Retirement and Vocational Discernment Class

Session II: Professional and Personal Identity

Making sense of life transitions

• Have my earlier big transitions—adolescence, college, first job—been simple or turbulent?
• What has been my work culture, and what will I miss or not miss?
• Where does my work identity fit in my total self-esteem, and what are its most important perks (e.g., stature, power, social contribution)?
• How—if in any way—do I want to stay in contact with professional peers and intellectual content after retirement?
• Will I take a victory lap—consulting, mentoring, pro bono gigs—or will I make a hard pivot out of my professional field?
• How do I connect compensation and stature?
• If in a primary relationship, how will my spouse/partner and I sync our work and retirement transitions?
• What are my initial scenarios for life after retirement (more discussion in Session IV)?
• Initial discussion about potential nonprofit visits

Reading assignment: Transitions: Making Sense of Life’s Changes (25th Anniversary/2nd edition) by William Bridges