Aging carries a risk of losing our memory, focus, and ability to take care of ourselves and others. Working can increase the risk if you don't stay actively engaged in cognitive tasks that keep your mind sharp, especially if you're a man.

I’VE READ A LOT of retirement books touting the “keys to a successful retirement.” Some have great ideas. But I think they miss a key ingredient. My contention: To have a successful retirement, we need to start with a proper understanding of work. Admittedly, it’s a counterintuitive way of looking at retirement. But sometimes looking at a problem backward can help us find creative solutions. In other words, examine the opposite of retirement for lessons about retirement.

Constantly chasing more and more will make you miserable. The right goal gets you off the treadmill.