change the role work has in your life.

• …doubts about the idea of conventional retirement and want some other options.

• …children and want to bring them along for sabbatical adventures.

• …just moved to the other side of 40.

-

(Submit your sabbatical story for a future issue here.)