Overview
For millions of high achievers, the answer is far less clear than expected. The structure disappears. The calendar empties. The identity that once defined you no longer applies. This is the reality of post career life, and it catches even the most prepared professionals off guard.
In Pretirement, Rick Smith reframes this transition entirely. Drawing on decades of experience advising top executives, he shows that life after leadership is not an ending, but a distinct and highly designable phase. Yet most people approach it without a plan, leading to frustration, overcommitment, or drift.
Through real stories, Smith brings this challenge into focus. A former CEO wakes up to an empty inbox and questions her relevance. A senior executive fills his time with consulting work that drains rather than fulfills him. Another leader, instead of drifting, runs structured experiments—teaching, advising, and investing—before building a deeply satisfying portfolio life. These examples reveal the difference between reacting to change and designing it.
At the core of the book is a practical framework for executive transition, built around three phases: Discovery, Foundation, and Optimization. Readers learn how to:
- Navigate the psychological hurdles of retirement identity
- Avoid the traps common in second act careers
- Adopt a more intentional retirement planning mindset
Smith also introduces actionable tools like the New North, helping readers define priorities across belonging, contribution, vitality, curiosity, and play. These tools allow professionals to evaluate opportunities based not on prestige or habit, but on what genuinely fits.
Unlike traditional retirement books, Pretirement focuses on meaning rather than money. It’s a guide for those who still want to contribute, learn, and engage without returning to the constraints of full-time roles.
For senior leaders, founders, and professionals navigating leadership transition, this book provides a clear path forward: not drifting into retirement, but actively building what comes next.
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