Plan to retire gracefully.

It is a pity that I have seen colleagues scheming and plotting to hold on to their jobs until their ripe old age. There are those smart ones who opt to retire early or on reaching their age limit and there are those who still have the health and passion can opt  to extend a few more years. The choice is up to each individual and according to their personal finances and expectations in life. Nevertheless, if we feel that we can no longer contribute anymore positively  or we become senile or become an obstacle, it is better for us to let go and retire  instead of  hanging on and been despise by our peers and your colleagues around us.

Yes, the former PM of Singapore Lee Kuan Yew or LKY once said in his biography that retirement means  death. Once we retire, our health will fail and our mental strength will deteriorate\ if we don't work on our health and mind. Yes, we do not need to retire  if we are able to continue to contribute constructively and positively to our work and the organization which employ us,  But, hanging on for the sake of hanging on to keep ourselves  busy is a very selfish act. It is not only a waste of  time for yourself  and  your colleagues would be  trying to handle you and  also causing unnecessary hindrance to the process of change .

However, aging is different to different people. People can be the same age but their health and mental condition can be way apart.  It all depends on their upkeep , wisdom , philosophical outlook and the care they provide to their body and mind. Nevertheless, we  have to age gracefully or forcefully. It is a fact that we have to accept and work with it.

If you choose to work, then you have to plan and take care of our health,diet and mental strength. If we feel that our health , skill and knowledge is deteriorating . we will have to slow down , let go and gradually retire. Yes, it is scary to retire especially when we  have been working for so many years.  Post retiring life is uncertain and  can be wasteful and harmful. The feeling of uselessness will build up gradually if we do not manage our life properly. But , it need not  be so if we plan ahead  and gradually slip into retirement. Don't wait for the day until poor health force us to stop working , start planning activities for our self be healthy.

Be fair to our self and others. Make way when you know the time has come. Start the process of delegating, letting go, go for spiritual guidance  and train your successor if there is one. At the same time, plan your retirement over a reasonable period of time and gradually slip into it. An abrupt transition to a mundane life style is not healthy or scheming to make yourself indispensable or irreplaceable is also not healthy and wasteful. Not anybody can be like LKY, who choose to die in his work . It is not necessary to follow his way or philosophy. In Penang ,  we have our late Lim Chong Eu, who retire when he lost an election and choose to stay retired until his death. He was remembered for his commitment , professionalism and contribution to the state of Penang. He enjoyed his post retirement life and was highly respected. Those who think they are indispensable are lonely and obscured  people. There is no such thing as indispensable , the show will go on with or without us.

The path we choose is entirely up to us. It is not necessary for  the sake of  money ,self ego and prestige as life have many options. There is a time for everything and we  know it  within our self. If we know the time is right, start your plan and do the right thing  to retire gracefully. If we forcefully scheme to  stay on, it will end in disgrace or been despise by the people around us.  Leave behind a good memory of our work and our deeds.

Don't over stay. Get on with the next chapter in life and die a gracefully death when the time comes.


Namaste.