It's Not Retirement That's Killing Us

A neuroscientist recently said something that stopped me in my tracks: retirement might be the worst idea the brain ever encountered.I’ve spent years watching people retire, especially the men I’ve known, and I keep noticing the same pattern. It’s rarely the absence of a paycheck that does the damage. It’s the absence of anyone needing them anymore.There’s a real difference between a job and a role. A job pays you to show up. A role is something people would actually notice missing. And once someone loses that, something in them seems to go quiet, sometimes fast.This episode is personal. I talk about my wife, a wildfire crew in Oregon, and why I don’t intend to retire, not because I’m afraid to slow down, but because I’ve decided, on purpose, who still gets to need me.Listen in above, or read the full essay on Steady Notes.If this found you at the right moment, the free subscription means the next one will too. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit donaldhornsby.substack.com