Never miss a Bonus Years update!
We take your inbox seriously. No ads. No appeals. No spam.
We provide — and seek from you — original and curated items that make life
in the Bonus Years easier to understand and easier to navigate.
Retirement is surely a dead-end idea…literally. Retirement is also a recent idea….and a pretty depressing idea, at that. Look it up in the dictionary. My Oxford says to “retire” is to withdraw, go away. retreat, give up, seek seclusion. Sounds like fun! The Oxford definitions include “retiring from the world” or “to retire unto oneself” or to become unsociable, uncommunicative, withdrawn from society. Who wouldn't want to do that?
But we have a different idea. We believe that positive aging is best achieved by purpose-driven activities in active engagement with others.
Put simply, it's better to wear out than rust out.
The Length of Our Days
Days in the average American life span
Average life expectancy
in days at age 65
Chances to leave
a legacy
"It’s better to wear out than rust out.” That is the message of Reboot! For men and women navigating change and planning for life’s transitions – all the while striving to finish well – Reboot! provides a roadmap for living a life of meaning, challenging the reader to be a Luminary not a retiree. Burgess boldly asserts that retirement is a deadly disease, and that work after a life of work is the best option for post-career years that are meaningful, productive, healthy, and satisfying.
Bonus Years Columns
Unabridged articles from my weekly Bonus Years column in the
Lifestyle section of The Sunday Capital Gazette, Annapolis, Maryland
Autumn is a time to share in the lessons of letting go
Never adrift, an elder sailor still navigating at 89
Columbus Day celebrates “big idea” not just a person
Nice to meet you!
I’m a Bonus Years guy. My business is helping Luminaries navigate age-related transitions – and writing interesting stories about those who do it successfully.
My aim: To inspire others to do the same.