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How to Retire and Not Die: The 3 Ps That Will Keep You Young
Most people think of retirement as taking an extended vacation. In fact, it’s more like running a marathon. But all too often, people only realize that after they start running.
Fortunately, with a little planning, you’ll be able to run that marathon easily—as long as you need to—for a happy, successful retirement.
In How to Retire and Not Die, Gary and Max Sirak walk you step by step through the process of winning that marathon and living your best retired life. Embark on a guided journey of self-discovery and learn to identify your Likes, Loves, and Hates. Understand what you truly need to be happy, and create a clear Plan for meeting those needs.
Create your ideal WishList, learn about the two pillars of successful retirement, and build the custom retirement Plan that’s right for you. With a little patience and practice, you’ll be enjoying the retirement of your dreams.
Fortunately, with a little planning, you’ll be able to run that marathon easily—as long as you need to—for a happy, successful retirement.
In How to Retire and Not Die, Gary and Max Sirak walk you step by step through the process of winning that marathon and living your best retired life. Embark on a guided journey of self-discovery and learn to identify your Likes, Loves, and Hates. Understand what you truly need to be happy, and create a clear Plan for meeting those needs.
Create your ideal WishList, learn about the two pillars of successful retirement, and build the custom retirement Plan that’s right for you. With a little patience and practice, you’ll be enjoying the retirement of your dreams.
- GenresSelf HelpNonfictionAdult
172 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 28, 2021
94 people are currently reading
333 people want to read
About the author
Gary Sirak
3 books2 followersPlease Allow Me To Introduce Myself
I grew up in Canton, Ohio in the 1950s. At one point there were six of us living in a two-bedroom house. The earliest memories I have of my parents is of them sitting around the kitchen table. They weren’t eating. They were arguing, trying to figure out how to make ends meet. I remember the tension in the room as she and my father were going back and forth about which bills to pay.
Fast forward a few years and my Dad now sat at the head of a very successful life insurance business he had built from scratch. He was always looking for new salespeople, so he gave me a shot.
I was already pretty good at selling from my stint with auto parts, but life insurance was a different beast. It was slow going. I was impatient. I had a wife and new baby boy at home to feed and nothing much happening on the sales front. It was right around then – on a car ride home from another failed appointment – my father gave me the best advice of my career.
It was a fall day. He was driving and I was frustrated and angry at having lost the biggest sale of my career. In a moment of desperation, I asked him for help. “Gary,” he said, “you’re not going to like what I am about to tell you. The reason you didn’t get the sale is that you wanted it more than he did. And he knew it. You wanted your commission more than you wanted to help his family. You’ve got to be the one in the room who wants to help people. Stop thinking about what’s best for you and start thinking about what’s best for them.”
Sure, it took a couple more years for me to realize it, but boy am I glad I did. Because as soon as I stopped thinking about myself, stopped worrying about me, and started really trying to help people – everything started to fall into place.
And that’s the reason I started writing books. To honor what I learned from my dad in 1981 on that dreary fall day – the best advice I’ve ever been given – “Be the one in the room who wants to help people.”
I grew up in Canton, Ohio in the 1950s. At one point there were six of us living in a two-bedroom house. The earliest memories I have of my parents is of them sitting around the kitchen table. They weren’t eating. They were arguing, trying to figure out how to make ends meet. I remember the tension in the room as she and my father were going back and forth about which bills to pay.
Fast forward a few years and my Dad now sat at the head of a very successful life insurance business he had built from scratch. He was always looking for new salespeople, so he gave me a shot.
I was already pretty good at selling from my stint with auto parts, but life insurance was a different beast. It was slow going. I was impatient. I had a wife and new baby boy at home to feed and nothing much happening on the sales front. It was right around then – on a car ride home from another failed appointment – my father gave me the best advice of my career.
It was a fall day. He was driving and I was frustrated and angry at having lost the biggest sale of my career. In a moment of desperation, I asked him for help. “Gary,” he said, “you’re not going to like what I am about to tell you. The reason you didn’t get the sale is that you wanted it more than he did. And he knew it. You wanted your commission more than you wanted to help his family. You’ve got to be the one in the room who wants to help people. Stop thinking about what’s best for you and start thinking about what’s best for them.”
Sure, it took a couple more years for me to realize it, but boy am I glad I did. Because as soon as I stopped thinking about myself, stopped worrying about me, and started really trying to help people – everything started to fall into place.
And that’s the reason I started writing books. To honor what I learned from my dad in 1981 on that dreary fall day – the best advice I’ve ever been given – “Be the one in the room who wants to help people.”
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
August 17, 2022
I read this book very quickly, to get an idea about the best way to retire. I highly recommend this, because let's face it after retirement you have alot of extra time. Good to plan a bit and focus on what gives you joy. To fill those needs passion and purpose, to retire and enjoy the next part of your lifes journey.
May 4, 2022
What a wonderful book! As a rule, I am not a fan of how-to books, because I tend to favor stories about people. Well, this book was both. The author intersperses his retirement advice with stories of people he knows who are transitioning to retirement. And his advice on how to approach retirement made so much sense.
February 9, 2025
Gary Sirak is a financial advisor and cowrote How to Retire and Not Die with his son Max, who narrated the audiobook. Though I am skeptical of financial advisors in general, thankfully this book wasn't a sales pitch or advertisement for Sirak's services, but rather life lessons that the elder Sirak has distilled from his decades of experience both working with clients, and witnessing his own family and friends, as they transition from their working lives to their retired lives. In short, Sirak noticed that so many people can't wait to retire, but once they do, they don't know what to do with themselves and their newfound time. They've planned for retirement financially but not mentally or emotionally.
I've seen this firsthand in older relatives and family friends, and it can be heartbreaking. Once they are no longer in the workforce, they often feel like they no longer have a place in society, and they may struggle to fill their days with healthy habits and meaningful activities that can create a positive reinforcement loop to keep them going.
Sirak advocates for what he calls the three Ps -- passion, purpose, and planning -- to give structure and meaning to retirement, and for which the groundwork would ideally be laid prior to retiring. He walks readers through self-inventorying what brings them passion and purpose, and finding ways to routinely incorporate those activities into retirement. He advises caution of jumping into big life changes, like moving cross-country, before carefully and methodically exploring if those changes would be suitable in the long-term. He also discusses how for some retirees, going back to work part-time (either for money or volunteering), might be a good way to provide a sense of purpose if they can find gigs that are largely fulfilling.
As someone who's nowhere near the conventional retirement age but who's managing my finances with the goal of being able to achieve FIRE (financial independence, retire early), I found this book very thought-provoking and relevant. At the same time, I realize this book would be less applicable to people who are unlikely to have stable finances by retirement age or are limited by personal or familial constraints on their mobility, time, and other resources.
My statistics:
Book 46 for 2025
Book 1972 cumulatively
I've seen this firsthand in older relatives and family friends, and it can be heartbreaking. Once they are no longer in the workforce, they often feel like they no longer have a place in society, and they may struggle to fill their days with healthy habits and meaningful activities that can create a positive reinforcement loop to keep them going.
Sirak advocates for what he calls the three Ps -- passion, purpose, and planning -- to give structure and meaning to retirement, and for which the groundwork would ideally be laid prior to retiring. He walks readers through self-inventorying what brings them passion and purpose, and finding ways to routinely incorporate those activities into retirement. He advises caution of jumping into big life changes, like moving cross-country, before carefully and methodically exploring if those changes would be suitable in the long-term. He also discusses how for some retirees, going back to work part-time (either for money or volunteering), might be a good way to provide a sense of purpose if they can find gigs that are largely fulfilling.
As someone who's nowhere near the conventional retirement age but who's managing my finances with the goal of being able to achieve FIRE (financial independence, retire early), I found this book very thought-provoking and relevant. At the same time, I realize this book would be less applicable to people who are unlikely to have stable finances by retirement age or are limited by personal or familial constraints on their mobility, time, and other resources.
My statistics:
Book 46 for 2025
Book 1972 cumulatively
February 9, 2023
This was an interesting book and l so agree with the Author that you need a plan, purpose and passion for retirement. I have often spoken to people who are about to retire and they have no idea on what they are going to do. I think that the Author is right in that people have to think long and hard about how they plan to spend their retirement. Taking steps along the way to provide a framework on how their retirement will look. As someone who is nearing retirement l have found this book helpful.
January 16, 2025
Imagine yourself climbing a mountain. That is preparing for retirement. Then, when you get to the top of the mountain you still have a marathon to run. That was a striking analogy to point out that retirement isn't the destination, it's the next path. And with decades for the average retiree to live, a marathon is a fitting example of what remains. How does one enter that phase of life and not wander aimlessly and squander their remaining time and resources?
Sirak has a quick and actionable three points to consider: Find your purpose (helping others) in retirement; find your passion (energizing yourself); and follow a plan (who, what, when). He lays out a good discussion of what work provides us (beyond money) and which aspects of our lives we may need to replace or redirect after full time work stops. He gives several exercises that are helpful and actionable. The writing is easy to follow and conversational. It was an enjoyable read. If you are looking for the how to manual of saving, investing, and "climbing the mountain," this isn't it. But if you want to evaluate the non-financial aspects of retirement, this is a certainly worth your time.
Sirak has a quick and actionable three points to consider: Find your purpose (helping others) in retirement; find your passion (energizing yourself); and follow a plan (who, what, when). He lays out a good discussion of what work provides us (beyond money) and which aspects of our lives we may need to replace or redirect after full time work stops. He gives several exercises that are helpful and actionable. The writing is easy to follow and conversational. It was an enjoyable read. If you are looking for the how to manual of saving, investing, and "climbing the mountain," this isn't it. But if you want to evaluate the non-financial aspects of retirement, this is a certainly worth your time.
January 2, 2024
Everyone looks forward to retirement, right? Well, as this book clearly shows with specific real-world anecdotes, retirement is not always as easy as we imagine. Retirement, it so happens, takes work. It takes passion, purpose, and a plan - and I don’t mean just a financial plan. I mean, you can take a trip to Europe, but what will you do for the next thirty years? You can’t just take trips and go shopping every day! Anyone planning to retire in the near future needs to read this book for some insights, inspiration, and practical advice.
February 15, 2024
This was a nice easy read that offers lots of sound advice about finances, health, lifestyle and finding purpose in retirement. The author offers great tips about what to do, and what not to do in this glorious stage of life.
June 4, 2023
I listened to the audiobook.
June 9, 2025
3 1/2 stars. Pretty good little book on preparing for the non-financial aspects of retirement. Those are, after all, what you'll spend 90+% of your actual retirement doing! Some of the examples are a bit dated, but there are some good ideas for those who wish to retire but don't have millions saved too. The end of the books is a bit too much focused on part-time or volunteer work for my liking, but it comes after a long stretch of examining how to define what you really want out of life and old age, and is directed at those who feel the need to be defined by external feedback and that's likely a good number of corporate retirees. Definitely pair this with Christine Benz's How to Retire and you'll be set!
September 12, 2025
I picked up this book because I retired about two years ago, but it came highly recommended by an acquaintance. So far, I have been pretty disappointed. I am so disappointed that I’m not going to read any longer. I went about halfway through the book and didn’t find much except a lot of fluff and stories. There’s really not much meat here. Probably it could all be written up in a little pamphlet. Spoiler alert: the three Ps are passion, purpose, and plan. In other words, you should have a passion, you should have a purpose, and then you should make a plan. If that’s the way that you think about retirement, as another task that you must conquer, maybe it is for you. I think it fails to address more deeply, the issues of retirement and how to find real satisfaction in the present.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 25, 2023
A great book for anyone thinking about/ contemplating retirement, or finding themselves in a muddle upon retirement.
I am not always into exercises in "How To" books, But, the exercises in here are simple enough, but designed to make you think about things you SHOULD be thinking about. They are well-supported by relevant anecdotes. The book is short enough for a quick-read, but if you do the exercises, full of long-term benefit.
I listened to the audio version of this book. Narration is excellent, and even okay to listen to at accelerated speeds (especially if you want to go back and find some things).
I am not always into exercises in "How To" books, But, the exercises in here are simple enough, but designed to make you think about things you SHOULD be thinking about. They are well-supported by relevant anecdotes. The book is short enough for a quick-read, but if you do the exercises, full of long-term benefit.
I listened to the audio version of this book. Narration is excellent, and even okay to listen to at accelerated speeds (especially if you want to go back and find some things).
August 7, 2025
You Need a Plan
I decided it was time to retire but I was concerned that I would be bored. I watched my father in law retire after 35 years as a surgeon without a plan and his health declined rapidly. I didn’t want that to happen to me. Someone on Reddit recommended this book so I read it.
I used the recommended tools and built my retirement plan and feel I am prepared to retirement and will be able to do it in a fulfilling manner. The author does a good job using stories to get his points across.
I would recommend the book to anyone thinking about retiring or anyone who is retired but isn’t enjoying it.
I decided it was time to retire but I was concerned that I would be bored. I watched my father in law retire after 35 years as a surgeon without a plan and his health declined rapidly. I didn’t want that to happen to me. Someone on Reddit recommended this book so I read it.
I used the recommended tools and built my retirement plan and feel I am prepared to retirement and will be able to do it in a fulfilling manner. The author does a good job using stories to get his points across.
I would recommend the book to anyone thinking about retiring or anyone who is retired but isn’t enjoying it.
August 22, 2025
This is a pretty solid early retirement or even better pre-retirement read. The author assumes you have the financial side of the equation all set and instead focuses on "what will you do in retirement" and if you don't seriously consider it, it could lead to your demise soon after entering retirement. He has many anecdotal stories from his career of examples of retirements that went great to cratered and they really are interesting. Bottom line is you have to figure out what gave you happiness and meaning pre-retirement and carry some piece of that forward. He convincingly says that you cannot say I'll just read some books, watch lots of movies and figure it out, that will not work.
April 25, 2024
An entertaining read, filled with wisdom, and sound guidance. With my years of being a financial advisor and watching people go through the transition to retirement. I will refer back to this book in the future. I think this book will be helpful to anyone contemplating or starting retirement.
February 10, 2025
plan with a purpose
Outstanding book to read after saving for retirement and getting ready to take the plunge ! Get an old fashion and a quiet corner and receive the best guidance I have read on the next chapter of life !
Outstanding book to read after saving for retirement and getting ready to take the plunge ! Get an old fashion and a quiet corner and receive the best guidance I have read on the next chapter of life !
April 20, 2025
This wasn’t on my “to read” list, but I ran out of books on vacation and grabbed this from my husband. It was a quick read and had some good ideas for transitioning into retirement. I’m glad I read it so we can be in the same page as he approaches the end of his career.
July 18, 2023
Useful framing for thinking ahead to what "retirement" means. An extension of the advice to "retire TO something, not from something."
October 20, 2023
If you have to plan and need a schedule to run your life, this guy gives you a program. If you are not that type of personality, this book will not provide much to you.
February 11, 2024
This is a great resource for those preparing for retirement and wondering what to do with the rest of our lives. Author narrates the book well and keeps it relatable.
April 13, 2024
This book was easy reading and provides a simple guide to preparing for retirement. Highly recommended.
June 17, 2024
Easy to read, step by step, solid advice. Lots of examples.
July 28, 2024
I loved what he wrote but generally don't like his style. Great examples to think about for those about to retire
December 24, 2024
Anyone over 60 needs to read this book!! Very eye opening
Read
June 25, 2025Enlightening! Must read for new retirees
August 26, 2025
Lots of stories and examples. An easy read/listen with good pointers.
Read
April 20, 2024Audiobook: Ok. Discussion on having a purpose and plan in retirement. Nothing shocking. Should be pretty evident that you better have something to do if you expect to stay alive.
May 23, 2025
Nice little book about what to do after you retire to enjoy your life.
You need 3 P’s
Purpose,
Passion and
Planning
You need 3 P’s
Purpose,
Passion and
Planning
February 18, 2025
Of all the retirement planning books I’ve read, this one does the best job showing examples of what makes people satisfied versus dissatisfied in retirement. If you are thinking about whether you’re ready and concerned about how to spend your time to be fulfilled in retirement, this is your book. I have recommended it many times, along with Work Optional by Tanja Hester. The two combine well to cover the financial and emotional sides of the retirement decision.
October 14, 2022
Having an Engaged and Fulfilling Retirement
Treat this as your retirement manual and you will avoid retiring from something. In fact, you will be retiring with a plan that may keep you as busy, in a fun way, as you were when working.
A quick read that I highly recommend.
Maurice Rubino
Treat this as your retirement manual and you will avoid retiring from something. In fact, you will be retiring with a plan that may keep you as busy, in a fun way, as you were when working.
A quick read that I highly recommend.
Maurice Rubino
August 20, 2023
Read before you retire!
This book gives several strategies to plan for your retirement journey. I have been retired for one year and was struggling with boredom during the winter months. This book provides tools to get on track that are easy to understand and implement. A must read for soon to be retirees and retirees that need a boost.
This book gives several strategies to plan for your retirement journey. I have been retired for one year and was struggling with boredom during the winter months. This book provides tools to get on track that are easy to understand and implement. A must read for soon to be retirees and retirees that need a boost.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews