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The Retirement Disaster: Why Work is the Key to a Fulfilling Life with David Bahnsen
Is retirement really the ultimate goal? If you’re rethinking your own career or retirement plans, this interview will change your perspective on why work matters more than ever—for individuals, businesses, and society as a whole.
By Risa RyanFebruary 7, 20253 Minutes
I had the distinct honor of interviewing David Bahnsen, Founder and Chief Investment Officer of the Bahnsen Group who was also named one of the top financial advisors in America by Barron’s, Forbes and the Financial Times.Our conversation centered around his book "Full Time: Work and the Meaning of Life", with a deep dive into Chapter 7: The Retirement Disaster. Bahnsen argues that work is not just a necessity but a source of dignity, purpose, and fulfillment. He explains how the financial industry’s focus on a "retirement number" is misleading and why companies should embrace senior talent for problem-solving, mentorship, and institutional knowledge.
Here are some highlights of our discussion:

"[Baby boomers] actually have the biggest impact on younger generations in messaging that work is something you do to not have to do it anymore."

We explored the generational shift in attitudes toward work, noting how baby boomers exhibiting a strong work ethic but also being the first generation to widely embrace retirement as the ultimate goal. This perspective, in turn, influenced younger generations, contributing to a more skeptical or negative view of work as merely a means to an end rather than a source of purpose and fulfillment.

"To make your life center around what you call a 20 or 25-year vacation, I think it not only strips that senior person of their own dignity and usefulness, but it is hurting the economy because we are lacking mentorship, seniority, wisdom, experience, expertise."

The economic pressures of retirement extend beyond the individual retiree, impacting society at large. Retirement, as commonly defined today, prioritizes recreation over continued productive engagement, contributing to a void in leadership and skill development that businesses and industries critically need.

"There will be a shortage of problem solvers if the whole workforce is filled with people between the ages of 20 and 35 and you have nobody between the ages of 50 and 70."

Companies will benefit from retirees for their problem-solving skills, resilience, and deep institutional knowledge—qualities that take decades to develop.

Learn more about David Bahnsen and his book "Full-time: Work and the Meaning of Life" here.