HAPPY RETIREMENT
When is the Right Time to Retire
Musings
By
VIKRAM KARVE
A few months ago, early this year, I received an invitation from my erstwhile institute, the DIAT Deemed University Girinagar Pune, to deliver the inaugural lecture to participants of a training programme I used to conduct earlier when I was on the faculty of the institution.
I speak well.
I was well-versed on the subject of my talk.
My lecture was a grand success - my talk was very well received and highly appreciated.
My former faculty colleagues were quite delighted to meet me and after witnessing the enthusiastic and energetic manner in which I delivered my lecture and observing the excellent response from the audience, everyone asked me:
“You are still in full form. Why did you retire?”
In reply, I told them this story.
The great cricketer Vijay Merchant who was at the peak of his cricketing career suddenly announced his retirement after scoring a century against England
When his surprised fans and fellow cricketers asked him why he had unexpectedly decided to retire when he was at his prime and in top form, Vijay Merchant replied:
It is better to retire when people ask you “WHY?” rather than “WHY NOT?”
Think about it.
Look around your workplace.
Observe how your colleagues, your seniors, your juniors and others treat you.
Do they consider you a relic of the past?
Do they tolerate you as an old fogey because of your past successes and reputation?
Are you past your prime?
Or are you at the peak of your career?
Introspect.
Is it time for you to retire?
Why not retire at the peak of your career?
If you retire at the peak of your career you will be fondly remembered for your competence and successes.
Or do you want to wait till you reach your level of incompetence and cling on to your job until people get fed up of you and start commenting behind your back saying that it is high time you retire.
Remember:
It is always better to retire when people ask you “WHY?” rather than “WHY NOT?”
Retirement from your job does not mean retirement from life.
In fact, after retirement a new exciting life begins when you are not a slave to your job anymore.
Now you have the freedom and time to do whatever you want and to pursue your passions.
So, when you “retire from your job” make sure that you don’t “retire from the world”.
This quote by Dr. Samuel Johnson aptly describes what you must do to begin a new exciting life after your retirement from your job:
Exert your talents and distinguish yourself, and don’t think of retiring from the world until the world will be sorry that you retire. I hate a fellow whom pride, or cowardice, or laziness, drives into a corner, and who does nothing when he is there but sit and growl. Let him come out as I do, and bark.
VIKRAM KARVE
Copyright © Vikram Karve 2013
Vikram Karve has asserted his right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 to be identified as the author of this book review.
© vikram karve., all rights reserved.
Disclaimer:
All stories in this blog are a work of fiction. The characters do not exist and are purely imaginary. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.
NB:
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Copyright © Vikram Karve 2013. All Rights Reserved
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About Vikram Karve
A creative person with a zest for life, Vikram Karve is a retired Naval Officer turned full time writer and blogger. Educated at IIT Delhi, IIT (BHU) Varanasi, The Lawrence School Lovedale and Bishops School Pune, Vikram has published two books: COCKTAIL a collection of fiction short stories about relationships (2011) and APPETITE FOR A STROLL a book of Foodie Adventures (2008) and is currently working on his novel and a book of vignettes and an anthology of short fiction. An avid blogger, he has written a number of fiction short stories and creative non-fiction articles on a variety of topics including food, travel, philosophy, academics, technology, management, health, pet parenting, teaching stories and self help in magazines and published a large number of professional and academic research papers in journals and edited in-house journals and magazines for many years, before the advent of blogging. Vikram has taught at a University as a Professor for 15 years and now teaches as a visiting faculty and devotes most of his time to creative writing and blogging. Vikram Karve lives in Pune India with his family and muse - his pet dog Sherry with whom he takes long walks thinking creative thoughts.
Vikram Karve Academic and Creative Writing Journal: http://karvediat.blogspot.com
Professional Profile Vikram Karve: http://www.linkedin.com/in/karve
Vikram Karve Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/vikramkarve
Vikram Karve Creative Writing Blog: http://vikramkarve.sulekha.com/blog/posts.htm
Email: vikramkarve@hotmail.com
AMAZON
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005MGERZ6
SMASHWORDS
http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/87925
Foodie Book: Appetite for a Stroll
If your are a Foodie you will like my book of Food Adventures APPETITE FOR A STROLL. Do order a copy from FLIPKART:
http://www.flipkart.com/appetite-stroll-vikram-karve/8190690094-gw23f9
About Vikram Karve
A creative person with a zest for life, Vikram Karve is a retired Naval Officer turned full time writer and blogger. Educated at IIT Delhi, IIT (BHU) Varanasi, The Lawrence School Lovedale and Bishops School Pune, Vikram has published two books: COCKTAIL a collection of fiction short stories about relationships (2011) and APPETITE FOR A STROLL a book of Foodie Adventures (2008) and is currently working on his novel and a book of vignettes and an anthology of short fiction. An avid blogger, he has written a number of fiction short stories and creative non-fiction articles on a variety of topics including food, travel, philosophy, academics, technology, management, health, pet parenting, teaching stories and self help in magazines and published a large number of professional and academic research papers in journals and edited in-house journals and magazines for many years, before the advent of blogging. Vikram has taught at a University as a Professor for 15 years and now teaches as a visiting faculty and devotes most of his time to creative writing and blogging. Vikram Karve lives in Pune India with his family and muse - his pet dog Sherry with whom he takes long walks thinking creative thoughts.
Vikram Karve Academic and Creative Writing Journal: http://karvediat.blogspot.com
Professional Profile Vikram Karve: http://www.linkedin.com/in/karve
Vikram Karve Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/vikramkarve
Vikram Karve Creative Writing Blog: http://vikramkarve.sulekha.com/blog/posts.htm
Email: vikramkarve@hotmail.com
Twitter: @vikramkarve
© vikram karve., all rights reserved.
I do remember a radio talk show on Sunday in my school day "Cricket with Vijay Merchant" and he would always stress ' when you retire people should ask you why and not, why not?
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely right Mr.Karve. But what about people who would want to retire but the grind of keep their home-fires burning, does not allow them this 'luxury'?