The Humans vs Retirement Podcast
Self-Improvement
About
Humans vs Retirement is the podcast that proves retirement isn't just about money, it's about life. Hosted by me Dan Haylett, I dive into the real, human side of retirement: the emotions, the mindset shifts, and the messy, wonderful journey of reinventing yourself for the next chapter. Through honest conversations with experts and inspiring stories from retirees themselves, you'll get the tools, ideas, and encouragement you need to retire to something, not just from something. If you want to make your second half even better than your first, hit subscribe and join the Humans vs Retirement community.
Episodes
- Ep 109 - What You Lose When You Retire
This episode discusses the psychological and emotional challenges of retirement, framing it as a significant loss event rather than just a gain. It explores ten specific elements that may diminish post-retirement and provides five strategi…
- Ep 108 - Have You Worked Too Long and Saved Too Much?
In this episode of The Humans vs Retirement Podcast, Dan explores the potential risks of over-saving and delaying retirement. He discusses the long-term impact on health and relationships when individuals prioritize future financial securi…
- Ep 107 - Your 12 Good Years
This episode explores the concept of the 12 healthy years typically remaining for a 60-year-old. Dan discusses why it is important to front-load experiences during retirement rather than deferring them while focusing solely on savings.
- Ep 106 - Why You're Wasting Your Time Worrying About Running Out of Money
This episode challenges the common fear of running out of money in retirement by highlighting data showing most retirees retain the majority of their savings. It explores why people fear financial failure and provides strategies for shifti…
- Ep 105 - The Parent's Dilemma: Your Retirement vs Their Future
This episode explores the balance between supporting adult children financially and maintaining personal retirement security. It provides frameworks for decision-making regarding parental financial assistance and the long-term impact on bo…
- Why Small Problems Feel HUGE In Retirement
This episode explores why high-achievers may experience "Redundant Brain" syndrome in retirement, where the loss of major professional challenges causes the brain to magnify trivial tasks into crises. The host outlines the impact of losing…
- Ep 103 - The Emotional Price Tag of Retirement
This episode explores the emotional challenges of retirement, focusing on why saving for years can make spending in retirement difficult. It discusses common money scripts, emotional blocks like guilt and identity loss, and offers strategi…
- Ep 102 - Why your brain is hardwired to fail at retirement
This episode explores the neurological and psychological challenges of retiring, highlighting the impact of dopamine withdrawal and loss of identity. It offers strategies for building a fulfilling, structured retirement through social conn…
- Ep 101 - Why Your Perfect Retirement Can Feel So Wrong
This episode explores the psychological difficulties often experienced during retirement, even when financial planning is successful. It identifies five common mental traps and discusses ways to navigate identity, purpose, and spending hab…
- Ep 100 - What 100 Episodes Taught Me About Retirement... And About Being Human
Reflecting on 100 episodes, this installment explores the emotional and identity-based aspects of retirement. It challenges listeners to move past simple financial planning and intentionally design the second half of their lives.
- Ep 99 - How to Retire Well in 2026: The 5 Key Areas to Get Right
This episode explores five essential pillars for a successful retirement in 2026: money, health, purpose, relationships, and courage. The host emphasizes taking concrete actions in these areas to build a fulfilling post-work life.
- S6 Ep 98 - The New Rules of Retirement
In the season finale of The Humans vs Retirement Podcast, the host presents a new, human-first manifesto for retirement. The episode outlines ten principles for designing a bold and purposeful second chapter, challenging traditional ideas…
- S6 Ep 97 - Are You Solving The Wrong Retirement Problem?
This episode explores the Retirement Focus Ratio, addressing the discrepancy between financial planning and the personal experience of retirement. It encourages listeners to shift their attention from purely financial metrics to designing…
- S6 Ep 96 - Why Your Brain Isn't Built for Retirement: Modern Software, Ancient Hardware!
This episode explores the evolutionary reasons why retirees may feel restless or unfulfilled, explaining the mismatch between modern retirement and human survival instincts. It offers strategies to retrain the brain for retirement by incor…
- The Emotional Whirlwind of Retirement (and How to Survive It)
This episode explores the psychological stages of retirement, introducing the Retirement Reinvention Curve to help listeners navigate the emotional challenges of life after work. It focuses on redefining personal identity and purpose beyon…
- S6 Ep 94 - Tax, Death and Rock 'n' Roll
This episode explores tax, inheritance planning, and legacy as tools for gaining freedom and meaning. The discussion encourages listeners to confront mortality proactively to simplify matters for their loved ones.
- S6 Ep 93 - Your Retirement Plan is a Lie (But You Still Need One)
This episode explores the limitations of traditional retirement forecasting and argues for the adoption of a flexible, living plan. The host discusses why adaptability is essential and introduces the five elements of a framework designed t…
- S6 Ep 92 - Retirement Income Isn't About Products... It's About Permission
This episode explores why successful retirement income strategies depend more on achieving personal confidence and permission to spend than on financial products. The host introduces the Permission Pyramid and guardrails-based spending to…
- S6 Ep 91 - The Skill No One Taught You - Spending Money!
This episode explores the psychological challenges retirees face when transitioning from saving to spending. It discusses overcoming the scarcity mindset and offers practical strategies for spending money on experiences that create joy and…
- S6 Ep 90 - Time Isn't What You Think It Is
This episode of The Humans vs Retirement Podcast explores the psychology of time perception during retirement. The discussion covers why retirement can feel like a blur and offers strategies to manage time more effectively, including the c…
- S6 Ep 89 -The Five Pillars of Retirement Well-Being
This episode explores how to create a meaningful retirement beyond financial planning by focusing on five key pillars: Purpose, Identity, Relationships, Structure, and Well-being. The discussion covers research-backed insights and practica…
- S6 Ep 88 - The Past Built You. Your Future Needs You!
This episode discusses the common identity crisis experienced in retirement when career titles are no longer present. The host explores how to move past role-based identities and rebuild a sense of self based on values, contribution, and a…
- S6 Ep 87 - Retirement Isn't The Goal, It's The Starting Line
In this episode of The Humans vs Retirement Podcast, the host explores the idea that retirement is a starting line rather than a finish line. The discussion covers the emotional and psychological aspects of retirement, including identity s…
- Ep 86 - Living Between Chapters with Toni Petrillo
Retirement coach Toni Petrillo discusses the emotional challenges of transitioning out of full-time work, including shifting identities and changing relationship dynamics. The episode explores the concepts of retiring with intention and na…
- Ep 85 - Find Your Voice: Podcasting as Purpose with Matt Halloran
Matt Halloran, co-founder of ProudMouth, joins the show to discuss how podcasting serves as a tool for storytelling, legacy building, and connection, particularly for retirees and financial professionals. They explore the practical mindset…
- Ep 84 - Solving the Retirement Income Puzzle with Dr. Jeff Brown
Economist Dr. Jeff Brown joins the Humans vs Retirement Podcast to discuss the role of annuities in retirement planning. The conversation explores the psychological and behavioral aspects of spending, guaranteed income, and the challenges…
- Ep 83 - The 7 Pillars of Aging Responsibly with Tony Taylor
Tony Taylor joins the podcast to discuss his 7 Pillars of Aging Responsibly, covering topics such as healthspan, retirement transitions, and building purpose. The discussion highlights the importance of resilience, connection, and mindful…
- Ep 82 - Why You Should Write a Book in Retirement with Helen Wilkie
In this episode of The Humans vs Retirement Podcast, host sits down with book coach Helen Wilkie to discuss the benefits of writing a book during retirement. The conversation covers the writing process, overcoming common obstacles, and how…
- Ep 81 - Who Will Get My Money When I Die? with Stuart Ritchie
In this episode, guest Stuart Ritchie discusses the complexities of inheritance tax and estate planning. He covers the importance of wills, lasting powers of attorney, and effective family communication to ensure clarity and fairness regar…
- Ep 80 - The 10 Commandments of Retirement with Fritz Gilbert
Fritz Gilbert, author of "Keys to a Successful Retirement," joins the podcast to discuss the non-financial aspects of life after work. He explores his "10 Commandments of Retirement" and provides a framework for finding purpose and fulfill…
- Ep 79 - What Will I Do All Day? with Patrice Jenkins
Patrice Jenkins, author of What Will I Do All Day?, discusses the emotional and psychological transition into retirement. The episode explores moving beyond financial planning to focus on finding purpose, identity, and meaning in post-care…
- The Four Phases of Retirement with Dr. Riley Moynes
Dr. Riley Moynes joins the podcast to discuss his framework for the four phases of retirement, emphasizing that the transition is primarily a psychological and human challenge rather than a financial one. The episode explores the emotional…
- The Ikigai Way: How to Uncover Your Purpose with David Marlow
David Marlow discusses the Japanese concept of Ikigai and its role in creating a purposeful retirement. The episode covers redefining identity after a career, the process of uncovering one's essence, and practical ways to transition into t…
- The Retirement Mindset Shift with Lindsay Troxell
Lindsay Troxell joins the Humans vs. Retirement podcast to discuss the psychological and emotional shifts that accompany retirement. The conversation covers the transition from career identity to personal purpose, the importance of habits,…
- Behaving Your Way to a Better Retirement with Greg Davies
In this episode, Dr. Greg Davies joins the podcast to discuss the role of behavioral finance in retirement planning. The conversation covers investor psychology, the importance of guaranteed income, managing spending habits, and the impact…
- How to Build Retirement Intelligence with Bob Laura
Retirement expert Bob Laura discusses the psychological, social, and emotional aspects of retirement on The Humans vs Retirement Podcast. The episode covers pre-retirement planning, the importance of purpose and routine, and potential chal…
- The Scarcity Trap: How to Shift to a Prosperity Mindset in Retirement with Leisa Peterson
Leisa Peterson joins The Humans vs Retirement Podcast to discuss shifting from a scarcity mindset to a prosperity mindset. The conversation covers the emotional connection to money, the role of mindfulness, and the I Prosper process for fi…
- Lessons & Insights From a REAL Retirement Journey with Julian Hince
In this episode, guest Julian Hince shares his personal retirement journey following a long career in financial services. He discusses the emotional and financial aspects of the transition, including the importance of seeking professional…
- How to Make Better Choices in Retirement with Richard Shotton
In this episode of The Humans vs Retirement Podcast, behavioural scientist Richard Shotton discusses how psychological factors and behavioural economics influence spending decisions in retirement. The conversation explores topics such as l…
- The Rich Life Mindset with Susan Latremoille
Susan Latremoille, a certified retirement coach and author, discusses the importance of focusing on the non-financial aspects of retirement. The conversation explores her "happiness portfolio" concept and the shift toward purposeful retire…
- Finding Purpose in Retirement with Jordan Grumet
Jordan Grumet joins The Humans vs Retirement Podcast to discuss finding purpose in retirement. The conversation explores the difference between 'Big P' and 'Little P' purpose, the role of identity, and how creating meaningful connections l…
- Reflecting on 2024 and My 5 Big Takeaways!
In this end-of-year solo episode, the host reflects on 40 episodes and 90,000 downloads. The episode covers key themes from 2024, including the emotional aspects of retirement, finding purpose, managing life changes, prioritizing health, a…
- How to Retire with Christine Benz
Christine Benz joins the show to discuss her book, How to Retire: 20 Lessons For a Happy, Successful, And Wealthy Retirement. They explore themes like mindful spending, cash flow strategies, and balancing time, money, and health in retirem…
- The Soul of Wealth with Dr Daniel Crosby
Dr. Daniel Crosby discusses his book, The Soul of Wealth, focusing on how individuals can find happiness and fulfillment in retirement by prioritizing relationships and personal growth over materialism. The conversation explores the PERMA…
- How Our Nervous Systems Impacts Our Retirement with Sheridan Ruth
Sheridan Ruth joins The Humans vs Retirement Podcast to discuss how understanding the nervous system can help navigate the emotional and psychological challenges of retirement. The conversation covers the transition into retirement, managi…
- Beyond Your Career with Victoria Barker
In this episode, Victoria Barker discusses the psychological transition from demanding careers to retirement. She and the host explore the importance of early planning, community support, and redefining one's identity and purpose beyond wo…
- How to Build a Legacy to Die For with Dr Kimberly Harms
Dr. Kimberly Harms joins the Humans vs Retirement podcast to discuss legacy planning, grief, and finding purpose in retirement. She shares her personal experiences with loss and explains how to create a meaningful emotional legacy for love…
- 4% and Beyond! The Evolution of Safe Withdrawal Strategies with Bill Bengen
Bill Bengen discusses the evolution of his safe withdrawal strategy, suggesting that recent research indicates a potential 5% withdrawal rate despite historical reliance on the 4% rule. The episode covers key retirement planning topics, in…
- How To Create Your 'Encore Career' with Dr Michelle Prince
Dr. Michelle Prince joins the podcast to discuss her book "Creating Your Encore Career," which provides a guide for professionals transitioning into meaningful, purpose-driven work during the later stages of their lives.
- The Three Domains of Freedom with George Kinder
In this episode of The Humans vs Retirement Podcast, guest George Kinder returns to discuss his book, The Three Domains of Freedom. The conversation explores mindfulness, finding life purpose, and a proposal for a legislative framework to…