The Retirement Glide Path – Part 9: The Final Stretch
A month from now, I’ll be retired.
Even typing that feels a little surreal.
For the past several weeks, I’ve been writing about the decision—how I got here, what influenced it, and what finally moved me from thinking to acting.
Now I’m in a different phase of the retirement transition.
Not deciding.
Not imagining.
But finishing.
When Retirement Is Close Enough to Feel Real
There’s something different about being one month away from retirement.
It’s no longer an idea out in the future.
It’s a date on the calendar.
A countdown.
A horizon I can clearly see.
And with that clarity comes a mix of emotions I didn’t fully expect.
Excitement, for sure.
A growing sense of freedom.
Anticipation about what life will look like on the other side.
But also something else:
A strange awareness that much of what I’m working on now will continue… without me.
The Strange Feeling No One Talks About
Lately, I’ve found myself in conversations about:
Projects that will extend well beyond my retirement date
Decisions that will impact the organization months—or years—from now
Plans that I won’t be around to see fully play out
And I’ve caught myself thinking:
“This won’t be mine much longer.”
It’s not a negative feeling.
It’s just… unfamiliar.
After decades of investing time, energy, and identity into your work, there’s something disorienting about stepping back while the work continues forward.
I assume this is normal.
At least, I hope it is.
No Second Thoughts—Only Clarity
What’s been interesting is what I haven’t felt.
I haven’t had second thoughts.
I haven’t felt regret.
I haven’t been tempted to reverse the decision.
If anything, the closer I get, the more clarity I feel.
The excitement is real.
The anticipation is growing.
And the sense that this is the right decision continues to deepen.
The Gift of Leaving on My Terms
There’s another layer to this decision that I don’t want to overlook.
I’m deeply aware that I get to leave on my terms.
That hasn’t always felt guaranteed.
In the back of my mind, there has been a quiet awareness that at some point, the decision might not be mine. Ageism is real—especially in the technology space—and I’ve wondered more than once whether my timeline would eventually be set for me.
If that had happened, the question would have been very different:
Do I try to find something else?
Or do I simply step away?
That’s not the position I’m in.
And I don’t take that for granted.
There’s something deeply satisfying about being able to close this chapter intentionally—not reactively. To step away because it’s the right time, not because I was pushed to the edge.
It feels like finishing, not being finished.
And that distinction matters more to me than I realized.
It feels like finishing, not being finished.
Finishing Strong Still Matters
Even with that clarity, one thing hasn’t changed:
I still care deeply about how I leave.
Over the past week, I’ve begun transitioning responsibilities to the person who will be taking over my role.
That process has reinforced something I wrote about earlier in this series:
Finishing strong isn’t about staying as long as possible.
It’s about leaving well.
The Discipline of Staying Engaged
If I’m honest, there’s a subtle temptation in this phase.
Not to check out completely—but to mentally start shifting ahead.
To think more about what’s coming next than what still needs to be done.
That’s where I’ve had to be intentional.
Because the same traits that have mattered throughout my career still matter now:
Being dependable
Being trustworthy
Following through on commitments
Those don’t fade just because the end is in sight.
If anything, they matter more.
Providing a Turnover You’d Want to Receive
As I think about the transition, I’ve been asking myself a simple question:
If I were stepping into this role, what would I want?
Clear documentation
Honest context—not just what to do, but why
Visibility into risks and open issues
A sense of continuity, not disruption
That’s the standard I’m trying to meet.
Not because I have to.
But because it reflects who I want to be—right through the finish line.
Living Into the Transition
One of the things I’ve been thinking about lately is this:
Retirement isn’t something that happens all at once.
It’s something you move into.
And this final month is part of that movement.
It’s not just about wrapping things up.
It’s about beginning to live differently—even while you’re still working.
Holding things a little more loosely
Focusing on what really matters
Letting go, while still showing up fully
Is This Normal?
I don’t have a definitive answer.
But I suspect that what I’m experiencing is part of the transition many people go through:
The work continues—but your role in it is changing
The future is coming into focus—but you’re not there yet
You’re still responsible—but you’re also releasing
It’s a strange middle ground.
But it’s also a meaningful one.
The Horizon Is Getting Closer
With one month to go, the horizon feels real.
Not abstract.
Not distant.
Real.
And while there’s still work to be done, there’s also a growing sense of anticipation about what’s ahead.
For now, my focus is simple:
Finish well
Show up fully
Leave things better than I found them
And then…
Step into what’s next.
The work will go on. The life is yours.
An Invitation
If you’re approaching retirement, you may find yourself in this same final stretch.
Close enough to see what’s ahead.
Still engaged in what’s in front of you.
Feeling both anticipation and a sense of release.
If that’s you, you’re not alone.
And if you’re wondering whether it’s normal to feel this way…
I’m right there with you.
The Retirement Glide Path Series
Part 1 – One Couple, Two Timelines
Part 2 – One Couple, Two Timelines, Different Speeds
Part 3 – Wrestling With Timing and Identity
Part 4 – Leaving Well
Part 5 – Redefining Identity Beyond Work
Part 6 – Moving Beyond Hobbies to Meaning
Part 7 – Navigating the Conversation
Part 8 – The Decision
Part 9 – The Final Stretch
