Previous occupation: Strategic planning director, Hewlett-Packard
Age at retirement: 55
After decompression comes experimentation. Jim Fong signed up for everything following his retirement in 2005. He joined his Boston University alumni group and helped plan events that would have him mixing with current students. He enrolled in a cooking class through the local adult education program. He attended free lectures. He took up the piano. And he volunteered with the National Association of Asian American Professionals."Some people are lucky and know exactly what to pursue," he says. "Others have to discover it."
One thing he didn't do immediately: make long-term commitments. One of the biggest mistakes retirees make early on is obligating themselves to activities that don't provide fulfillment.
