Learn to live intentionally before retirement forces you to.
You have probably spent years preparing for retirement financially. But have you prepared for the life that comes after work? Retirement doesn't just remove a paycheck — it removes structure, removes expectations, and changes identity. Pretire is the intentional phase where you begin shifting from externally structured living to self-directed living, before retirement forces the change.
A practical philosophy for designing a self-directed life before retirement.
Ebook — preorder now · Paperback and hardcover — November 16 · 33 chapters in four parts
“Financial independence does not automatically create life independence.”From the back cover
Anyone who has ever asked, "Do I have enough?" — and then noticed the harder question underneath it: enough for what? People with a strong work identity who want options before they leave it. Partners welcome; it's their transition too.
Not about quitting your job early, and not a financial planning manual. The money questions belong with your advisor. This is about the life skills retirement actually requires — and starting them while the system is still in place.
A clearer sense of what freedom is really for — and a practice. Protect one morning a week. Take an interest seriously instead of calling it a someday hobby. Build a routine nobody requires and nobody rewards. Decide what a good Saturday looks like before it disappears.
The five pillars
When the system goes away, you become responsible for replacing all of them at once. Self-direction is a skill. Most people never practiced it.
Own your time. Structure is replaced, not removed. A week that holds its shape without a calendar someone else fills.
Set your own standards. Most of the ones you live by were borrowed. Decide which to keep.
Become more than your career. Roles and interests beyond a single professional label, built while the label still pays.
Build internal momentum. Most of what looks like discipline is a job's schedule. Learn what's left when it goes.
Stay in motion. Movement that doesn't depend on your career. The pillar that makes the other four worth it.
Inside the book
Early praise
“So much time and attention goes into the financial side of preparing for retirement that people often overlook the importance of discovering what will make life after work fulfilling and meaningful. Pretire Before You Retire is a thoughtful, practical playbook for finding those answers and reaching retirement with greater clarity and confidence.”
John Wichmann, Founder and CEO, Gather Sciences
Beyond the book
Education and facilitated planning. Not investment, tax, legal, or clinical advice — those stay with the professionals who do them.
An eight-week individual or couples’ coaching program. Work through the five pillars one at a time with Jeff, and finish with your own Pretire plan — the structure, standards, roles, practices, and experiments you’ll actually live by.
Ask about coaching →A 75–90 minute session with a short intake, practical exercises, and a 30-day follow-up. You bring the audience; participants leave with a 90-day life-experiment plan.
Inquire about a workshop →One clear idea and one useful next action. Two talk topics, a short reel, and a one-page overview for organizers — on request.
Book a talk →Coaching, a sponsored workshop, or a talk — tell us a little about your situation and we'll reply within two business days.
Or email advisors@manythingsgroup.com
About the author
Jeff A. Ilseman works full-time in enterprise data and analytics software sales and is Chief Curiosity Officer of ManyThings Group. A conversation with a friend sparked the exploration of his own readiness for life beyond work that became Pretire Before You Retire. He brings a lifelong curiosity to the question of how to build a meaningful life while still working. Jeff and his wife, Sharon, have three children and live in Wildwood, Missouri, with their two Bernese Mountain Dogs, Athena and Apollo.
He writes weekly at ManyThings Explored and advises leadership teams and organizations through ManyThings Advisors.
One email when the paperback and hardcover go live. Nothing else. Prefer Medium? Follow there instead.