Retiring on your own terms should be everyone’s goal

Ever since my wife and I moved back to Minnesota, our favorite radio station has been KDWB, a Twin Cities station which also streams on iHeartRadio.
Specifically, our favorite show is the Dave Ryan Show, a fun morning show which my wife listens to religiously during her 50-minute commute to work.
So I was sad to get a text message from her last week, saying that after decades, the show’s longtime host Dave Ryan would be retiring in a little over a week.
There were big emotions by Dave’s co-hosts, who found out the news just a few minutes prior to the tens of thousands of listeners finding out.
This is natural. No one wants to see a co-worker leave, especially those we like.
As a listener of the show, I was just as disappointed.
But then I got to thinking: It really is everyone’s dream to retire or step back on their own terms.
I’ve been a news reporter long enough to have covered plenty of sources who “retire” suddenly, and in most of those cases, it’s officials who are in some type of hot water for one reason or another.
But there are also lots of people I’ve covered over the years who get to retire on their own terms.
They get to plan it out. They get to break the news how they want. They can choose the date they will retire.
We all work four or five decades, sometimes longer, depending on when we start working. Shouldn’t we get to decide ourselves when enough is enough?
I think so.
One thing I’ve noticed lately is people who are able to retire relatively young — in their 60s — and be able to stay on in some capacity.
Just this year in the newspaper business, two legends have retired from their top editor positions — but have found ways to stick around and help.
As I wrote about last falll, Joe Spear, the longtime editor of the Mankato Free Press, retired.
He is by far one of the best editorial writers in the state, and still helps the Free Press by writing an editorial or two a week.
Mike Burbach, the editor and VP of the Pioneer Press, recently announced his retirement from the top job, but will be sticking around to help out with special projects.
These are two men who have dedicated years helping to ensure people get accurate news. They have worked long hours, been on the front lines of the worst humanity has to offer, and dealt with the struggles all media outlets are facing, no matter the size.
They could’ve easily decided that they would spend their days doing something else, and spend a second working in journalism.
But like a lot of us in the business, ink is in their blood. They want to continue to help where they are needed, but are able to step back a little.
That is going out on your own terms, something we all should strive for.
I also think back to my former publisher John Howell, who for decades owned my hometown newspaper, the Warwick (R.I.) Beacon, and others.
A couple of years ago, John decided to sell the papers to a former reporter of his. He stayed on as editor, though, and continues to serve in the role today.
Dave Ryan told listeners he would stay with the company and work in an ambassador role.
If we are lucky, he may even guest-host one of these mornings.