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Is retirement synonymous with endless vacation?

Is retirement synonymous with endless vacation?

Rita Piçarra highlights that retirement is not merely an endless vacation but a profound transition that requires a new sense of purpose. After years of planning for her financial independence since 2006, she discovered that leaving her role as CFO of Microsoft Portugal meant losing part of her identity. To combat potential feelings of depression, Piçarra sought to redefine her purpose through leadership, communication, and societal contributions, including teaching and volunteering. She emphasizes that retirement should be viewed as a chance to buy back one's time and freedom, focusing on values and career planning that align with personal happiness and community impact. According to Rita Piçarra, maintaining a clear purpose is crucial for a fulfilling retirement. Don’t miss more tips and insights on retirement planning in the full episode.

2026·Season 2·Episodio 2Highlight
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Rita Piçarra · ex-CFO

Leadership insights

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Transcription

00:03

The trap behind retirement Oh, I can't reach.Sunglasses?

00:17

Can I wear them?- Sure.

00:28

It's funny because I planned my retirement for many years, since 2006,when I started thinking about retiring.

00:38

I planned to stop working in order to reach my financial independence, and when I was about to achieve it,I talked to quite a few people who had also retired, and I realized that during the first few months everything is very fun,but then there's the possibility that people fall into depression.

00:57

The reality is that when we leave the corporate world,we leave a bit of our identity behind.

01:04

Being the CFO of Microsoft Portugal was almost part of my name.

01:08

When I introduced myself, I'd say,"I'm Rita Piçarra, CFO of Microsoft Portugal." When I stopped working and left the corporate world,I felt that I lost part of who I was, or at least left part of myself behind.

01:20

Then I felt the need to find a new purpose, to find a way to be useful to society.

01:27

So I worked with a psychiatrist to understand what still makes me happy,what still brings a smile to my face.

01:34

There are two things I still enjoy doing: I love talking,speaking in public, and I really like helping people.

01:40

So I planned for my retirement to include those two things.

01:46

I thought about teaching at a university for seniors,volunteering with the Portuguese League Against Cancer.

01:51

But then I recorded a podcast that went viral, and my life took a turn.

01:56

I'm not sure if it was 360 or 180 degrees, if everything changed or not.

02:00

But you need to have a new purpose.Logically, with retirement I may have bought my freedom.

02:09

When we work, we leave university, enter the job market,what we do is sell our time to a company in exchange for a salary.

02:18

And what I've done now is buy my time back, buy my freedom.

02:23

So, being on vacation? No.Retirement is a synonym for freedom, for being able to choose where I want to spend every minute of my life, always trying to have a purpose,trying to help the society I'm part of, so that I keep feeling useful and that I'm still contributing.