The Humans vs Retirement Podcast

• S6 Ep 93 - Your Retirement Plan is a Lie (But You Still Need One)

  Most people treat retirement planning like an Olympic sport, building spreadsheets, forecasting returns, and trying to engineer certainty in a world that’s anything but certain. But here’s the truth: no plan survives contact with real life. In this episode, I unpack why traditional retirement plans often do more harm than good,  creating false security, stifling adaptability, and ignoring the human side of money. You’ll learn why the best retirement plan isn’t a fixed prediction, but a living process that evolves with you. Because the plan isn’t the point... You are. What You’ll Learn Why most traditional retirement plans fail (and how they create false security) The difference between planning and plans, and why adaptability wins every time The 5 elements of a Living Plan that actually work in the real world How to balance numbers with meaning and flexibility with confidence The question every retiree should ask: “Is my plan protecting me, or preventing me from living?” Challenge of the Week 👉 Audit your plan — or your mindset about planning. Ask yourself: Is my plan giving me clarity, confidence, and control, or just false certainty? Where am I clinging to a version of the future that no longer fits? What’s one thing I could loosen, update, or rethink to make my plan feel more alive and aligned with who I am today? You don’t need to tear it up. Just tune it up, so it becomes a compass, not a cage. Resources & Mentions Quote: James Clear — “You don’t rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems.” The Living Plan Framework: values-led, flexible, regularly refreshed, guardrails-based, emotionally supportive Next Episode Coming up in Episode 8: Tax, Death, and Rock ’n’ Roll Yes, we’re going there. I dive into tax planning, inheritance, and legacy design… but without the doom and gloom. Expect honesty, humour, and a fresh take on how to make your final chapter feel meaningful... not morbid.

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• S6 Ep 92 - Retirement Income Isn’t About Products... It’s About Permission

  Most retirees believe the key to a successful income strategy lies in the products — specifically, the right pension wrapper, withdrawal rate, or investment mix. But here’s the truth: it’s not about products at all. It’s about permission. In this episode, I challenge the obsession with spreadsheets and simulations, revealing why confidence to spend doesn’t come from perfect plans — it comes from understanding, repetition, and emotional safety. You’ll discover the Permission Pyramid, the secret behind guardrails-based freedom, and why your financial plan should feel like permission to live, not a restriction on joy. What You’ll Learn Why most retirees don’t need better products — they need better permission The myth that spreadsheets create confidence The three levels of the Permission Pyramid: Numbers Clarity, Emotional Confidence, Behavioural Permission How guardrails create freedom (not restriction) in your income strategy The real role of a retirement plan — to give you permission to live well Three key questions to help you feel confident spending your income Challenge of the Week 👉 Write your own Retirement Spending Permission Slip. Literally. Write it down and make it visible. “I, [your name], give myself permission to spend money in retirement that: aligns with my values fits within my plan creates joy, meaning, and memories honours the work I did to earn it and supports the life I want now — not just a future I might never meet.” Stick it on the fridge. Make it your phone background. Repeat it until it feels real. Resources & Mentions The Permission Pyramid — My 3-level model for income confidence Guardrails-Based Spending — freedom within boundaries Next Episode Coming up in Episode 7: Your Retirement Plan Is a Lie (But You Still Need One) We’ll explore why traditional financial plans often give false security, what happens when life refuses to behave, and how to design a living, breathing plan that adapts as you do.

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• S6 Ep 91 - The Skill No One Taught You - Spending Money!

  You’ve worked hard. Saved smart. Invested wisely. You’ve built a life where money is no longer the problem. But here’s the awkward truth: spending it freely, without guilt, hesitation, or second-guessing, is the part no one prepared you for. In this episode, I unpack why so many retirees struggle to permit themselves to spend, where that scarcity mindset comes from, and how to start using money to create joy, connection, and memory dividends. Saving was your superpower. Spending is your next skill. What You’ll Learn Why spending in retirement isn’t a maths problem, it’s a psychological one The “permission gap” and why most retirees hesitate to enjoy what they’ve saved How money guilt shows up (and why you’re not alone in feeling it) The hidden costs of under-spending... memories, experiences, and lost joy What “good spending” really looks like: values, memory dividends, and well-being Practical tools, from guardrails to pre-spending permission slips, to help you spend with confidence Challenge of the Week 👉 Plan one guilt-free spend, and do it. Not research it. Not think about it. Not ask five friends if it’s sensible. Just spend. Choose something that creates a memory, feels indulgent, and is true to you. Then, when that little voice says, “Should I really?” — answer, “Yes. Future Me will thank me.” Resources & Mentions Schroders UK Retirement Study (2022): On retirees struggling to spend freely Bill Perkins, Die With Zero — The principle of converting money into meaningful life experiences Retirement planning tools like Guardrails, Bucket Planning, and Spending Statements Next Episode Coming up in Episode 6: Retirement Income Isn’t About Products — It’s About Permission We’ll explore why true confidence to spend comes from psychology, not portfolio returns, and how your retirement income strategy should feel like freedom, not fear.

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• S6 Ep 90 - Time Isn’t What You Think It Is

  Retirement isn’t about how much time you have; it’s about how much time you feel. In this episode, I dive into one of the most misunderstood aspects of life after work: time perception. From brain science to everyday challenges, I uncover why retirement can sometimes feel like a blur and how you can make the most of your time, stretch it, and truly enrich it. What You’ll Learn Why your brain experiences time differently once work ends The science of time compression (and why some days vanish while others feel full) How “Memory Dividends” can transform your retirement years The three biggest retirement time traps, and how to avoid them Why time isn’t linear but psychological, and how that changes everything How to redefine what “a good use of time” really means in retirement Challenge of the Week 👉 Design your Ideal Day Grab a notepad (or open Notes on your phone) Write out your perfect Tuesday in retirement: when you wake, who you’re with, what you do, what you eat, where you are Then bring one small part of that ideal day into your life this week Resources & Mentions Dr. David Eagleman – Neuroscientist and author on time perception Bill Perkins, Die With Zero – Explore the idea of “Memory Dividends” Previous episodes of Humans vs Retirement on purpose, identity, and designing life after work Next Episode Stay tuned for Episode 5: The Skill No One Taught You — Spending Money. I’ll explore why retirees struggle to permit themselves to spend, how scarcity creeps in even when you have “enough,” and what it takes to break free and truly enjoy your wealth.

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• S6 Ep 89 -The Five Pillars of Retirement Well-Being

  Most people retire with a solid income plan but no plan for a life they actually want to live. In this episode, I discuss the five human pillars that make retirement feel meaningful, not just financially viable: Purpose, Identity, Relationships, Structure, and Well-being. Expect punchy stories, research-backed insights, and practical prompts to start building a life worth funding. What you’ll learn Why money ≠ meaning in retirement, and how outcomes beat incomes. The Five Pillars framework (Purpose, Identity, Relationships, Structure, Well-being) and how each one stabilises your next chapter. The hidden risk of identity loss after the job title disappears, and two better questions to ask yourself now. Why too much unstructured time can feel like freedom that turns to fog, and simple ways to add rhythm without losing flexibility. The science bits (in plain English): Only 27% of retirees report feeling very fulfilled day-to-day (Stanford Center on Longevity). A strong sense of purpose links to a 15% lower risk of death (JAMA Psychiatry). The Harvard Adult Development Study shows close relationships are the biggest predictor of long-term happiness. 1 in 4 experience mild to moderate depression post-retirement—often due to lost meaning, routine, and social contact (NHS). Challenge of the Week Score yourself 1–10 on each pillar: Purpose, Identity, Relationships, Structure, Well-being. Pick the lowest score and do one tiny action this week to move it up by one point (e.g., book coffee with a friend, start a 15-minute morning walk, schedule a creative hour, message someone to mentor). Small moves → big momentum. Resources & links Mentioned research (as cited in the episode): Stanford Center on Longevity — fulfilment in retirement JAMA Psychiatry (2020) — purpose & mortality risk Harvard Study of Adult Development — relationships & happiness NHS guidance/statistics — mental health in later life Want more? Connect with me on LinkedIn and share your Challenge of the Week answers. Buy my book The Retirement You Didn't See Coming Book a time for us to chat about your retirement plans Next episode “The Skill No One Taught You: Spending Money.” We’ll get into guilt, scarcity, freedom, joy, and why many retirees have more than enough yet still struggle to spend with confidence.

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