Horse Race vs. Relay Race: Which mindset supports a thriving workforce?
For decades, retirement was seen as the finish line—a hard stop after a long career. But when retirement is treated as an endpoint instead of a transition, organizations risk losing institutional knowledge, employee engagement and opportunities for legacy-building.
Let’s explore two retirement mindsets: the Horse Race and the Relay Race.
The Horse Race is the traditional model. You sprint through your career, then abruptly stop. Retirement is about escape. The problem? Many people struggle with this kind of full stop. Why? Because our identities are tied to what we do. And when that goes away, a void is often left behind—not just for individuals, but for the organizations they leave.
According to Investopedia, there are six emotional stages of retirement:
- Pre-retirement: Learning, working, and (hopefully) saving
- The Big Day: Celebration!
- The Honeymoon: Enjoying the freedom
- Disenchantment: When the novelty wears off and a lack of purpose creeps in
- Reorientation: Finding new meaning and identity
- Routine: Settling into a new normal
The Relay Race model offers a better alternative for individuals and institutions. In this mindset, retirement is not a stop; it’s a handoff. You pass the baton to the next version of yourself. You mentor your successor. You reflect, contribute and evolve.
This model encourages talent development professionals to build programs that support phased retirements, encore careers and purpose-driven planning. It also helps employees avoid the emotional crash of the Disenchantment phase by proactively helping them envision what’s next.
Next time: We’ll dive into how to help your people (and yourself) design their future selves—so retirement becomes a launchpad for purpose, not a vacuum.