Late Career and Retirement Resources
A Curated Guide
The Ageing Workforce Ready (AWR) project was an innovative collaboration between Australia’s largest super fund, AustralianSuper, and Transitioning Well. As part of this project, we curated an extensive collection of resources to support individuals navigating late career transitions and retirement planning.
Whether you’re exploring your options, actively transitioning, or supporting someone through this journey, take a look through our list of podcasts, books, and movies for valuable insights and inspiration.
Podcasts
Mind Your Own Retirement: Your Life Choices
This Australian podcast offers bite-sized wisdom with episodes ranging from 10-30 minutes. Perfect for busy professionals, it covers diverse retirement topics with practical, locally-relevant advice. Hosted by John Deeks and the YourLifeChoices team, it’s been running since 2019 with 265+ episodes.
🔗 Listen on Apple Podcasts
The New School of Super
Essential listening for understanding our superannuation system. This podcast focuses on the financial foundations of retirement planning with expert analysis of policy changes and investment strategies.
🔗 Listen on Apple Podcasts
The Retirement Wisdom Podcast
While American-based, this podcast excels at exploring the non-financial aspects of retirement. Features interviews with leading authors and researchers on psychology, relationships, and life purpose. Recent episodes include ‘Grandmapreneur’ and ‘Your Identity Beyond Your Job Title’.
🔗 Listen on Apple Podcasts
Life in Transition Podcast
Hosted by Art Blanchford, explores navigating life changes with insights and resources for mastering mid-life transitions.
🔗 Listen on Apple Podcasts
Chapter X Podcast
Comprehensive coverage of retirement’s many facets, from health and relationships to second careers and creative pursuits. Hosted by Michael Kay, focuses particularly on helping people transition out of traditional work, and interesting interviews like, Living the Ikigai Way.
🔗 Listen on Libsyn
Must-Listen Episodes
Brené Brown’s Dare to Lead: Courage in the Midst of Change – Essential listening for anyone facing major life transitions, featuring Dr. Maya Shankar on the science of change and rebuilding after life disruptions.
🔗 Listen here
Ageing with Panache: Too Young To Be Old with Nancy Schlossberg – At 96, Dr. Schlossberg shares her insights on navigating life’s transitions with her 4 S’s framework.
🔗 Listen on Apple Podcasts
Ida Abbott on Chapter X Podcast – Practical non-financial retirement planning conversation with the author of “Retirement by Design”.
🔗 More from Ida Abbott
Retire Eyes Wide Open Episode 15 – The psychology of retirement with Professor Kenneth Shultz (interview starts around 18-minute mark).
🔗 Listen on Apple Podcasts
Summary of The 100-Year Life – Insights from Lynda Gratton and Andrew Scott’s groundbreaking book on longevity.
🔗 Watch on YouTube
The Link Between Life Transitions and a Happy Retirement with Nancy Schlossberg – Expert insights from a leading authority on life transitions, discussing different types of retirees and coping strategies.
🔗 Listen on Retire Sooner Podcast
Books
Recent releases
How to Have an Epic Retirement by Rebecca Wilson
A contemporary Australian perspective on retirement that goes beyond financial planning to explore purpose, adventure, and fulfilment.
The Life List: Master Every Moment and Live an Audacious Life by Kate Christie
Challenges traditional retirement concepts with a focus on living fully at every life stage.
Keep Sharp: Build a Better Brain at Any Age by Sanjay Gupta
Crucial guidance on maintaining cognitive health through career transitions and beyond.
Practical guides
Retirement by Design Workbook by Ida Abbott
A practical, workbook-style approach to retirement planning that emphasizes intentional design rather than default drift.
The Midlife Review by Steve Butler and Tony Watts OBE
Comprehensive guidance on work, wealth, and wellbeing during midlife transitions.
This Chair Rocks: A Manifesto Against Ageism by Ashton Applewhite
A powerful challenge to age-based stereotypes that limit our potential in later life.
Enjoying Retirement: An Australian Handbook by Michael Longhurst
Local insights and practical strategies.
Relationship and psychology focus
A Couple’s Guide to Happy Retirement and Aging by Sara Yogev
Essential reading for couples planning to navigate retirement together, addressing common challenges and communication strategies.
Retirement: The Psychology of Reinvention by Prof. Kenneth S Schultz
Academic insights into the psychological aspects of retirement transitions, backed by research and case studies.
The Single Woman’s Guide to Retirement by Jan Cullinane
Addresses the unique financial and social challenges faced by single women in retirement planning.
Movies
Movies, like all forms of art, are a great way of exploring and understanding different themes and stages of life. These movies offer unique windows into the retirement experience, showcasing both the challenges and possibilities through compelling storytelling. Add them to your Netflix watch list!
Ford vs Ferrari – 92% Rotten Tomatoes
Matt Damon portrays Carroll Shelby’s second act as he pursues a seemingly impossible automotive dream. A masterclass in late-career reinvention and pursuing passion projects
Tea with the Dames – 98% Rotten Tomatoes
Four legendary British actors, Maggie Smith, Judi Dench, Eileen Atkins, and Joan Plowright, share candid thoughts on art, ageing, and love. Authentic and deeply moving.
The Bucket List – 77% Rotten Tomatoes
Starring Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman, this classic film centres around the theme of it never being too late to do what you want.
Up – 98% Rotten Tomatoes
An exciting, funny, and poignant adventure, Up offers an impeccably crafted story told with wit and arranged with depth, as well as yet another visual Pixar treat.
Relationship and family dynamics
On Golden Pond – 93% Rotten Tomatoes
The classic 1981 Henry Fonda and Katharine Hepburn film is still one of the most honest portrayals of ageing, family relationships, and finding meaning later in life.
About Schmidt – 86% Rotten Tomatoes
Jack Nicholson delivers a brilliant performance as a new retiree discovering purpose through unexpected circumstances.
Adventure and reinvention
The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel – 78% Rotten Tomatoes
A group of British retirees find unexpected adventure and renewal in India. Showcases how geographic change can bring about personal transformation.
Calendar Girls – 74% Rotten Tomatoes
Helen Mirren leads a group of Yorkshire women who create an unconventional calendar to raise money for charity. Heartwarming and shows how creative projects can provide purpose and connection.
The 100-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared – 68% Rotten Tomatoes
A whimsical adventure story that challenges stereotypes about what’s possible in later life.
Diane – 93% Rotten Tomatoes
Mary Kay Place delivers a powerful performance in this intimate portrait of a woman caring for others while confronting her own past and future.
Wild Strawberries – 94% Rotten Tomatoes
Ingmar Bergman’s 1957 masterpiece follows an elderly professor’s journey of self-reflection. A profound meditation on life review and meaning.
Additional Resources
Marriage Minute from the Gottman Institute
Brief, research-based emails providing practical tips for maintaining strong relationships through major life transitions. This free bi-weekly newsletter delivers relationship insights in under a minute, every Tuesday and Thursday.
🔗 Subscribe to Marriage Minute
How to Use These Resources
- Start with shorter podcast episodes to explore themes that resonate with you.
- Combine Australian-specific advice with international insights for a well-rounded view.
- Many of these resources work well for book clubs, discussion groups, or for discussions with your partner.
- Take notes of insights and action items as you read, watch and listen.
- Resources that don’t speak to you now might become valuable later. Bookmark this link so you can come back another time.
These resource list was developed through the AWR (Ageing Workforce Ready) Project. Links are checked regularly, but podcast and website availability can change. If you find a broken link, please let us know so we can update this guide.
Note: We welcome feedback on these resources and suggestions for additional materials that have supported your late career and transition to retirement. Please reach out through our contact page to share your recommendations.
