Retirement’s hidden challenge: identity and purpose
Building a post-work identity isn’t done as a single leap and, our course is kicking off in less than two weeks
Before we start - a little ad for our upcoming UK course
The UK Epic Retirement Course is here
If you’re in the UK and you’ve been waiting for something built specifically for the British pension system – this is it. Our Epic Retirement UK 6-Week Flagship Course kicks off on 28th May.
I’ve worked with Charlotte Gibson, UK Retirement Coach and Actuary, bringing the Epic Retirement framework and our knowledge together.
We’ve built a six-week online course designed to give you the confidence and practical know-how to plan your retirement properly. It’s not generic advice. It’s a program built from the ground up for the UK – the State Pension, workplace pensions, ISAs, finding purpose, happiness, looking after your health, traveling in retirement, building plans, goals and so much more.
Here’s what’s included:
14 modules and around 100 lessons, all built for the UK system.
Exercises and activities in every module so you’re actually doing the work, not just watching videos.
A community of people going through it alongside you, so you can share, question and connect on every lesson.
Three live Q&As with some of the UK’s leading retirement experts.
A conversation starter workbook to help you and your partner — or your family — actually talk about what you want.
And a copy of How to Have an Epic Retirement (UK edition) as your companion textbook.
This isn’t a webinar. It’s a proper program, done together, over six weeks and it starts in less than two weeks, on the 28th May - so book your place. The pilot pricing is the cheapest it will ever be. We can’t wait to share this program with you. It’s hosted by me, Bec Wilson and UK Actuary and Retirement Coach, Charlotte Gibson - so you’ll get some really useful learnings from both of us plus there’s three live Q&As over the program, with guests include: Dan Haylett, Financial Adviser and Author and Neil Jones, Retirement Expert from Standard Life.
Book your spot here before we close the doors.
Or download the brochure to learn more here.
(and if you’re an employer, employee benefits consultancy or belong to a pension fund and would like to send some of your staff - reach out to us at bec@epicretirement.uk)
Retirement’s hidden challenge: identity and purpose
We spend years stressing over our pension balances, trying to pick the perfect retirement age, and wondering if we’ve saved enough. But what if that’s not the only thing keeping most of us up at night?
Because for many of us, the real fear isn’t about money. It’s about what happens after we stop working.
It’s the fear of losing purpose. Losing that feeling of being useful or connected. We’re scared of drifting through 25 or 30 years without the rhythm and identity that work gives us. Once upon a time, retirement was the prize at the end of the grind - freedom from the job that wore down your body and stole your weekends. But work has changed. These days, it can be a source of social connection, meaning, and – dare I say it – even enjoyment.
So, when we step away from it, the real question becomes: what now?
In the Epic Retirement Club Facebook group, a community member, Patrick recently shared something that got a lot of people clicking emojis and commenting. He wrote:
“One of the hardest things to believe about retirement is that the biggest challenge isn’t money, it’s identity. For years, our jobs gave us titles, routines, and even purpose. Then one day, the title disappears, the calendar clears, and you’re left facing the question: Who am I without the work? Almost everyone feels this before retirement, but not everyone talks about it. The truth is, building a meaningful retired life takes the same effort and planning as building wealth. And once you figure that out, retirement becomes less about what you left behind and more about what you’re finally free to create.”
Patrick has put into words something that many people feel but rarely express in public: that work is about much more than income. It’s structure and scaffolding. It holds our lives together - giving us routine, identity, and the sense that we matter. When that scaffolding comes down, you have to ask: what will stand in its place? And, if you don’t plan for the structure’s replacement - everything could get shaky.
Why is identity so important?
Money really dominates the headlines around retirement planning: how much you’ll need, how to invest it, when you can afford to stop working - they’re all things you do to prepare yourself for retirement. But Patrick is right - the harder, quieter work is identity.
If we don’t prepare for that shift, retirement can feel like a big loss rather than a newfound sense of freedom. If we do, it becomes a once-in-a-lifetime chance to reinvent ourselves.
How do you start your reinvention?
Building a post-work identity isn’t done as a single leap; it’s a gradual construction project. Frankly, I believe the people who thrive in retirement usually do four things (at least):
Experiment before the date arrives. They try taking time away from work and finding purpose, testing out volunteering, mentoring, creative projects, pursuits or part-time ventures while still working.
Separate their identity from their title. Instead of saying “I was an engineer,” or “I was a teacher,” they start saying “I’m a problem-solver” or “I love making things work.” It’s about holding onto values and skills and a sense of identity in these, not just the job badge. And then finding new ways to use those talents in the world.
Invest in pursuits, not just hobbies. Most people don’t understand the difference. But it’s important. A pursuit is something you continue to invest in growing your skills in. A hobby is just something you do to occupy yourself. Patrick’s thoughts are spot on here - building a life of pursuits means seeking personal growth, mastery of some skills, contribution, and purpose.
Seek proactively. They go looking for things that interest them, stay curious about what’s changing in themselves and in the people around them, and try new things.
When you understand that identity is the central challenge, and central opportunity of retirement, money takes its proper place. It’s the tool that enables you to go looking for what’s next for you, not the purpose itself.
Like Patrick said so well, once you figure this out, retirement stops being about what you left behind. It becomes about what you’re finally free to create.
And that, more than anything, is the real work of retiring well - in my opinion. What do you think?
If this resonates with you, you are going to love what we have in store in our upcoming Epic Retirement UK Course.
The course has already helped thousands of Australians build greater retirement confidence, and this is the very first time we’re bringing a version built specifically for the UK retirement system to life.
It’s a six-week online course combining practical retirement education, guided reflection exercises, community conversations and three live Q&A sessions with retirement experts.
Because this is our founding UK cohort, we’re intentionally keeping it small, and launching with a lower-than-ever-priced pilot. And best of all, you have the opportunity to share your feedback which will help shape the course for future participants.
You can download a copy of the brochure to learn more.
More soon,
Bec Xx
P.S. To celebrate the launch of the UK Course, we’re also giving away 5 free seats in the program. To go into the draw, simply give our Epic Retirement UK Facebook page a like and comment and follow along in the newsletter to see if you win.
Author, podcast host, columnist, retirement educator, and guest speaker
I am the retirement columnist for The Times, UK. You can read my most recent column here. And I’ve linked some other recent columns below.
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