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Preferment Course HubPublished by Rarified Life

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Am I emotionally ready to retire? Take the 10-question quiz

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You are emotionally ready to retire when you can say who you are without your job, what motivates you, how your weeks will look, who keeps you on track, and what your next mission is.

This free quiz from the Preferment Course Hub turns those five themes into ten plain statements. They follow the order of Rarified Life's Preferment modules: Identity, Motivation, Alignment, Accountability, and Launch. It takes about two minutes, and nothing you enter is stored or sent anywhere.

Part of the guide to Rarified Life's life after retirement course and retirement coaching.

Rate each statement

  1. 1 of 10 · IdentityI can describe who I am without mentioning my job title.
  2. 2 of 10 · IdentityI can answer "So, what do you do?" without starting with "I used to."
  3. 3 of 10 · MotivationI know what gets me out of bed when there is no paycheck or deadline.
  4. 4 of 10 · MotivationI have at least one pursuit I would happily spend hours on every week.
  5. 5 of 10 · AlignmentI can picture a typical week after work, and it reflects what I value.
  6. 6 of 10 · AlignmentMy plans use my strengths, not just whatever is available.
  7. 7 of 10 · AccountabilityI have routines or people who will help me follow through on plans.
  8. 8 of 10 · AccountabilityI have a plan to stay physically active and keep learning.
  9. 9 of 10 · LaunchI could put my mission for the next chapter into one sentence.
  10. 10 of 10 · LaunchI see retirement as a beginning more than an ending.

What if I score low on emotional readiness?

A low score is common and changeable. Rarified Life's presentation says you can start "even if your last day at work is still years away," and the Preferment course spends a full module on each theme this quiz asks about. Start with your lowest theme and one small action this week.

Keep reading

Questions about emotional readiness

More answers on the retirement coaching and course FAQ.

Am I emotionally ready to retire?
Ask yourself five things: who you are without the job title, what motivates you without a paycheck, how your days will look, who will keep you accountable, and what your mission is next. This site's free 10-question readiness quiz walks through exactly those themes.See this answer in the full FAQ
Is it normal to feel lost after retiring?
Yes, it is common, especially if your job was a large part of who you were. One Preferment participant quoted on rarifiedlife.com described spending "a few years wandering around like a goldfish in a bowl." If low mood persists or worsens, talk with a doctor or licensed counselor.See this answer in the full FAQ
How do I separate my identity from my career?
Start by describing yourself without your job title or the words "I used to." Rarified Life's presentation promises a real answer to "So, what do you do?" in 8 weeks. The Identity module of the Preferment course is built around exactly this separation.See this answer in the full FAQ
Do I have to be retired already to join?
No. Rarified Life says you can start "even if your last day at work is still years away" and "without waiting for retirement day." Many people find it easier to rethink identity and routine while still working than after the calendar empties.See this answer in the full FAQ
Do I need a plan before I join?
No. The course page says it plainly: "You don't need a five-year plan. You just need a room to start figuring it out in." The first module, Introduction, starts with where you are right now.See this answer in the full FAQ