There are expectations to be met, personal and societal. There are also goals to be achieved in the short term and the long term. These things will come in their own time for many. Sometimes they won’t, unfortunately. However, there are a few activities and events which are within your power to engage in. You’re not compelled to do this stuff but a gentleman has to do what he has to do. Here are 20 things you must do, as an “optimally functioning male specimen”, just before you retire. Retirement could be at 70 or 60. Heck, people retire at 30 these days!
Own Property
There is something grand about personal acquisitions, these acquisitions also vary in significance. A landed property is arguably one of the most significant things you will ever acquire and you want to have secured yours before you let go of the steering wheel. Plan meticulously, find a land or house of good value, and secure one of those. It doesn’t have to be at the nerve centre of a metropolis if you want to keep enough money for developing what you’ve bought.
Master a Traditional Dish
We will never understand a man who cannot make a proper meal for no good reason. People act like they don’t mind but they do. Learn how to make something other than soggy noodles or ready-made cereals. Soups are never an abstract subject once you get the recipe down and some foreign dishes are easier to get done compared to our own Jollof Rice. A gentleman should be able to save himself from the restaurant once in a while.
Mentor Somebody
You probably had a mentor yourself, be a mentor to someone else too. Being a mentor doesn’t necessarily take you a lifetime. Identify a younger person who needs help and offer vital pieces of advice for a week or a month then make yourself available to them in the nearest future. You will be happier just by being helpful to a few younger persons, it also confers a reasonable amount of responsibility on you.
Become Bilingual (or Multilingual)
You’ve already got your mother tongue under control, try to dedicate a few years to taming a different language. Juggle Hausa and Swahili for a couple of months, then decide which one you want to practice. A world language will definitely present interesting experiences and challenges you must relish. The joy of a person becomes twice as full when they encounter a mutual foreign language speaker. Work towards that moment.
Learn How to Drive
What a shocker! Should this even be on the list? Yes, surprisingly so. There are more and more people who cannot (and don’t care to) drive a car at 30 today. You might have been a boss chauffeured since forever and had no need to hold the steering wheel, public transport has also been gradually stealing this skill from too many gents. Even if you don’t own an automobile, you need to avail yourself of the knowledge of operating a car and maybe a motorcycle.
Swim in a River/Lake
This is one skill that half the world’s population of men cannot demonstrate even at the cost of their lives. Before you retire at 50 or 80, learn how to swim by using the front stroke efficiently. Aside the most important need to escape drowning in a lagoon, swimming is a great exercise. As soon as you master it, take yourself to a natural habitat and demonstrate your skill as you age.
Learn to Win in a Board Game
Checkers or draughts, monopoly, and chess should never be alien to a gentleman. Board games are a great way to socialize and engage your mates. Some are more complex than others, but they are all teachable. Concentrate on one or two board games and hone your skills until you can confidently beat a few new friends. It’s always worth the challenge.
Play an Instrument
Music has an uncanny ability to lighten moods and uplift spirits, especially when it comes from an original source. The good of music will be more beneficial to you than those around you. Buy a banjo, guitar, or talking drum and learn how to play a few melodies flawlessly. Your mind will get accustomed to these songs and you can continue several years into your retirement with a musical instrument to keep you company.
Keep a Memoir
A record of events and occasions for a prolonged period of time is one great gift you can give to yourself as you approach retirement. After keeping yourself company with the books and stories of other writers, it is extremely profitable to observe a few episodes of one’s life in a detailed and chronological manner. Nostalgia is a sweet drug.
Invest in Art
Let’s just say that art is a global currency, and a very valuable one! The perfect art piece will continue to increase in price and worth. That authentic bronze work at an auction house could have an eight figure bounty in the next decade, so you want to have an eye for antiques.
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