Dave Says: Daring to Dream Again

Dear Dave,

I’m 53 and in a position financially to retire in a couple of years. I want to keep working some after retirement, but I’m so burned out by my job that I’m not sure what I would do. How can I find something that would light my fire again?

Nancy

Dear Nancy,

If you haven’t dreamed in a while, dreaming becomes an exercise. I think it would be a good idea to set aside some time, turn off the television, and just think about the things you like doing. Maybe you could schedule a long weekend, just for Nancy, and get away somewhere to just relax, unwind, and think about the things that make you happy.

It’s easy to get out of the habit of dreaming, but try to find some time that will allow you to get back the feelings you had when you were 18 and felt like you could conquer the world. Visit that place in your mind and your spirit, and think about what you’d aim at if you could do it all over again.

Dreaming is a great thing, but you have to formulate an idea. Once you have that in place, you can begin to develop a strategy for getting there. Make a list of the things you need to do ahead of time to make the transition possible. Would you need to take some classes or save up and buy some equipment between now and then? These are all important issues to address. And check out the book Quitter by Jon Acuff. It’s a fantastic read for folks in your situation. Good luck, Nancy!

—Dave