The client was a vice president at a large company.

62 years old. His idea was to stay active until 65.
January. HR calls him.
Severance package on the table. Sign before Friday.
He contacted me that same day:
"I think they just retired me… without warning."
No transition. No goodbyes. No emotional closure.
That position wasn't just his job, it was his identity.
His social circle depended on that environment.
His purpose started every day at 7:45.
Money wasn't the problem, we solved that quickly.
What was really complex was rebuilding from within.
Years later he told me something that stuck with me:
"It wasn't losing the job… it was realizing that my entire life revolved around something that was never really mine."
It's not the same to choose retirement as to be pushed out.
And this is happening to millions of people around 60… but almost no one puts it on the table.