April 14, 2025

What Vanishes When You Retire (And How to Get it Back!)

10 minutes

You’ve worked hard, saved diligently, and now retirement is here! But nobody warns you about the six major things that disappear the moment you leave the workforce. If you’re not prepared, these changes can hit harder than expected—but the good news? You can replace them with something even better!

In this episode of Early Retirement Roadmap, I’ll break down:

✅ The six things that vanish when you retire—and why they matter 🏆

✅ How to rediscover purpose and avoid feeling lost 💡

✅ Why having structure & routine in retirement is crucial 📅

✅ How to replace career achievements with new personal goals 🏅

✅ The surprising impact of losing your work identity—and how to rebuild it 🎭

✅ How to maintain social connections when your work network disappears 👥

I’ll also share my personal experience transitioning from my 30-year career to early retirement and the lessons I learned along the way!

🔔 If you found this helpful, please subscribe & leave a review, or support me with a cup of coffee here.

💼My Favorite Retirement Planning Tool. If you're serious about planning for early retirement, you've got to check out Boldin. It's a powerful tool that helps you map out your financial future -- whether you're a DIY planner or just want to stress-test your retirement strategy. I personally use it and highly recommend! Try Boldin here: https://go.boldin.com/earlyretirementroadmap

Disclosure: This is an affiliate link, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. It's a simple way to support this podcast and the content I create. Thank you!

✅ FREE Early Retirement Planning Checklist

Whether you're just getting started or refining your plan, this free guide will help you take the next step! Download my free 12-step early retirement planning checklist—a practical, easy-to-follow guide that walks you through everything from calculating your FIRE number to building a tax-efficient withdrawal strategy.

👉 Get your free checklist here: https://payhip.com/b/IBj3q

I created this to help others like you pursue financial independence and retire on your own terms and as a thank you to my viewers. Whether you are years away or almost ready, this checklist will help you retire smarter and sooner and is the perfect companion to everything I share on this podcast.

🎥 When you’re not on the go, check out Mike’s Early Retirement Roadmap YouTube channel for more insights and inspiration. And for my real life stories and experience in early retirement, check out my Youtube channel Early Retired & Real.

🌐 Visit MikeUpland.com – Connect with Mike & explore retirement resources

🚀 Retirement isn’t the end—it’s a new beginning. Let’s make it amazing!

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By Mike Upland

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