It's time to rethink, renew and reimagine retirement! Retire Repurposed is dedicated to help people transition into fulfilling and purposeful retirements. Retirement is a big life-change! In fact, the two most dangerous years of a person's life are the year they were born and the year they retire. We believe retirement is not the end; rather, the beginning of what could be the most impactful season of a person's life. So, don't retire; become Repurposed.
Ben Taatjes, Financial Advisor
Stewards Planning Group | 1104 19th Ave SW Willmar, MN 56201
Securities offered through Cetera Wealth Services LLC, member FINRA/SIPC. Advisory Services offered through Cetera Investment Advisers LLC, a registered investment adviser. Cetera is under separate ownership from any other named entity.
The opinions contained in this material are those of the author, and not a recommendation or solicitation to buy or sell investment products. This information is from sources believed to be reliable, but Cetera Wealth Services, LLC cannot guarantee or represent that it is accurate or complete. Jonathan Shoffner, Financial Advisor.
In this continuation of the regret discussion within the 'Double Click' miniseries, Ben Taatjes challenges a widely held assumption: that retiring as early as possible is always the goal. What if the real regret isn't working too long, but retiring too soon? Through the story of a 72-year-old man who worked until the end of his life, Ben paints a picture that society views as tragic - yet reveals a profoundly different narrative. Rather than lamenting a life of work, this man's story illustrates a life of purpose, contribution, and meaning. This episode forces retirees to ask the hard question: What does success in retirement actually look like? Is it maximizing leisure time and retiring at the earliest possible moment, or is there something far more fulfilling? Learn how to redefine retirement success in a way that honors both rest and meaningful work.
In this installment of the 'Double Click' miniseries, Ben Taatjes explores one of retirement's most haunting fears: regret. Research shows people regret what they didn't do far more than what they actually did - and regret isn't something that strikes overnight. It's a slow erosion that builds over years of deferred dreams and postponed connections. Ben reveals why society's current view of retirement actually accelerates this erosion rather than preventing it. Drawing on the time value of life and memories, Ben shows why most regrets are fundamentally relational - about time not spent with loved ones and experiences not shared. Most importantly, this episode provides actionable steps retirees can take now to avoid the regret trap, ensuring your retirement is defined by what you did do, not by what haunts you for not doing.
Continuing the 'Double Click' miniseries, Ben Taatjes addresses a fear closely tied to but distinct from irrelevance: the fear of losing significance. Society tells a clear narrative - young people innovate, middle-aged people produce, and older people retire into insignificance. But Ben counteracts this cultural lie with a powerful truth about the irreplaceable value of wisdom. Discover why wisdom creates far greater impact than pure movement and energy, and why older voices are desperately needed in our fast-changing world. Learn how to completely rewire what significance means in retirement - moving beyond the metrics of productivity and ambition to the deeper currency of wisdom and perspective. This episode proves it's never too late to rewrite your story and step into a season of unprecedented influence and impact.
In this episode of the 'Double Click' miniseries, Ben Taatjes tackles one of retirement's most crippling fears: becoming irrelevant. For decades, when people ask 'What do you do?', we answer with our job title - mistaking our role for our identity. But retirement forces a reckoning with a deeper question: Who am I without my career? Discover how to reorganize your understanding of who you actually are at your core, so you can base your identity on something that doesn't disappear when you leave the workforce. Ben provides practical strategies for alleviating the fear of irrelevance by reconnecting with your true identity - one that transcends job titles and career achievements. This episode liberates retirees from the anxiety of losing value and shows why your relevance is far greater than any career could ever define.
In this episode of the health section in the 'Double Click' miniseries, Ben Taatjes addresses the foundation upon which all other health pillars rest: spiritual health and identity. Retirement doesn't answer life's deepest questions - it removes the noise and distractions that careers provided for decades, forcing us to confront who we really are at our core. Ben reveals two distinct paths retirees can follow: one with a firmly rooted identity found in Christ, and another that knows about Christ intellectually but hasn't grasped it at an identity level. This isn't a conversation about religion - it's about the spiritual foundation that determines whether your retirement thrives or merely survives. Discover why identity is the gateway to physical health, emotional well-being, relational vitality, cognitive sharpness, and mental clarity. This episode ties together everything we've explored about health and shows why spiritual alignment is the master key to retirement fulfillment.
In this powerful continuation of the 'Double Click' miniseries, Ben Taatjes addresses one of retirees' deepest fears - Alzheimer's disease and memory loss. Rather than focusing solely on brain mechanics, Ben explores research that points to something deeper: the functionality of our heart and soul. Discover why the real key to retirement isn't avoiding Alzheimer's, but living with genuine heart and purpose. In a remarkable convergence, the very things that connect us to our hearts - meaningful relationships, spiritual engagement, purposeful contribution, and genuine connection - are precisely what research shows prevent cognitive decline. This episode transforms Alzheimer's anxiety from paralyzing fear into motivation for living more fully, more purposefully, and more connected. Learn why a life lived with heart might be your greatest defense against memory loss.
Fresh back from a family trip to Greece, Ben Taatjes reflects on what this experience reveals about retirement in America. Drawing inspiration from Acts 17 - where the disciples were said to have turned the world upside down - Ben poses a challenging question: What if you came to turn the typical world of retirement upside down? Through his observations in Greece, Ben discovered striking contrasts to American retirement culture, including surprising insights about separation, family structure, and how we've built retirement homes rather than building retirement into family life. This episode challenges the conventional American retirement model and offers a glimpse into an alternative way of approaching this life season that prioritizes family unity, intergenerational connection, and purpose over isolation. A thought-provoking conversation that will reshape how you think about your retirement journey.
Continuing the 'Double Click' miniseries, Ben Taatjes addresses one of retirees' deepest fears - cognitive decline and memory loss. Rather than focusing solely on preventing decline, Ben reveals two major keys that not only protect your mind but actually enhance your overall retirement fulfillment. The first key challenges the notion that retirement is just about staying busy - it's about staying genuinely connected with others. The second key goes deeper, showing how cognitive health prevention is fundamentally intertwined with finding greater purpose and meaning in retirement. Discover why isolation is one of the greatest threats to cognitive health and learn how building strong relational connections actually becomes the gateway to both mental sharpness and deeper life satisfaction. This episode transforms cognitive health from a defensive concern into an offensive opportunity for growth and connection.
In this continuation of the 'Double Click' miniseries, Ben Taatjes and Jerrid Sebesta address a taboo topic that rarely gets discussed: the rising divorce rate among older couples and the reality of mediocre marriages in retirement. While staying married is important, the real goal should be building a thriving marriage that deepens in connection and intimacy over time. Discover why retirement often exposes marital weaknesses and learn practical strategies couples can implement both before and after retirement to strengthen their bond. This honest conversation challenges the cultural silence around marriage quality in later years and provides a roadmap for transforming your marriage from mere coexistence into genuine partnership and intimacy. Essential listening for anyone committed to a truly fulfilling retirement.
In part three of the 'Double Click' miniseries, Ben Taatjes tackles one of retirees' most persistent worries - health and the rising cost of healthcare. While these concerns seem straightforward, Ben reveals a much deeper source behind this anxiety that most retirees don't recognize. Discover why health worries often mask something more fundamental about identity, purpose, and mortality. More importantly, learn how to reframe this worry in a way that actually creates greater purpose and intentionality in your retirement years. This episode transforms healthcare anxiety from a paralyzing fear into a catalyst for living more fully and purposefully with the time you have.
Ben has been in the financial services industry for nearly two decades. He has worked alongside thousands of families and individuals while owning and operating Taatjes Financial Group, a retirement planning firm in west-central Minnesota. While Ben loves to work with retirees, his passion extends far beyond the numbers. This passion led to the publishing of his first book, Repurposed: The Untold Story of Retirement in America in 2017 as well as co-founding Retire Repurposed in 2019.
