235. Steer. Don't drift.

Matthew Long, retired Navy officer and writer at Beyond the Bookshelf, joins me in this conversation about planning for a major life change.Too often, we drift into the next thing simply because it’s familiar. In this conversation, Matthew explains how he avoided this drift and planned his post-retirement life after a long career in the Navy. ABOUT MY GUEST:Matthew Long spent 24 years on active duty in the Navy before retiring in 2024. His civilian life is all about being a reader, a writer, and spending a lot of time with his dog, Lola. He resides in Tennessee with Jannette, his wife of 22 years, and their 17-year-old daughter, while their eldest son is off to college.IN THIS EPISODE:- The challenges of transitioning from a structured career to an open-ended future- How Matthew approached his retirement beyond just the financial side- The blueprint process he used to get clear on his next steps- Changes in family dynamics and household roles post-retirement- How Matthew is putting his blueprint into action—and what his next chapter looks likeCheck out the full show notes for this episode here: https://loublaser.substack.com/p/235-matthew-long• • • • •Subscribe to We're All Getting Older, a newsletter about living a vibrant & fulfilling life so we can die happy later: https://loublaser.substack.comConnect with Lou Blaser on Substack: https://substack.com/@loublaserConnect with Lou Blaser on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/loublaser/ Get full access to Shaping Life at loublaser.substack.com/subscribe