Micro retirements are the focus of our conversation today, challenging the traditional work-now-live-later mindset that many of us have followed for decades. We dive into why it’s crucial not to postpone living and how taking intentional breaks can lead to a more fulfilling life. With stories about our youthful dreams—like being a Disney tour guide or the “check guy” for rock stars—we illustrate how exploring what truly matters now can enhance your journey.

We’ll explore how micro retirements can be tailored to fit your life, emphasizing that it’s not about running away from responsibilities, but rather about moving toward what excites you. Join us as we unpack the hidden costs of delaying your dreams and provide actionable steps to start living more fully today.

BIGG Takeaways:

• Micro retirements are designed to help you intentionally focus on meaningful experiences instead of waiting for traditional retirement.
• The concept of micro retirement challenges the outdated work now, live later mindset by promoting life experiences now.
• Don't let life drift you away; instead, design your life intentionally to achieve big success.
• Asking yourself what you're postponing can help you identify what truly matters to you right now.
• Micro retirements offer deeper renewal and growth, which can be more fulfilling than regular vacations.
• Creating a life map helps ensure you don't drift through life but instead land where you want to be.

BIGG Chapters:

[00:00] Embracing Micro Retirements

[01:10] Understanding Micro Retirement

[04:47] The Hidden Cost of Delayed Living

[05:47] The Concept of Micro Retirements and Intentional Living

[09:15] Exploring the Side Effects of Success

Links referenced in this episode:

• LifeMapCourse.com
• 5 Ways to Find Fulfillment and Achieve Success
• BIGGsuccess.com/Join

On this episode of the BIGG Success Show... Micro-Retirements: Don't Spend Your Life Preparing to Live.

BIGG Success with The Professor and Mary-Lynn.

When you were younger, did you ever think about a job that you thought would be fun even though it may have been part time or even temporary?

Perhaps not even that glamorous?

Oh, yeah, well, I actually. I think it's kind of glamorous. So I wanted to be a Disney tour guide.

You know, you get to stand up in front of the tour bus with the crowd - and I get a little crossover here because of course, you know, I got the live crowd and then I've got a microphone and I get to tell people what they're seeing and explain all the fun. Plus you get to spend every day at Disney World! So, yeah, I think that would be cool.

Well, I have one too, Mary-Lynn. I wanted to be the check guy.

The check guy?

Let me explain. You know, I wanted to check the microphone.

Check one, check two, check three, check, check, check.

You get to tour with all the rock stars and just be the check guy!

That's right, man. Free concerts. I mean, how can you beat it? It sounded like so much fun.

Now people are finding all kinds of alternatives these days that fit long term aspirations. And it's part of a new trend called micro retirement.

Welcome to the BIGG Success Show where we help you create the life you want. Hi, I'm Mary- Lynn.

And I'm George, The Professor. More people are talking about what's being called a micro- retirement. But this trend isn't really about retirement at all.

It's about a question that many thoughtful achievers are asking: Why am I waiting so long to live the life that I want?

In this episode, we're going to explore: What micro-retirements are and why they're growing in popularity; Why more people are challenging the "work now, live later" mindset; The hidden cost of delaying living;

The difference between escaping life and designing it; How to create your own version of a micro-retirement; And the one thing you don't need. So let's start with what in the world is a micro-retirement?

What is this all about?

A micro-retirement is an intentional break from work to focus on something meaningful. Think two weeks, a month, maybe even longer. Sabbatical, anyone?

Oh, yeah, that's exactly what I was thinking. So more of a short term sabbatical?

Absolutely, yeah.

And it might involve traveling, learning a new skill, spending time with family, improving your health, volunteering, starting a passion project, slowing down enough to think about what your next move will be, or combining some of the things that I just mentioned.

The key idea here is simple: Don't wait until you retire to start exploring. After all, you aren't retiring once and for all. That's another conversation or two or three.

But here at BIGG Success, we promote the idea that life comes down to two things, relationships and experiences.

With a micro-retirement, you're creating space to experience life while you still have the energy, health, and opportunity to enjoy it.

Boy, doesn't that make sense? How many times have you heard somebody who just retired and then they pass away?

Yeah.

And they never got to do any of the things that they had planned to do.

Right.

So even though we may make retirement plans, we don't know what life has in store.

Yeah. There's only one person I know who can tell us when the end of life is.

Yeah. He's the ultimate planner, Right?

That's right.

So the reason that these are catching on is because these breaks often provide deeper renewal and personal growth than you can get in a traditional vacation.

And that leads to the question, why is the old "work now, live later" model being challenged?

Well, for decades, we followed a familiar script: Study, work, save, invest, retire, live. If you got any energy left.

Why.s that last on the list? But these days, people are beginning to ask that very question. Why am I waiting? Why am I postponing what matters most?

Why does success sometimes feel incomplete?

The truth is that achievement and fulfillment are often not the same thing. You can reach goals and still feel disconnected from your life.

And you can find a link in your show notes.

And this is why conversations about micro-retirements continue to grow. High achievers want more than financial success. They want meaningful success.

Amen!

They want lives that feel alive now, not someday.

Yeah.

The old formula was...

Work first, live later.

And the new formula is...

Build both together now, intentionally.

So what's the hidden cost of delayed living?

Most people understand the cost of bad financial decisions. Fewer understand the cost of postponement. Every year we delay something important, we lose something that we can never get back:

Time, energy, experiences, relationships, opportunities. Eventually, delaying becomes a habit. Then we stop asking what we truly want. Instead, we simply continue doing what we've always done.

Well, at BIGG Success, we call this drift. And it happens when life runs us instead of the other way around.

And I can picture, like, a piece of driftwood, and then, you know, it gets let loose in a river. Especially you see it because of the river and the current. And there it just goes floating.. wherever the river goes, there goes the driftwood.

Yeah.

there goes the drift.

And that is not how you achieve BIGG Success. You don't drift into it. You design it.

And that's why the rise of micro-retirements isn't really about retirement. It's about intentional living.

Now, a micro-retirement is not an excuse to run away from your responsibilities. The goal is not escape. The goal is alignment.

Yeah. So the first question isn't, "What am I trying to get away from?" The question you want to answer is, "What am I moving toward?"

For example, maybe you need time to write a book, learn another language, improve your health, start a side business, or rediscover passions that have been buried under loads of responsibilities. That's where life design begins.

It's also why so many people benefit from creating a Life Map.

Without a clear picture of where you're going, it's easy to spend years drifting like that driftwood that George was talking about in the river, just waiting to land in the right spot. Our life map helps ensure that you don't drift, that you make the decisions, and that you land where you want to be.

Now, when it comes to this micro-retirement trend now, not everyone should quit their job and backpack across Europe for six months. I mean, not everyone wants to, nor can everyone take that kind of time away. So don't quit your day job. Don't take six months off.

Start small and start intentionally.

Ask yourself, "What dream have I been postponing? What experience would matter more now than later? What would make me feel more alive? What resources would I need to make this happen?

What small step can I take this year?"

Many people who successfully navigate micro-retirement begin planning years in advance. They save money, reduce debt, simplify their lives, and create flexibility. In other words, they create options. And options create freedom.

Yeah. The goal is not abandon your future. The goal is to enjoy your present while you create your future.

That brings us to this episode's BIGG Assignment from The Professor.

Set aside 30 uninterrupted minutes this week. Grab a notebook, and answer these four questions. Number one: "What am I waiting to do someday?" What am I waiting to do someday?

Number two: "Why am I waiting?" Why am I waiting? And then, Number three: Choose one experience, goal, or dream that deserves a place in your life now. Not someday. Now.

And then write down one step you can take in the next 90 days and ask yourself, "What can I do to move things forward?"

And if you're struggling to gain clarity, that's exactly why we created the Life Map System. As we've expressed today, a meaningful life rarely happens by accident. It happens by design.

Learn more about how to use the Life Map System to help you design the life you want at LifeMapCourse.com. And now it's time for our BIGG Takeaway.

Don't spend your entire life preparing to live. Build your future.

Save for tomorrow, but don't postpone what matters most until some distant day that may never come.

Success isn't about waiting to live. It's about creating a life worth living every step of the way. That's BIGG success.

Are you ready for more practical ideas to help you create the life you want? Join our free [email protected] join where we share strategies, inspiration, and life design tools each week.

And if today's episode resonated with you, we'd love to connect. Follow @BIGGsuccess on your favorite social platform and join the conversation. And don't forget, we're BIGG with two Gs. And next time...

You've worked hard, you've achieved a lot, so why can success sometimes feel surprisingly lonely? We'll explore this side effect of success and share how to build a life that feels connected, meaningful, and truly successful.

Make sure you're following the BIGG Success podcast so you'll be the first to hear our next episode.

And we thank you so much for listening. Until next time...

Here's to your BIGG success!

Find BIGG Success at BIGGsuccess.com