Don't forget to plan your memory bank
- William Seah
- Jun 13
- 3 min read
"Retirement isn't just about having enough money—it's about having a life worth retiring into."
When we talk about retirement planning, certain buzzwords always come up: inflation, compound interest, drawdown strategies, asset allocation.
Important stuff, no doubt.
But somewhere between the spreadsheets, financial calculators, and growing stress levels, we forget that retirement isn’t just a math problem to solve—it’s a life chapter to look forward to.
Packing for a Trip You Might Not Enjoy?
Let’s be honest: a lot of us treat retirement planning like packing for a trip we’re not even sure we’ll enjoy.
We load up our financial luggage with all the “just in case” items—emergency funds, CPF top-ups, insurance, investment portfolios.
But we forget to pack joy. We forget to plan for the BBQs, the laughter, the family holidays, the quiet mornings with coffee and no alarms. We top up our financial bank, but forget our memory bank.
"Retirement shouldn’t feel like a survival plan. It should feel like a reward."
Investing in Tomorrow
Let’s start with what everyone expects when they hear “retirement planning”: the money talk.
Setting aside funds for retirement is about giving Future You the gift of dignity and choice. It’s about ensuring that when the office access card stops working, life doesn’t grind to a halt.
This is the financial part of planning—setting up your savings, investments, insurance, CPF contributions—and it’s essential. If you’ve started, well done. Keep going.
But don’t stop there.
Don’t Forget the Memories
There’s another kind of return worth planning for: emotional returns. The kind you’ll smile about when you’re 70, not just the ones you see on your portfolio report.
Because when you retire, it won’t be your bank balance you replay in your mind. It’ll be:
The parties with your kids
The holidays with your friends or family
The late-night chats that turned into lifelong memories
The friends who became family.
These are the dividends of life. And unlike financial returns, they don’t deplete when you draw from them—they grow.
"Memories are like the best kind of investment: high-yielding, emotionally inflation-proof, and shared—not depleted—when others draw from them too."
So, are you investing in memories today?
Make Room for Life Now
We often say, “I’ll slow down once things are less busy” or “We’ll take that trip when the timing is better.” But life doesn’t hand out perfect timing.
Too many moments—your child’s first steps, first drive, dinner with ageing parents, laughing over dinner with old friends—come with expiry dates.
No, I’m not saying to spend your retirement fund on a round-the-world cruise next week (unless it’s on promo, in which case... call me). But make space—for joy, for presence, for meaning—right now.
Because retirement isn’t a pause button. It’s the continuation of a meaningful life that starts today.
"Plan for the future—but never at the cost of forgetting to live in the present."
A Well-Lived Life Starts Now
The best kind of retirement planning remembers why we’re doing this in the first place. It’s not about working hard now so we can finally rest later. It’s about building a life rich in meaning—and that starts long before retirement.
It begins:
When you choose to attend your child’s school event instead of another late-night meeting
When you say yes to dinner with friends instead of clearing more emails
When you spend on experiences that create memories—not just things that collect dust
"One day, when the noise fades and the days slow down, you’ll want more than a full bank account—you’ll want stories."
So… What Are You Really Planning For?
If you’re already investing and saving, that’s great. Keep it up. But also ask yourself:
“What kind of life do I want to retire into?”
“What memories do I want to look back on?”
Retirement isn’t a finish line—it’s just the next chapter. And the tone of that chapter depends entirely on the pages you’re writing now.
So yes, meet your planner. Understand your finances. Know your CPF. Protect your downside.
But also: Plan for joy. Plan for connection. Plan for stories.
Final Thought
Retirement is made up of two things: the money we save, and the memories we make. Plan for both.
Because in the end, a full life is the best investment you’ll ever make.
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