A challenge some people face in retiring is what it means.
Who are you now?
How do you stay relevant?
Engaged?
Be someone of value in the world?
Just A Guy On The Street
A Goldman Sachs partner said to me—
I saw Hank [Paulson] walking down the street and I felt sorry for him.
I thought to myself…
He was CEO of Goldman Sachs.
Treasury Secretary.
Now he’s just a guy on the street.
I love Hank and I felt bad thinking that, but really what I’m saying is what does retiring mean for me?
“Just A Guy Off The Street”
I jokingly replied—
Wall Street, Broad Street, West Street, are just streets and there are many more you can take.
Like Hank you’ve had an incredible career.
And like a top athlete part of the game is knowing when it’s time to move on.
You’re leaving a phenomenal job.
With tons of money.
Top network and experience.
Retiring can be anything you want it to mean.
Perhaps even a catalyst to the most amazing phase of your life.
What’s So Hard About Retiring From Goldman Sachs?
Many people might think.
At the worst, perhaps a high quality problem.
You’ve worked around the clock for decades.
Had massive success.
Isn’t the reward to ride off into the sunset?
Sit on the beach?
Not So Beachy
It’s not just that Goldman is a top job.
An all-consuming part of your life.
A culture so defining it can become your identity.
It’s also where your friends are.
What you love to do.
Who you enjoy being in the world.
Might I dare say, your purpose.
Meaning.
So it’s not just as easy as leaving your badge and business card behind.
It’s leaving behind all you’ve known for the unknown.
For people who thrive on being engaged, retiring isn’t always so beachy.
What Do You Want?
For a decade I asked that question.
When I found the answer I thought I’d mostly be working with Wall Streeters and leaders on more winning.
Making more money.
Driving their career all the way to the top, perhaps to running the firm.
Starting their own firms.
I do plenty of that.
But I’ve also seen plenty of this…
Many on Wall Street are too busy grinding to ever step back.
Often until, well, they’re forced to ask the big questions like…
What truly matters to you?
Are you fulfilled?
And the question of this Masterclass…
Do You Retire Or Not?
And even more specifically…
How do you navigate retiring from Goldman Sachs?
That’s right.
This Masterclass is ten hours focused on one question for people at one firm!
Well, really it’s two questions—if you retire, what do you do next?
And it’s not literally only for retiring from Goldman Sachs.
It’s more a metaphor for anyone retiring from an extreme, all-consuming career.
For people who don’t spend their lives dreaming to retire.
Who don’t imagine pulling up their socks to travel the world.
But are more likely to retire into other things.
To stay engaged.
Have impact.
Be purposeful.
Perhaps do grand things like Hank, just a man or woman on or off the street.
Here’s the intro track to the Masterclass for Retiring From Goldman Sachs: