Entrepreneurs Redefine Retirement Their Way

Someone once said, "If you don't know where you're going, any road will take you there." If you don't have a vision for what the next stage of your life looks like, then it is hard to motivate yourself to make the changes necessary to achieve a better future.Many business owners plan to die with their boots on. For some, that's because they love what they do. For others, it's because they haven't imagined the next phase of their journey. A future that is different than the present may seem scary or uncertain. They may have lost their ability to dream.

Let's try a little exercise to get you dreaming. Let's look into the future. Just imagine: It's five years from now. You're sitting in your favourite chair, in your favourite spot, relaxed and contemplative. You're reflecting on what you've accomplished in the past five years and you are feeling satisfied with the way you've set up the next chapter of your life. Take a deep breath. It's been hard work, but you've made a serious life transition and you're proud of yourself.

What's different? What activities are you now engaged in? If you were to redefine "retirement" as doing only those activities that you like, how would retirement look for you? It probably includes many of the things you're currently doing. It doesn't necessarily mean that you stop working. Lots of entrepreneurs continue to enjoy their work well into their seventies. As you look forward, transitioning your business doesn't mean you have to walk away from what you enjoy.

So, imagine that tomorrow you start to retire: What would you stop doing? There may be activities in your business, which you have always done or that you feel obligated or responsible for, that could be done by someone else or could be dropped entirely. What saps your energy? Many entrepreneurs aren't great people managers. Dealing with performance issues, administering regular employee reviews, or letting people go could all be activities that drain your energy and leave you exhausted. These functions are important and necessary, someone has to do it, but does it have to be you?

We're not suggesting you abdicate your responsibilities, but you might be able to delegate them. Also consider whether there are activities outside of your work that weaken you. The weekly