235. Steer. Don't drift.

Second Breaks

Matthew Long, retired Navy officer and writer at Beyond the Bookshelf, joins me in this conversation about planning for a major life change.

Too often, we drift into the next thing simply because it’s familiar. In this conversation, Matthew explains how he avoided this drift and planned his post-retirement life after a long career in the Navy.

ABOUT MY GUEST:

Matthew Long spent 24 years on active duty in the Navy before retiring in 2024. His civilian life is all about being a reader, a writer, and spending a lot of time with his dog, Lola. He resides in Tennessee with Jannette, his wife of 22 years, and their 17-year-old daughter, while their eldest son is off to college.

IN THIS EPISODE:

- The challenges of transitioning from a structured career to an open-ended future

- How Matthew approached his retirement beyond just the financial side

- The blueprint process he used to get clear on his next steps

- Changes in family dynamics and household roles post-retirement

- How Matthew is putting his blueprint into action—and what his next chapter looks like

Check out the full show notes for this episode here: https://loublaser.substack.com/p/235-matthew-long

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