Reinvent for Retirement Lesson #5: Look to Role Models

There are gardens — and then there are the gardens of Versailles.  If you’ve ever had the good fortune of visiting there, you know what I mean. Versailles is in a class all its own; breathtaking, beautiful and meticulously groomed.

Our recent visit there was a source of great inspiration and ideas, even though our garden will never come close to the grandeur of Versailles. As we toured the grounds, we couldn’t help but be motivated to bring some of that special “savoir vivre” back to our humble home.

Learning from role models, even if their situation doesn’t parallel yours, is always a wise strategy.  Fortunately, there are a variety of ways to learn from the success of others.  You can:

• Read or listen to profiles of happy retirees on sites like NextAvenue.org or AARP.org.

• Read books that include profiles of retirees doing interesting things

• Take a class, workshop or seminar from someone doing something you’d like to do in retirement

• Spend more time with active, curious and engaged retirees

Don’t feel compelled to reinvent the wheel. Get inspired by role models — and then go plant your own path to success.