December 7, 2022

The older we get, the more afraid we are to try and learn new things. Why is it harder to break out of our comfort zone in retirement? 

When you say goodbye to your career, you leave behind decades of mastery to become a novice at retirement. Everything new is hard at first. It takes a brave person to try something new, knowing they may not be “good” at it.

Bob Benno spent most of his life as a scientist. As a professor at William Paterson University, he was active as a teacher, researcher and program director in Biopsychology. After 35 years, Bob closed the book on that chapter of his life and entered retirement.

Fortunately, he had a lifelong interest in music and was able to open Chapter X in his life with an intensive study of Jazz. In this episode, he shares his honest and unfiltered story with us.

We discussed:

• How playing jazz unexpectedly helped Bob transition careers in science
• The struggles he faced after leaving behind his career in the classroom
• Dealing with the loss of identity in retirement (and discovering a new one) 
• Why perspective is healthy for finding fulfillment and happiness
• The importance of balancing structure and free time in retirement