Saving all of your travel plans for retirement? Your go-go years can start now with the right planning.
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Waiting until age 65 to chase bucket-list dreams is an outdated playbook. Retirement unfolds in three stages, the Go-Go Years, the Slow-Go Years, and the No-Go Years, and smart planners know the Go-Go mindset can begin long before that final paycheck. By incorporating adventure, balance, and purposeful rest into today’s routine, readers unlock better health, deeper relationships, and sustained career fulfillment without derailing long-term financial goals.
The Three Stages Of Retirement
1. Go-Go Years
Brimming with energy and wanderlust, the Go-Go Years are prime time for exploration. Picture globe-trotting expeditions, spontaneous road trips, and signing up for that culinary immersion in Tuscany. Research highlights ages 23 and 69 among life’s happiest periods, underscoring how novelty and freedom light up both ends of the age spectrum.
2. Slow-Go Years
As decades roll on, pace naturally moderates. Grand adventures give way to river cruises, cozy beach-house retreats, or weekend stays at a lake cabin. Social circles tighten, priorities shift toward comfort, and meaningful connections take center stage. It’s still a fulfilling phase—just without the constant packing and jet lag.
3. No-Go Years
Eventually, mobility and zest for far-flung exploits wane. The No-Go Years focus on accessible pleasures: neighborhood strolls, hobbies close to home, and intentional legacy planning. Health considerations rise to prominence, making ease of living and family support key priorities.
Why Embrace Go-Go Now?
Too many professionals grind away under the “work now, play later” mantra, only to discover that life’s richest moments can’t be scheduled for an abstract “someday.” Adopting an early Go-Go mindset transforms the everyday in three impactful ways:
- Boosted Well-Being: Regular mini-retirements or sabbaticals relieve stress, ignite creativity, and fend off burnout.
- Strengthened Relationships: Shared adventures, whether a padres-and-kids fishing trip or a friends-only vineyard weekend, forge memories that outlast any spreadsheet.
- Extended Career Vitality: By interspersing work with deliberate rest and play, professionals preserve energy and enthusiasm, often prolonging their peak working years.
The Financial Upside Of Early Go-Go Years
It’s a myth that you must hoard every dollar until full retirement. With disciplined planning, you can sprinkle in today’s experiences and still meet tomorrow’s targets:
- Scenario Modeling: Sophisticated cash-flow forecasts reveal how periodic withdrawals for travel or hobbies affect portfolio sustainability, pinpointing safe spending rates.
- Tax-Efficient Strategies: Utilizing 401(k)s, IRAs, and Health Savings Accounts in tandem balances immediate lifestyle boosts with long-term growth and tax advantages.
- Emergency Buffers: Maintaining a flexible “go-go” reserve ensures that unplanned adventures, like snagging that last-minute cruise deal, won’t compromise essential goals.
Four Practical Strategies To Ignite Your Go-Go Years Today
- Schedule Micro-Retirements
Break your calendar into two- to four-week retreats. Swap the office for a beachfront bungalow or a mountain lodge. These compact sabbaticals deliver near-retirement rejuvenation without triggering guilt or logistical headaches. - Adopt A Results-Only Work Environment (ROWE) Mindset
Shift the focus from clock-watching to deliverables. Propose project-based goals that enable location independence and flexible hours, so you can work from a Parisian café for one week and a ski chalet the next. - Coordinate Group Getaways
Rally family or friends around destination events—think villa rentals in the Greek Isles or a themed cruise. Group bookings slash per-person costs and amplify the fun factor. Plus, shared memories are the currency of lifelong bonds. - Invest In Bucket-List Mini-Projects
Sign up for a motorcycle tour course, a photography workshop in Provence, or a language immersion retreat. These passion-driven adventures double as personal growth accelerators and give you concrete milestones to look forward to.
Partnering With A Financial Professional
Putting an early Go-Go plan into action benefits from expert collaboration. A seasoned planner will:
- Run Detailed Analyses: Stress-test various Go-Go schedules against market assumptions to gauge resilience.
- Clarify Trade-Offs: Spell out opportunity costs, tax implications, and the impact on retirement timelines.
- Maintain Agility: Schedule regular check-ins to adapt the plan for market swings, health developments, or fresh aspirations.
When retirement planning becomes a living dialogue, not a static checklist, it makes room for spontaneity, adventure, and peace of mind all at once.
From Mental To Physical Retirement
Retirement isn’t an on/off switch; it’s a continuum with two key transitions:
- Mental Retirement: Begin mentally withdrawing from the all-work, no-play grind by weaving travel, hobbies, and digital detoxes into your current routine.
- Physical Retirement: Eventually step away from full-time work on your own terms, having already perfected the art of living fully.
As one iconic film character advises, “Get busy living or get busy dying.” That urgency applies whether you’re 35 or 65 and there’s no reason to hit pause on your Go-Go Years.
Take Action Today
Rewriting the retirement rulebook means seizing the Go-Go Years now, not later. Enrich your health, deepen your connections, and supercharge your career while laying the groundwork for a secure financial future. Start by reassessing your calendar, setting bold travel goals, and engaging a trusted planner to model your personalized Go-Go roadmap.
After all, the best time to live like you’re retired is right now.
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