Introduction
Do not rely ONLY on retirement calculators to predict your retirement lifestyle. Besides there is more to retirement than just working out the money.
Are you tired of the endless grind of the corporate world? Or wondering if there’s more to life than working hard just to pay bills?
Whilst, Retirement calculators might suggest a comfortable financial future, nevertheless the truth is—they can’t show you the full picture. We will discuss the drawbacks of relying solely on retirement calculators and introduce the idea of finding your purpose (ikigai) for a better, more meaningful retirement.
What Retirement Calculators Don’t Tell You?
Retirement calculators: Sure, they help estimate how much money you’ll need to retire, or how much you must live on; but they don’t help you figure out what really matters: "how to live life on your terms"
We’ve all seen those links: "Use this retirement calculator to see how much you need to save!" But here’s the catch—those calculators are only part of the equation. Whilst, they focus on the dollar value needed in retirement, they don’t ask the bigger questions:
- What will you be doing with your time in retirement?
- What will your ideal day in retirement look like?
- What are your passions, or what do you love to do?
- How can I have a purposeful life in retirement?
Undoubtedly, we are thinking about escaping the hamster wheel of corporate life. Often our go to, is the use of retirement calculators, which solves the when and the how much. Howwever, as we map out our futures, it's time to focus on something deeper, and particularly after the honeymoon period of early retirement years.
- We must accept the fact that we will lose our sense of working identity
- We may have been high in management, or at the echelon of our career path, but nobody cares when you say you are retired
- We may face boredom and looking for things to do during our days
- This is common if we have not got lots of activities and interests to fill in our time
- Sometimes depression kicks in as life can be a bit dull
- its a known fact this issue exists - if we no longer have much to look forward to
- Our ill health, lack of exercise or even money can stop us from living our best lives
- our mindset is not open to change, to challenge our thinking and learn new things
But knowing these restraints and mindsets exist, we can choose to overcome, or manage them differently. Particularly with the right tools
- We can rekindle our early life passions and activities
- We can use our time to do something we really enjoy, that excites us and gives us joy every day?
Why You Need To Find Your Ikigai
Increasingly, the key to helping you to a better life is discovering your ikigai—your purpose. Essentially find out what you can get paid for, so you don't have to stay in the corporate grind. We can show you how you don't have to wait until you retire, tostart living your best life? Why not start building the life you want right now, and we can be here to help you take those first steps toward finding your purpose and fulfillment. And the best part? You can do it all online....
Money isn’t everything. Sure, we all need it as a means to pay for things, but without a sense of purpose, your life can feel empty. That's where "ikigai"comes in. Ikigai is a Japanese concept that means “a reason for being.” It’s what makes life worth living, and finding your ikigai could be the key to building an income that aligns with your passions.
Retirement calculators will not solve all of your future retirement needs. You need to also plan for a meaningful life.
How To Discover Your Ikigai
Step 1:
If you’re going to build something online, we suggest you first find your ikigai. Ask yourself:
- What do you love doing?
- What are you good at?
- What can you get paid for?
- What does the world need?
Answering these questions will discover your true passion, that not only brings you joy but also serves others. Finding your ikigai is a fundamental process in creating something you love, and can help you find your purpose and meaning in life as you transition from working life to your more flexible and freedom seeking lifestyle.
Step 2: Learn the Skills You Need to Build Your Online Income Stream
Once you’ve discovered your passion, it’s time to learn how to turn it into income. You don’t need to be a tech genius to start an online business; what you need is a willingness to learn. Online education platforms offer courses that can teach you everything from creating and selling digital products to marketing your business online.
Some online courses sell in a narrow content niche: such as how to to be a content creator on instagram, or make money from blogging, or how to self publish ebooks via amazon kdp.
Any of these offers you can consume & learn from- that is if you know exactly which pathway you wish to go down. But for most of us, we have either too many ideas, or no clear idea. Many in our community have tried other programs with varying success, and very pleased they have come across to this experiential learning platform.
This online education platform
- Is designed for people who want to escape the rat race on their terms
- To build something they love online that aligns with their passion
- It offers self-paced informative content, to put into practice and hands-on training
- Combined with automated systems, tools and resources and access to a supportive wider community
- Provides flexiblity, time-freedom, can supplement or replace income, and gives you a meaningful purpose to life.
Step 3: Start Small, But Think Big
You don’t need to quit your day job right away. Start small, test your ideas, and see what works. Build your side hustle while you’re still working your 9-to-5. The beauty of creating something you love online- is that they can be started with relatively low investment and scaled over time. The more you learn, the more you can grow it, until one day you can leave your corporate job for good.
Step 4: Embrace Consistency and Keep Learning
Sometimes creating a profitable online income stream takes time, and it’s important to not give up. Whether you’re blogging, creating online courses, or selling products; tap into the resources that are available to you. As you progress, like learning anything new- you will encounter challenges. But the good news is that this particular online ecosystem offers ongoing support and resources. They can help you overcome any obstacles you may face, and keep you on track to your version of success. The only people that fail, are those that give up. Whatever their excuse, is theirs to own, and not the program itself.
In addition to new skills that you gain, you’ll also need to embrace the mindset of continuous learning. The digital world is constantly changing, and to stay ahead, you’ll need to adapt and keep improving. This commitment to personal and professional growth will not only help you escape the rat race but also ensure that you’re always moving forward and creating your purpose.
How To Create Income From Your Passion
The sooner you start thinking about how to design your ideal retirement, the better. But don’t just wait for that perfect number to appear on your retirement calculator. Instead, start learning new skills now. It’s never too early to create a future where you can do what you love and decide to earn a living or supplement your income from it.
Imagine this: you retire from your corporate job not because you’ve saved enough money, but because you’ve found a way to create income doing something that excites you. Whether it’s writing ebooks, creating online courses, marketing your services, or starting your own online business, there’s a world of opportunities out there, waiting for you to tap into it.
Clearly, you should see now why the use of retirement calculators isn’t enough. Moreover, let’s talk about how you can actually create a lifestyle you love. The good news is that building something online from your passion is possible—if you know where to start.
How Am I Going To Do This?
One of the best ways to get started on this journey is by learning from the experts!
If you are short on time- I believe it's smarter to buy in the level of expertise services we need. We can then be up and running in the timeframe we choose. Besidews which we can make better use of our time, to hone our skills before we choose to leave work.
The expert coaches help you get everything working for you on autopilot, which means investing in yourself by paying for this coaching service. Preferably with a professionally run program, and ideally one that can easily fit around your current lifestyle.
Of course, we can jump in at the base level, relying on our own abilities to learn these new skillsets as we complete the lessons. There is access to the training workbooks, resources, helpdesk and the community to help with our understanding.
What If I Want To Do This For Free?
Usually this means you want something for nothing. Sounds like you are not willing to invest in yourself? Maybe you don't see the value in upskilling in a shorter timeframe. However lets just say- the process will be a lot slower for you. You will have to do the research yourself. Navigate your way around the internet searching for the little golden nuggets of information you need. Then try to put it altogether. That takes time we often don't have. At some point you will face the money challenge, as a piece of software will end its free trial and then a monthly commitment will be sought. It is possible to do it for free, but if you are a 'techno phobe'- then I don't suggest that at all. You get what you pay for!
How Do I Know Which Program Is Right For Me?
When you choose the right program, you can get started right away and begin your personal growth journey. For some people they seem to object to the word "learn". But essentially you do need to embrace the teachings in a self-paced online experiential learning process. You learn the theory as you develop new skillsets, then you put it into practice. Stepping out of your comfort zone, will broaden your mind, and all helps with our healthy aging too.
There are many programs out there, with content creators selling their courses. Most sit within a narrow niche area of learning, assuming you already know what it is you are looking for. Examples being, I want to create an instagram channel, or create DIY content on YouTube. These courses assume that you know the digital basics, and all you need is to upskill yourself in the relevant media channel and off you go. But what if you don't have any idea what you want to do?
The online training platform I chose to join, starts everyone from scratch. The assumption is we have zero knowledge, and it builds your skills from there. It presents the content in a modular format, that unlocks as you move through the video presentations and workbooks. You can slow down the speed of the teaching videos at anytime and listen back multiple times; especially if you are like me and find it hard to grasp the concepts the first time you watch it. Furthermore, inside the platform, there are various pathways to choose, and you are welcome to take a detour to a different subject matter if it appeals. We have access to dozens of LinkedIn bite sized training series. Handsdown, this training platform, is one, if not the best of training programs available online. That is why it is often referred to as an ecosystem as there is so much content there for you. You are provided with a step-by-step navigation guide to help you on this new online journey of discovery.
You may come into this platform with no clear direction, and yet wanting to know how it all works. You may just know that you want to do something, but not exactly what? Clarity will come in your discovery process
What are the next steps?
You can start learning the skills, and potentially turn your passion into profit- no matter where you are in life.
However, ...it might not be about making money to supplement your lifestyle, but more about having a sense of purpose. Your thirst for knowledge and the sense of achievement in itself gives you your energy, and endorphin thrill as you progress towards your own goals on this online pathway. Each step of your online self-discovery process can be very exciting as you master it.
The below step guide shows the initial process when you choose to embark in this program. There are always options, and some like me skipped the first step - especially those who are motivated enough to get started immediately. Choosing Option 1, is the more cautious approach to life, but willing to test the waters first, and to make sure that I am who I say I am, and telling the truth.
This platform offer training and tools to help you launch an online business, or side hustle, whether you want to create a blog, sell digital products, build a personal brand or other creative online content.
Why Learning New Skills Now is the Best Investment You Can Make
While retirement calculators can help you estimate how much you need to save for retirement, they cannot teach you how to build a life you truly love. Learning new skills—especially those that can help you start an online business—has never been easier.
With our experiential learning platform- you can access valuable resources that teach you how to turn your passion into a profitable online hustle that could replace your income. Not always a given but its possible. These courses offer step-by-step guidance, making it simple to create an income stream that gives you the freedom to retire on your terms, not just when the age-clock or calculator tells you it's time.
Don’t wait for retirement to “happen” to you—start building your dream life now. By learning new skills and creating something online that you love, you can choose when to escape the hamster wheel and take control of your future.
Positive aging, wellness and longevity all comes into being when you embrace learning and what it offers. Self-development is a very powerful tool to help ourselves as we progress through our life stages. Having a growth mindset enables you to be all that you want to be.
Conclusion: Take Action Now and Build the Future You Deserve
Retirement calculators are helpful tools, but they shouldn't be the only factor guiding your future. Your true freedom comes from finding your ikigai, or a sense of purpose. For some, that means creating income from doing something they love.
It’s time to take action now — This online experiential learning platform has a blueprint system of foundational modules to build your knowledge in your own timeframe. It comes with the necessary resources, and tools to get your automated systems set up, and to kickstart your online journey. The people power are there to help and guide you too, so by leveraging from the experts it can fast track your own journey.
By planning ahead, and upskilling now- allows you to flow into your retirement years without any fear of what next? Creating yourself additonal income sources now, gives you choices on choosing to retire on your terms. Or it can just create that sense of purpose in life, which we often find is lacking when retirees have not thought it all through before they retire.
Invest in yourself today, and you’ll be setting yourself up for a lifestyle of choices and freedom from the rat race; filled with your passions, and having a purpose.
FAQs
1) Who is this program for?
Joining this program is ideal for those that are wanting to retire from their working life, yet wanting to look ahead to find positive ways to keep themselves occupied. If you are the type of person that is active, and hungry for knowledge and willing to embrace the idea of learning new skills, then this is perfect.
It is not for those that are choosing to wind down and vege out on the couch.
2) How can I start an online business or income stream with no experience?
I did. I started from scratch with no prior experience or skills. The platform I am sharing with you can take beginners and those with even a little experience right through the process. To prepare, launch and grow whatever you want to make happen online. There are many courses inside the platform that are available to you that can guide you to your online goals.
You may wish to write and publish books. You might want to bring a new idea to market. What about printing your art creations on demand, or dropshipping or selling a course? There are many options and the problem you may face is narrowing your ideas to just one at the beginning, and to get that off the ground. Practice makes perfect as we use this training community to build our skills.
For some, they have no idea what they want to do, but just know they want to do something online, and to find out how to do it. They want to learn and develop themselves as they go along on their own personal growth journey. It is possible and we offer a great training ground to help you bring your idea/s to life.
3) Is it possible to retire early with an online business?
Yes! With the right mindset, skills, and dedication, an online business can generate enough income to allow you to retire early. The key is to start now and build steadily over time.
4) How long will it take to build an online income stream?
The timeline varies, you cannot and should not compare yourself to others. But with leveraging from our experienced online entrepreneurs, you can launch your idea and you will see sales coming in. We often see many members seeing results in 6-12 months. Making use of the coaching certainly provides guidance and can speed up your progress.
5) Can I really make money by teaching or selling what I love?
Absolutely! People are willing to pay for knowledge and products that improve their lives. Whether it’s teaching, coaching, or selling a product, the demand for passion-driven content is growing every day.
6) Is this a pyramid / multi-level marketing / network marketing scheme?
Certainly not... This is founded by a business online entrepreneur who bought in key partners to work with him as a team. This is an entire community of like-minded individuals aspiring to succeed online, plus dedicated experts willing to guide and support our journeys. Rather than using the traditional methods of bill boards and TV/Radio advertising; this experiential learning platform decided to leverage from the aspiring entrepreneurs within the community. A member often chooses to become an affiliate marketer to hone their skills as they learn from practice. It is the perfect training ground to do this, and it can be promoted anywhere in the world. So yes the affiliate marketers get paid commission when you join, and full disclosure and disclaimers are cited. Many global businesses are increasingly using referral programs and affiliate programs to market their products and services.
Who Am I, And What Authority Do I Have?
Anita Aitken-Taylor is a Daughter, Wife & Mum of three grown children and long time Carer of the oldest being neuro-diverse. This certainly produces not only challenges but a real empathy of undertanding on the differences one faces when life is a struggle. In Anita's mid-life years she studied part time, towards her qualifications as a trusted and certified financial adviser and retirement planner in New Zealand. Over the last 16+ years she has been helping families with risk protection needs, and aiding clients to ensure they are financially comfortable during their retirement years.
"I’ve always wanted more than just the typical 9-to-5 grind, especially as I thought about my future. I was in my late 50’s and growing more discontented with wanting more, than what I was contributing to within the corporate world. Ideally looking for flexibility, a sense of purpose, and income diversification beyond my working years. I work with retirees in my profession, and help them plan their retirements and yet now it is looming up for me too. How can I retire early? I want to spend more time doing what I love. My immediate goal was to figure out how to create automated income streams, and then I can choose to leave work on my terms. Both my husband and I want to spend part of any given year living in places where we can stretch our retirement nest egg further, and to explore the local culture and vibe that living abroad brings.
But, I’ll be honest, when I first came across a program that promised to teach how to publish ebooks and make money online, I was skeptical. I thought, What are they really trying to sell me? It felt like there was a hidden catch. After all, if they were making money from books, why were they pushing courses to teach others how to do it? And how can you make money selling ebooks as low as 99c.
Still, it spurred me to keep looking. I dug deeper and found another e-learning course, and realized that this one wasn't just about ebooks—instead, it was a broad-based platform with an array of learning pathways. An entire ecosystem with more opportunities than I’d imagined or knew of. It wasn’t just about writing books anymore; I discovered other online models that better resonated with me, that I could learn about too.
I had choices. I could work on this at my own pace, and still find a sense of accomplishment at every step I achieved. I developed my goals of building something I love, keeping myself occupied and the flow on effect came with sharing with others. Plus the bonus was mastering how to create multiple income streams, and so not to be reliant on just a future fixed income. I found I could promote this same e-learning platform to those that are interested in learning new skills; so they too can create something they love.
Helping others is at the core of my being. My mission is to share how one can build online income streams too, so they can live their future retirement years with more freedom and choices, and hopefully less financial stress. And granted sometimes it's not always about the money, but finding a purpose and a meaning in life.
I’ve combined my passion for long-term wellness and healthy aging with my financial expertise, so I can inspire others to live healthier, happier lives as they grow older.
For me it is very much a personal growth journey as I embrace broadening my mind - as I love learning new skills. At the beginning, I had wondered what I was letting myself in for, but now I know that this journey was worth it.
If you’re looking to have a purpose to life, and add to your (retirement) income or do something you love that you can get paid for, there is so much more you can do. And like me, you can start right now and do this alongside your day job, as you begin to wind down from that 9-5 grind."
Yes this is me on One-Foot Island, Aitutaki-The Cook Islands -loving life on a yoga retreat. I want more of this - don't you?
For further insights from Anita, visit her profile at https://www.lifetime.co.nz/find-an-adviser/view/anita-aitken-taylor/
Full disclaimer: there are no guarantees of success, whatever that looks like. This is an online learning education platform, and not everyone chooses to earn and does earn income online. It is up to you and how you do this. I am an affiliate marketer and online entrepreneur. Have I made money. Yes. Have I made lots of money. No and neither was that my goal. I wanted to learn how it works and earning money is a bonus.