The Humans vs Retirement Podcast Ep 101 - Why Your Perfect Retirement Can Feel So Wrong
Jan 28, 2026
They tackle why retirement can feel empty even when finances are solid. They explore losing a work identity and how to rebuild it with values and experiments. They explain why problem-solving brains need purpose and how to design routines that avoid the endless-holiday trap. They cover pressure to perform a perfect retirement and strategies to give yourself permission to spend and rest.
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Money Isn’t The Whole Retirement Map
- Retirement money is a destination but not an emotional roadmap.
- Dan Halep says the gap between financial readiness and mental readiness causes silent unease.
Identity Loss Feels Like Real Grief
- Losing a job title can create an existential vacuum and grief-like stages.
- Dan Halep highlights that identity tied to work often collapses into past-tense relevance.
Build Identity From Values Not Titles
- Rebuild identity around values and transferable character traits, not job titles.
- Dan Halep tells listeners to ask three questions about their best qualities, dormant passions, and fearless experiments.
