“I woke up one day and I was 70” - Enjoy life before you get too old

It has long struck me that the mainstream business media is obsessed with one thing: growing your money. Earn more. Invest more. Optimise more.

But rarely does anyone stop to ask the obvious question: what’s it all for?

Because somewhere between chasing returns, optimising tax, and building the “perfect” portfolio, people forget the other side of the equation - actually enjoying the life that money is meant to fund.

As Gary, a retiree who made his wealth in real estate and managed funds, told me at the gym this week:

“I woke up one day and I turned 70 - where the hell did the time go?”

That, my friends, is the thought-inducing question on which I wish to conclude our inaugural Livewire Retirement Series.

You didn’t run out of money. You ran out of time

In the same vein in which I pointed out the dreadful mistakes people make with their money before and during retirement, there is also the other side of the coin: those who obsess far too much over finances and work only to realise they never ticked off what actually mattered to them.

I think of my neighbour, who I affectionately call Uncle Ray. He lives very comfortably on a now-closed NSW super scheme. But for all his wealth, he has a bit of a narrow view of the world and thus never applied for a passport. Only now is he wondering what he’s missed.

He loves taking his kayak out on Sydney’s Narrabeen every morning, rain, hail or shine. But as age began to slow him down and he started thinking about moving into an independent living facility, Ray looked me in the eye one day and said:

“I wish I did what you did and had the courage to go to Canada. I would have loved kayaking there… but I’m too old now.”

If that sends a shiver up your spine and reminds you of the things you haven’t finished, then good. I want it to.

In between all things money, remember you’re on a clock. It’s just as important to act on your bucket list as it is to dive into the machinations of the market. As the legendary Steve Jobs once said:

"Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life."

Six elements that could define your retirement

With that in mind, investing, tax planning and managing risks are the quintessential skills that will fund your dreams - or at least make them easier to reach - and make your golden years far more comfortable, so you can cherish many more memories before the battery runs out. As such, I wanted to recap the most important learnings from the series below.

P.S. If you didn’t catch it, we’ve refreshed the navigation at the top of the page by key topics like Shares, Wealth and Retirement. Click on the Retirement tab to explore all the articles in this category on Livewire. We will continuously add to it!

#1 - The stupid mistakes people make

In my introductory article, I shared five cautionary tales about the silly mistakes people make that cause decades of hard work to implode. From instantly losing $200,000 from their super to their daughter-in-law, to quitting a job when they can least afford it.

Take a look at these stories - I put them there to make you think critically and avoid a similar fate in your own retirement. 

We also ran a poll on Livewire readers’ biggest concerns: generating reliable income, tax and super changes, and healthcare costs came out as the biggest issues.

Education

You’re going to retire one day. Don’t be stupid enough to do it broke

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#2 - What to get right before retirement with Melody Edwards

If you’re in your 50s or 60s and haven’t given retirement much thought, this interview with Melody Edwards of Evalesco is a great starting point. It covers the big considerations around mortgage vs super, Age Pension thresholds and downsizing.

Education

The final decade before retirement: 6 things to get right and 2 big mistakes to avoid

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#3 - A retirement portfolio masterclass by Adam Dawes

Investing for retirement is a different game. You no longer have decades to ride out volatility. Adam Dawes of Shaw and Partners breaks down how asset allocation evolves as you age and walks through a full retirement portfolio - including ETFs, LICs, and exact weightings.

Asset Allocation

Adam Dawes’ masterclass on investing for a wealthy retirement

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#4 - Australian and global equities as income pillars with Dr Don Hamson

If you’ve felt that ASX dividends aren’t what they used to be, you’re not alone. Yields have fallen and concentration risk is rising. This interview with Plato's Dr Don Hamson explores the role of Australian equities for income and why global shares deserve a seat at the table.

Equities

Fully-franked dividends are a gift, but don't rule out going global for income

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#5 - Tax strategies for wealthy Australians with Rebecca Hurford

As you build wealth, the game shifts from earning more to keeping more. Rebecca Hurford from Infocus Australia outlines five key strategies - from using super contributions to manage capital gains, to why investment bonds are quietly making a comeback.

Education

"Son, the ATO is killing me" - 5 tax strategies for wealthy Australians

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#6 - The top MySuper funds by Sara Allen

For many Australians, super will be their biggest asset. In this piece, Sara Allen looks at the top-performing MySuper funds heading into 2026 and why reviewing your fund - even later in life - can make a meaningful difference.

Funds

Top 10 MySuper funds in 2026: performance, returns and rankings

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#7 - Think of retirement as a marathon

Fixed Income

Capital endurance in retirement: where commercial property quietly does the heavy lifting

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Don’t get to the end and realise you missed it

There’s a lot we didn’t get to cover in this series. And just because it’s finished doesn’t mean the conversation stops.

Think of this as a period where we focused heavily on retirement - and given the strong engagement from you, we’ll continue bringing you insights on investing, protecting your wealth, and the topics that don’t get enough attention, like wills and estates.

If you have ideas or topics you’d like us to cover next, let us know in the comments - and thank you for being part of the Livewire Retirement Series.