Unless Mankind makes a very big blunder, which is always a possibility, or we don’t spot a large stray asteroid heading in our direction, the chances are increasing that you will be living well and living well into your very late eighties or nineties.

The numbers of centenarians is on the rise and the upper age limit of life insurance tables was increased in 2001 from 100 years of age to 120 years. You can be sure the life insurance actuaries have analyzed future longevity trends with great attention.

As a physician for over 40 years practicing as an anesthesiologist, I have witnessed this improvement in the quality of our lives and our increasing longevity.

Living independently into your mid-nineties very rarely occurred 40 years ago, but is now increasingly common. I remember one delightful 92 year old, who was excited to be undergoing her second knee replacement, and longing to get back to her Tai-Chi and gardening.

Knee replacements did not exist before 1968, when the first total knee replacement was performed, a year when I was half way through Medical School. In those days, if you had severe arthritis of the knee or hip – tough luck – no spare parts – just a slow painful limitation of your activity.

I could cite many other health “miracles” of my decades in practice, which have served to allow us to live better and longer lives, but the point is our retirements will be very different from those of our parents.

Do you want to live your retirement dream?

How are your retirement plans progressing?

Do you have a detailed plan, costs calculated as realistically as possible and with a time line?

If you have no plan and costing and your retirement age is swooping upon you with surprisingly rapidity, when are you going to start planning?

For without doubt,If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.

If your retirement plan is on track – congratulations – for you are one of the few who appreciate the necessity of planning ahead.

If your plans are a little vague and wobbly, have you considered finding a mentor, who can help you to gather your ideas together, and show you the path to living your ideal retirement?

Abraham Lincoln said – “The best way to predict your future is to create it”.

If you long to live your retirement dream, now, today, this minute is your moment, your time to take action, craft your plan and predict and create your future.