385 | Derek Coburn | Let’s Retire Retirement: How to Enjoy Life to the Fullest―Now and Later

2025-10-22

What if the greatest investment you could ever make isn’t in your retirement account, but in the people you love most, right now? In this episode of The Greatness Machine, Darius sits down with Derek Coburn, financial advisor, author of “Let’s Retire Retirement: How to Enjoy Life to the Fullest―Now and Later,” and USA Today bestselling author, to challenge the conventional idea of “saving life for later.” Together, they explore why waiting until 65 to finally live is a flawed plan, and how small, everyday choices like family d...

What if the greatest investment you could ever make isn’t in your retirement account, but in the people you love most, right now?

In this episode of The Greatness Machine, Darius sits down with Derek Coburn, financial advisor, author of “Let’s Retire Retirement: How to Enjoy Life to the Fullest―Now and Later,” and USA Today bestselling author, to challenge the conventional idea of “saving life for later.” Together, they explore why waiting until 65 to finally live is a flawed plan, and how small, everyday choices like family dinners, workouts with your kids, or even junk time on the couch can become priceless $50,000 moments you’ll wish you could buy back one day.

In this episode, Darius and Derek will discuss:

(00:00) Introduction and Clubhouse Connections

(02:24) Derek's Book Journey and Success

(05:31) The Art of Asking for Support

(09:23) Writing Process and Midlife Reflections

(15:05) The Concept of Retirement Revisited

(18:10) The Tale of Two Tonys

(23:31) Challenging Traditional Retirement Norms

(26:22) The Importance of Social Networks in Work Life

(27:43) Engagement and Longevity: The Case for Never Retiring

(29:30) Purpose vs. Happiness: The Science Behind Meaningful Living

(32:12) Serving Others: A Path to Fulfillment

(36:19) Finding Balance: Work, Purpose, and Personal Satisfaction

(38:31) The Financial Equation: Extending Your Runway

(40:36) The Entrepreneurial Perspective on Retirement

(43:40) Regret Minimization: Making the Most of Time

(48:10) Creating Meaningful Moments with Family

(54:54) Final Thoughts: Embracing Life Now and Later

Derek Coburn is an entrepreneur, financial advisor, and USA Today bestselling author of “Let’s Retire Retirement: How to Live Your Life to the Fullest—Now and Later.” With over 27 years of experience, he challenges the traditional retirement model and offers a new vision for building a life so fulfilling you’ll never want to retire. He is also the co-founder of CADRE, an exclusive community for CEOs and entrepreneurs, and the author of the #1 Amazon bestseller “Networking Is Not Working.” Featured in Forbes, Derek is a passionate advocate for investing in experiences and relationships over material success. He lives in Virginia with his wife Melanie and their two sons.

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Connect with Derek:

Website: https://www.derekcoburn.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/derekcoburn/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cadredc/

Book: https://www.amazon.com/Lets-Retire-Retirement-Enjoy-Fullest_Now/dp/1774585065

Connect with Darius:

Website: https://therealdarius.com/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dariusmirshahzadeh/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/imthedarius/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Thegreatnessmachine