Have you heard of successful seniors whom COVID destroyed? Prosperous seniors who lost everything, forced into senior pensions and the subsequent poverty trap. Escaping the poverty trap is challenging, whether it’s a senior’s pension, disability pension, or some other funding that places restrictions on how much you can earn.
That’s one reason to never retire: you’ll bypass the poverty trap.
But there are more reasons to never retire.
Some 80-year-olds run businesses with great success. My papa is one example. He’s 84 this month and still makes a killing running his business. He has many employees, and his phone rings off the hook, which maximizes his social connections. He is also physically active in his work and has a healthy body mass. In sum, his job keeps him young.
In fact, research suggests that the longer you work, the healthier you tend to be. Moreover, research also indicates that men who retire early die sooner than those who retire after the age of 65.
Many, if not most, people can’t afford to retire. The Freedom 55 commercial, where a gray-haired senior chases a young blonde on the beach, is mostly a myth. It’s media hype meant to sell insurance. The reality is that retired people often struggle to make ends meet. Food, housing, power, and clothing—it all adds up, especially once the income ends. Let’s face it, maintaining a career as a senior is beneficial for meeting basic needs.
A career offers opportunities for professional and personal development. In other words, work gives meaning: learning opportunities, financial rewards, status, recognition, friendships, and many other benefits. When you are happy and fulfilled in a job, the world around you grows friendlier, too. You are held in higher esteem, have more significant social connections, and have more excellent finances to pursue hobbies you love. And working seniors can financially help others rather than depend on others for basic survival.
So what kinds of careers can seniors in their 80s claim? I saw a list that included teaching ESL, walking dogs, and performing other low-grade jobs. But you don’t have to listen to any of that! You can claim a high-paying career at any age—even if you have multiple disabilities and dependency on a wheelchair. Set your sights high, whatever you do, and keep throwing stuff at the wall until something sticks. Indeed, if you can be the President of the USA at age 79, you can be more than a dog groomer or survey taker at age 80.
Old dogs can learn new tricks, sometimes even faster than younger dogs. (A habit of lifelong learning is a must for career success as a senior.) With that said, this excellent article lists six-figure jobs you can access at most any age. (Disclaimer: the paper contains a plug for the author’s book.)
If you think you can work a high-paying career in your eighties, chances are you can—and likely will.
