The Humans vs Retirement Podcast

• S6 Ep 98 - The New Rules of Retirement

  In the season finale, I tear up the traditional retirement rulebook and replace it with a bold, human, and rebellious manifesto for the second half of life. The old rules — work 40 years, aim for "enough," play it safe, slow down — were never designed for modern retirees who want meaning, energy, experiences, connection, and agency. This episode lays out The New Rules of Retirement — ten powerful principles for anyone who refuses to drift through retirement and instead wants to design it boldly, live it fully, and leave a legacy that's felt as much as it's funded. This is your encore… so make it loud. What You'll Learn Why the old retirement rules are outdated, limiting, and designed for a different era Ten modern, human-first principles for living boldly after work Why retirement isn't the end — it's the starting line How to prioritise time, meaning, purpose, and memory dividends over fear and preservation Why confidence comes before clarity, and flexibility beats perfection The truth about retirement as an emotional journey, not just a financial event How to shape a legacy through impact, stories, and how you live — not just what you leave Challenge of the Week 👉 Write your own new retirement rule. Just one. Something that becomes a north star for how you want to live the next chapter. Examples: "I spend without guilt when it brings me joy." "My time is my greatest asset." "I will not shrink my life to fit someone else's expectations." "I choose connection over busyness." "The second half of my life will be better than the first." Write it. Repeat it. Live it. Resources & Mentions The New Rules of Retirement — Dan's Season 6 manifesto Episode references: Episode 4: Time Isn't What You Think It Is Episode 9: The Retirement Reinvention Curve Episode 10: Modern Software, Ancient Hardware Episode 11: The Retirement Focus Ratio My sketches, book, and newsletter Final Note This episode wraps Season 6, a season dedicated to human-first retirement, emotional truth, and challenging the defaults. If these conversations have sparked anything in you, share them with someone who needs a more rebellious, honest, and liberating view of retirement.

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• S6 Ep 97 - Are You Solving The Wrong Retirement Problem?

  Most financial planning conversations in retirement are 90% about money, but most retirees spend 90% of their time thinking about life. That's the Retirement Focus Ratio, and it's completely out of sync. In this episode, I challenge the industry obsession with spreadsheets and show why the real success of retirement isn't built in Excel, but in how you live, spend, and find meaning after work. You'll discover how to rebalance your focus from money to life, and why the best retirement plans aren't about preserving wealth; they're about unleashing it to create joy, connection, and purpose. What You'll Learn Why retirement planning often solves the wrong problem The disconnect between financial advice and emotional reality How to flip your Retirement Focus Ratio from 90% money / 10% life to 50/50 (or better) The key steps to building a life-led retirement plan How money becomes more meaningful when it supports purpose Why you can't measure joy in basis points, but you can design for it Challenge of the Week 👉 Audit your own Retirement Focus Ratio. Ask yourself: How much of my energy is focused on money vs life? What would go in my "Retirement Life Plan"? What's one step I could take to shift the balance? Then take action: Book a call to talk about legacy Write your ideal week Start a "Life List" — not a bucket list The goal isn't to ignore THE money. It's to elevate THE life. Next Episode Coming up in Episode 12 — the grand finale of Season 6: The New Rules of Retirement (For Rebels Only) A bold manifesto for those who refuse to drift through retirement, and want to design, live, and leave a legacy on their own terms.

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• S6 Ep 96 - Why Your Brain Isn't Built for Retirement: Modern Software, Ancient Hardware!

  Retirement is a modern invention, but your brain didn't get the upgrade. In this episode, I unpack why so many retirees feel restless, guilty, or underwhelmed, even when life looks "perfect on paper." It's not because something is wrong with you, it's because you're trying to run a 21st-century life on Stone Age wiring. I explore the mismatch between modern retirement and ancient survival instincts, why you struggle to relax, why doing nothing feels uncomfortable, why spending feels risky, and why your brain craves purpose, progress and tribe. Most importantly, I share how to retrain your mind for this new chapter, without fighting your biology. What You'll Learn Why retirement feels unsettling (and why it's not your fault) The clash between modern freedom and caveman brain wiring How dopamine, productivity and survival instincts mess with your retirement mindset Why your brain resists rest, spending and stillness Five ways to "upgrade the software" — from micro-missions to novelty, contribution and healthy discomfort How to feel useful, alive and excited again in retirement Challenge of the Week 👉 Pick one "Brain Upgrade" and try it for 7 days: Set a Micro Mission (e.g. walk 10k steps daily, plan a trip, finish a book) Add Novelty — try something new for 30 minutes a day Create Contribution — teach, help, give or mentor someone Introduce Healthy Discomfort — cold shower, tech-free evening, social challenge At the end of the week ask: How did it feel? What did it teach me about what my brain needs? Resources & Mentions Micro Missions, Contribution Loops & Novelty Windows — My behavioural retirement tools Next Episode Episode 11 — The Retirement Focus Ratio: Are You Solving the Wrong Problem? Why most retirement plans are 90% about money… but most retiree worries are 90% about life. And how to fix the imbalance.

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• The Emotional Whirlwind of Retirement (and How to Survive It)

  Retirement isn't a finish line; it's an emotional rollercoaster. In this episode, I break the myth of the "happily ever after" retirement and introduce The Retirement Reinvention Curve — an honest, human map of what really happens when the work stops and life after work begins. From the initial shock and elation to the frustration, doubt, and eventual flourishing, I unpack the eight emotional stages we all go through when redefining identity, purpose, and meaning beyond the job title. This isn't about pensions or spreadsheets, it's about becoming who you are next. What You'll Learn Why retirement isn't a single event but a psychological transformation The 3 phases and 8 stages of The Retirement Reinvention Curve How to recognise where you are, and why nothing is "wrong" with you The real reason traditional retirement advice skips the emotional work Practical ways to move through frustration and doubt toward purpose and joy Why rebuilding your identity takes time, curiosity, and compassion Challenge of the Week 👉 Draw your own Retirement Reinvention Curve. Sketch a simple line from left to right — no artistic skills required. Then mark: Where you've been Where you are now Where you want to go next Write one sentence for each stage you've experienced: "What did it feel like? What did it teach me?" Then ask: "What does my next phase need from me?" Because awareness is the first step to reinvention. Resources & Mentions The Retirement Reinvention Curve — My framework for navigating the emotional journey after work. Next Episode Coming up in Episode 10: Modern Software, Ancient Hardware Why your brain wasn't built for retirement, and how to trick it into thriving in a world without structure, deadlines, or dopamine hits from work.

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• S6 Ep 94 - Tax, Death and Rock 'n' Roll

  Tax. Death. Legacy. Three words that make most people squirm, but avoiding them doesn't make them go away. In this unapologetically bold and surprisingly uplifting episode, I turn the "taboo trifecta" into a conversation about freedom, meaning, and going out with style. You'll learn how to make tax and inheritance planning feel less like a funeral march and more like an encore. Because facing the end isn't morbid, it's empowering. And when you deal with your legacy intentionally, you stop hoarding, start living, and find your encore energy. What You'll Learn Why avoiding tax and death planning just creates chaos for the people you love Smart, simple ways to reduce tax without making life smaller Why trying to pay zero tax can actually limit your freedom The five essentials of facing mortality like a grown-up (and a rockstar) Why legacy is about memories, not just money How to turn your final chapter into something worth celebrating Challenge of the Week 👉 Complete one "Rock 'n' Roll Legacy Task." Pick one: Update your will Create or add to your Death File (accounts, wishes, passwords, etc.) Book a review of your tax and inheritance plan Write a letter to your future heirs Plan a Memory Dividend event — a trip, gathering, or moment you'll fund with joy You don't have to finish everything. Just start.  Because the ultimate act of love isn't what you leave behind, it's the clarity you leave people with. Resources & Mentions The Death File — Dan's "love on paper" concept for legacy admin Memory Dividends — Inspired by Bill Perkins' Die With Zero Next Episode Coming up in Episode 9: The Retirement Reinvention Curve: The Emotional Sh*tstorm You Didn't See Coming We'll unpack the real emotional rollercoaster of retirement, from the initial high to the inevitable dip, and explore how to rebuild and reignite your sense of purpose, identity, and joy.

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