About - Derek Life Coaching

Enjoying retirement!

Being adventurous in retirement

Celebrating with my lovely wife

Hi there, my name is Derek Dolan. I retired at a relatively young age after completing a 30-year career in the police service.

My whole mindset during those 30 years was that I would get to the end of my service and pick up my pension, and then it would be happy days!

But wait a minute—what did I mean by happy days?

I did not know what I meant by happy days. I went into retirement completely unprepared. I had no idea of what I was going to do for the rest of my life or how I was going to spend all this extra time I had. Most importantly, I had no idea what was going to replace work in giving me a sense of purpose or achievement in life.

So, for a year or so I did some traveling and played a lot of golf. To all who knew me, it probably looked like I was having a great time. Well I cannot deny that a lot of it was good, but deep inside I always felt like something was missing and that this type of retirement was not really working for me.

Getting up every day and not having to really bother about what the day has in store for you does have a certain appeal. But eventually it wears thin. As my retirement days wore on, I ended up drifting aimlessly and I began to feel lost and useless.

In my heart, I knew I had so much more to give and achieve. I just did not know at the time how to get myself unstuck and find some clarity of purpose.

So how did I eventually get unstuck? Well after a few pep talks from my wife, I took a long hard look at the myself in the mirror and decided to get back in the game of life. That for me was coaching.

So why did I choose coaching to get myself back on track?

The truth is, I had already coached previously for many years; part of my former role within the police service was focussed on coaching and mentoring.

Part of my police work was to help people involved in criminality break the cycle of dysfunctional behavior and to master a better way of living.

I realized helping people to overcome mental barriers and poor habits was the most rewarding work I’d ever done.

Witnessing them aspiring to change, then committing to that change and achieving a better life for themselves and their loved ones was immensely satisfying, not only for them, but also for me.

So, I got myself back in the game, took a part-time job, and then hired my own life coach. Quite frankly, this was one of the best investments I had ever made. I took training courses and attended lots of seminars with a goal of starting my own coaching business.

Learn How I Help People Plan Great Retirements

So, who do I coach?

I know that lots of people who finish work at pension age or finish their careers early do want to retire gracefully and “sail off into the sunset.” If that is your choice, then great! I wish you a long and happy retirement.

However, no one really wants to retire to an aimless, unproductive, sedentary, and mundane lifestyle. You could quickly find yourself leading this kind of life if you have not taken the time to properly plan the rest of your life journey.

It is important to understand that your age really does not have to be a barrier to you if you find the right goals and challenges to aspire to. It is really just a question of attaining the right mindset and commitment.

So, if you are taking an early retirement but still want to make use of all that you have to offer, fantastic! Not sure what this could look like? Feeling overwhelmed by the possibilities and have no idea where to start? Fear not! I can help you!