by Harry Agress, MD
Can you make your next years your best ones yet? Harry Agress thinks so – and he has receipts.
You can learn a lot in a decade of retirement – if you’re paying attention. And Harry Agress has been a keen observer. In Next Year’s Best Years, Harry Agress, MD, offers more than just his reflections on retirement—he provides a practical roadmap, based on his experiences and observations, for creating a vibrant and meaningful life in your post-career years.
Tapping into different perspectives as a physician, photographer, and retiree, he lays out a pathway for the transition from work to retirement with pillars of purpose, passion, and planning. One of his big ideas is that retirement does not have to be the end of productivity, but a shift in how you define it. Rather than the withdrawal many people experience in a “traditional” retirement, Agress encourages people to reimagine it as a new stage for growth. He underscores the importance of mindset, urging both retirees and pre-retirees to reject retirement as a period of decline. Instead, it can be a new beginning, with many options and opportunities for contribution and growth – if you’re open-minded enough to see and explore them.
Agress’ book is about bringing intentionality to retirement. Thriving in retirement doesn’t happen by accident. It takes introspection to hone in on what truly brings you joy and meaning—and then to deliberately make space for those pursuits. Like many of my wisest podcast guests, he recommends starting small: trying new activities, rekindling old interests, or volunteering in ways that connect with your values. Experimentation can lead to unexpected interests and even a renewed sense of identity.
Health plays a critical role in the retirement journey Agress envisions. He stresses the importance of preventive care, consistent movement, and regular medical checkups. But equally important, and often overlooked, is taking care of your emotional well-being. Agress advises readers to proactively nurture relationships, seek out intergenerational connections, and get professional help for mental health challenges that can crop up in this big transition.
Purpose is another recurring theme in the book. He shares how he rediscovered purpose through photography, combining travel, creativity, and storytelling in his post-medical career. While it started with commercial aspirations, it pivoted to a philanthropic one, highlighting that purpose doesn’t need to be grand or externally validated—it can be done your own way, at a scale that fits your life, and still become incredibly fulfilling. He encourages people to listen to what excites them. Perhaps it’s writing, painting, mentoring, gardening, community service, or something else entirely. His example may inspire you to follow your own spark of curiosity and energy to test out a new interest.
The book acknowledges the importance of financial planning but extends it go beyond money, to include planning for time, relationships, and health.
He warns that without a new structure, retirees can drift. He recommends creating a loose framework that preserves some flexibility and creates days with meaningful engagement, connection, and self-care to help retirees avoid the common and dangerous pitfalls of boredom and isolation.
Next Years Best years is full of relatable stories, and Dr. Agress spotlights over 100 opportunities to get involved with activities. One of the things I like most about this book is the inclusion of 60 Best Practices Resources, accessible via a QR code.
You come away from reading Next Year’s Best Years understanding that life in retirement is much more in your control than people think. Agress’s tone is warm but honest. He doesn’t sugarcoat the challenges, but he shines a light on different ways to navigate them with resilience. His book offers a reassuring message: your best years aren’t behind you—they’re still to come, if you’re willing to actively shape them.
Go for it.
__________________________
Listen to my podcast conversation with Harry Agress, MD
__________________________
Explore more podcast conversations here
__________________________
Want to design a new life in retirement? Consider our small group coaching program
