Hi Reader

Welcome to edition #41 of The Super Sunday Retirement Roundup, the first of 2025 and of my new (and hopefully improved) newsletter format.

This new format will be broken into 3 sections:

1. A thought piece exclusively for you
2. Stuff I've done that you'll find interesting (including things I will only share with here)
3. Stuff I've come across you'll find interesting

Let's get cracking!

Did you know that our lives can be broken down into a natural flow of 4 quarters, each with its own unique themes, challenges, and opportunities.

So, today I'm going to share with you (and only you!) those 4 quarters with, as you would expect, a focus on life's quarter 3 and 4.

The 4 Quarters of Life

Quarter 1 - Foundation

“Laying the groundwork for what’s to come.”

Quarter 1 is the life's learning quarter

The key themes are:

• Education
• Personal development
• Identity formation
• Trial and error.

This is the quarter of exploration, growth, and discovery. It’s about acquiring knowledge, skills, and values that create a strong base for life. It’s a time of curiosity and experimenting with possibilities.

Quarter 2 - Ascent

“Climbing the mountain, step by step.”

Quarter 2 is life's building quarter

The key themes are:

• Ambition
• Achievement
• Career
• Family
• Contribution.

This is the quarter of creation, ambition, and hard work. This is when individuals actively pursue careers, relationships, and personal goals. It’s about climbing toward a vision, building stability, and contributing to society.

Quarter 3 - Liberation

“Living life on your terms.”

Quarter 3 is life's freedom quarter

The key themes are:

• Freedom
• Adventure
• Fulfilment
• Purpose beyond work.

This is the quarter to reap the rewards of earlier stages while pursuing passions, freedom, and meaning. This phase is marked by the opportunity to redefine purpose, enjoy flexibility, and prioritise joy, adventure, or giving back.

Quarter 4 - Legacy

“Harvesting wisdom and giving it forward.”

Quarter 4 is life's reflection quarter

The key themes are:

• Reflection
• Wisdom
• Mentorship
• Legacy
• Fulfilment.

This final quarter focuses on wisdom, reflection, and giving back. It’s a time to savour life’s lessons, strengthen connections, and create a lasting impact for future generations.

What does this all mean for your retirement plans?

First thing I want to point out is that it's important to look back to move forward! That's why I wanted to talk a little about quarters 1 and 2. Understanding how your foundations have been built and how you climbed your mountain is crucial to planning and living your best quarters 3 and 4.

Let's look at quarter 3 in more detail

The liberation quarter is a time when life opens up to new possibilities and personal freedom. After years of building careers, families, and stability, this stage allows you to reclaim time and energy for pursuits that bring you joy, meaning, and fulfilment.

It’s a period marked by self-discovery and reinvention—exploring passions, traveling, nurturing relationships, or giving back to the community. With fewer obligations and more flexibility, this quarter allows you the opportunity to live intentionally, free from the constraints of the earlier "building" years. Whether it’s pursuing a long-held dream, deepening personal growth, or simply savouring life, the liberation quarter is about fully embracing life on your own terms.

Rather than being an end, this quarter represents a new beginning—a chance to align daily living with core values and redefine what success means. It’s a chapter where financial stability often allows for greater creativity, freedom, and generosity. For some, it might mean focusing on health and well-being, for others, it’s about leaving an impact beyond the workplace. In this liberation quarter, you can find the space to explore and enjoy life, celebrating the fruits of your efforts while imagining what comes next.

How about quarter 4?

The legacy quarter is a time of deep reflection, gratitude, and connection. Having lived through the highs and lows of life, this stage is about harvesting wisdom from the past and finding ways to pass it forward. It’s a moment to savour the meaningful experiences and relationships that define a lifetime while considering the impact left on loved ones, communities, and the world.

Whether through mentorship, storytelling, or creating enduring contributions, legacy is about ensuring that the lessons and values gained over a lifetime leave a lasting imprint.

This quarter also encourages a focus on relationships and purpose. It’s a time to strengthen bonds with family, friends, and community while cherishing the beauty of the present. Legacy is not just about looking back; it’s about engaging deeply with life, celebrating moments of joy, and finding peace in the knowledge of a life well-lived. As the final quarter of life, this stage offers the opportunity to embrace what matters most, with a spirit of gratitude and the desire to leave behind something meaningful for future generations.

Stuff I've done you'll find interesting

👉 I released a year end wrap up podcast episode where I share my top 5 takeaways from the 40 episodes I recorded in 2024, you should take a listen in via Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube or any other podcast player.

👉 My latest YouTube video 'The 5 Things You Need to Know if You're Going to Retire in 2025' is my best yet with over 5,000 views. You should absolutely watch it!

👉 I've written my first whitepaper called 'The Skill of Spending Money in Retirement'. I'm really proud of it and It's free to download by clicking here​

I have an early exclusive for you!...

I have had significant demand from people to be able to purchase licences to use my retirement sketches, so over the last month or so I've been busy putting together The Humans vs Retirement Sketch Store.​

Go take a look! You'll find all my sketches available to purchase in PDF and PNG formats to use as you wish for as long as you wish.

And as a further exclusive to you...

I'm really excited to bring to life something I've had on my mind for the last year or so... My Retirement Sketchbook.

A 8x8 hard cover, glossy page coffee table style book that has 20 of my favourite sketches in. The first print run of 20 books are available at a special price, exclusively for you.

Stuff I've come across you'll find interesting

👉 Even Rich Retirees Fear Outliving Their Money​

👉 Why Tiredness of Life Is a Growing Phenomenon​

👉 Why Most Retirees Never Spend Their Retirement Assets​

👉 You should buy and read this book! - Happy Money: The New Science of Smarter Spending. It's only £5.99 and will transform the way you think about spending your money.