
This phrase sums up what retirement should be for every Boomer and GenXer: The heart of retirement lies in freedom. The freedom to pursue passions, reinvent oneself, and live authentically. A philosophy we might all aspire to. And a goal that’s not so easy to achieve.
These words of wisdom come from my long-time colleague, David Conti. He is tackling this retirement thing with more enthusiasm and interest that I typically see. Especially with men. Reluctance and disinterest are more common, but David has some great advice for everyone facing 30 years of retirement.
I had a great talk with David…
…after he finished volunteering at the local food bank
For someone who hung up his corporate shoes a while ago, it took some time for us to meet. David has purposefully and specifically created a new life routine. Especially now that he’s not beholden to 9:00 to 5:00 corporate America.
One of the many pieces to his retirement reinvention is volunteer work. David volunteers at the Gather Food Bank and Mobile Market in southern New Hampshire.
This nonprofit, founded in 1818, provides food and prepared meals to many residents on the New Hampshire and Maine Seacoast. They are creative in how they deliver food to where the needs are. David supports work in the pantry and mobile markets. He knows his work makes a difference to many of the 9,000-plus Seacoast residents each month who need a helping hand.
Gather is known for its innovation
The team at Gather implement innovative ways to deliver food. Many folks don’t have cars. Or are unable to get to a physical location. One very creative solution: the team retrofitted a bus as a grocery store! Clients can walk down the center aisle just like at a physical grocery store. The difference is the grocery store comes to those in need.
The volunteers also set up grocery shops in the lobby of several low-income apartment buildings.
One of the reasons David volunteers with this particular organization is their mission. They offer innovative programs to build food security in welcoming and dignified ways. And much of the help is provided to older, retired citizens. These are some of his core values as well.
Plus, David is kind and compassionate. He feels strongly that those who can, should help meet basic needs of their community.
Holistic health is a key part of aging well
David’s also a strong believer in holistic health and well-being and has been a licensed massage therapist for 30+ years. And that each of us could do more to take care of ourselves. Especially as we start to feel the effects of aging.

So much of finding the heart of retirement is based on one’s total package. How your physical state is aligned with your mental state. And how you are preparing for aging. It doesn’t all magically happen. Most folks need to put some muscle into the planning.
David focused on answering a couple of key questions as he thought about how to structure his early “retirement” years. He calls it a “me search.” These are great questions to ask yourself and see where the answers might take you:
- What is important to me?
- What do I bring to the table?
- How can I make a difference?
When David looked for his own answers, he was pleasantly surprised where they led.
First up, David’s heart of retirement starts with his passion for writing
David is an excellent financial writer. A large part of his career was spent at Fidelity Investments writing about all kinds of financial topics. He was part of the team that launched the original Health Savings Accounts. He wrote important information for employers on how to implement these new tax-advantaged plans. And he addressed employees, encouraging them to start saving for healthcare costs.
He was also a contributor in the Benefits Consulting group and on many of the thought leadership efforts. For close to a decade, David was a senior writer on all things financial for Fidelity Viewpoints.
So what does he bring to the table? A ton of knowledge in the financial space. And understanding that clear and engaging communications are needed for the 100 million folks out there who need financial knowledge.
Then, exploring new territory early

After retiring early from Fidelity—it was the right time for him—he landed a gig writing about cryptocurrency. It was a new field. No one understood it. And he was eager to go beyond mutual funds and retirement and dive into new financial territory.
David was tasked with rewriting a course on cryptocurrencies. As well as cranking out a 20-page newsletter every month. Add in working on a personal finance podcast and updating content on its website. David was working longer hours than ever. “Is this what I want to do in retirement,” he wondered?
Interesting as crypto was, it was time to start a new me search. The result was a writing opportunity that was more of a marriage of what is important to him. And, still fully utilizing his decades of writing expertise.
You can find his articles on “uncomfortable topics” on Advisorpedia. He covers important conversations that families should be having—but usually try to avoid. He writes about elder fraud, family emergencies, gray divorce, death and dying, and senior housing. It’s tough stuff, but he does it with grace, seasoned perspectives, and a bit of humor.
And he still offers practical tips about retirement. Check out his 8 Practical Tips to Simplify Retirement.
David’s ah-ha moment as his heart of retirement became clear
One of the things I admire about David is his amazing networking skills. He is just great about keeping in touch. As one of the first 30,000 people to join LinkedIn some 23 years ago, he is a networking master. In fact, he’ll welcome you to link in with him so you can get firsthand information and updates.
From his networking he met Robert Laura, a financial and life advisor. Robert is known in the industry for building a retirement coaching program that focuses on the “soft side of money.”
David attended Robert’s online conference, and the lightbulb went on. All the pieces of what David believes, and his experiences, could be bundled together into a new path called “RetireMentors.” Here’s how David talks about this program:

“Imagine a retirement where you wake up every day with purpose, excitement, and the freedom to do what truly fulfills you. That’s the vision at RetireMentors. It’s where we help you rewrite your retirement story—on your terms.”
And then, the pieces for a fulfilling retirement fell into place
More importantly, David could pull together all the right pieces to make a winning “retirement” for himself. He shared:
“For over 20 years, I’ve immersed myself in the world of retirement planning and finance. I’ve seen firsthand that while financial stability is vital, the heart of retirement is freedom. Freedom to pursue passions, to reinvent yourself, and to live authentically.”
This era we call “retirement” needs to be as fulfilling as all the years that lead up to it.
When David “retired” at 61, he wasn’t ready to stop. “My journey taught me that retirement isn’t about stepping away from life. It’s about finding the right path and stepping into something new. Now at 64, I’m still working—not because I have to, but because I love it.”
That’s David’s story of finding his heart of retirement. What will yours be?
It’s really not an easy question for most people to answer. There are either a million options, or seemingly no good choices. We’ve all been much too busy building a life, raising a family, handling the ups and downs of a career.
How many times do people remark about how fast time flies? Or they can’t believe they are in their 60’s? How did that happen?

Well, time does fly. And we only get one chance to make the life we want. David recognizes the journey is unpaved and uncertain. He’s looking to help more Boomers and GenXers start paving their own path. Helping each person find their heart of retirement.
After all, you don’t want to be sitting around at 85 saying, “I should have done…,” or “I wish I had…”
Please feel free to link in with David to see what he’s busy doing. Or just reach out to him to start a conversation.