Dreaming Of Sushi

Right away, I’ll tell you that I’m not a fan of sushi. My wife will make it clear to you that I’m not even close to being an adventurous eater. But for 81 minutes, I was captivated with sushi.

Because of Netflix, I’ve become a huge fan of documentary movies. A well-made documentary can take you into the life and mind of another person in a way that no other medium can. Surprisingly, one of my favorite movies in the genre is Jiro Dreams of Sushi, a brilliant look into the life of one man’s unrelenting, unapologetic obsession with sushi. He is unquestionably the master of the art form of creating and delivering some of the best sushi in the world. The proof is his three-star Michelin rating. In fact, the late Roger Ebert said this about Jiro: “You realize the tragedy of Jiro Ono’s life is that there are not, and will never be, four [Michelin] stars.”

If you have an opportunity, watch his story. Well into his 80’s, still working every day in his single sushi restaurant, he has a tunnel vision and life purpose unlike anyone I’ve ever seen. It’s truly inspirational, if not a big troubling.

I share Jiro with you because of an observation I’ve made about many of the clients we’ve had the opportunity to serve over the years. The most successful among them, early in their working careers, developed a commitment to one thing that rivals Jiro’s approach to sushi. The most successful investors are unrelenting, unapologetic…savers. Like Jiro, who pinned his success on just one thing, successful investors build everything on just one very useful savings habit.

Because great savers are such, well…great savers, the process of converting savings into retirement income can be a very difficult transition. Exchanging the word accumulation for decumulation is enough to make a great saver weak in the knees, and saying things like: “Well, isn’t that what we saved the money for?” isn’t going to protect a lifetime saver from angst.

So what does all of this mean? Occasionally, it’s good to be reminded that the financial reality of retirement is MUCH different than that of the accumulation phase of life. As such, the strategies, tools, and even the language are different. In order to feel comfortable with these new dynamics, there must be a different mindset shift as well.

Jiro admits to actually dreaming of sushi. He cannot fathom retiring from the sushi business and makes no apologies for having just one focus for his entire life. And that’s where I struggled to relate to Jiro.

As you consider what retirement looks like for you, know that we’ll help you navigate the financial adjustments, regardless of how long it takes you to wrap your mind around it all. As for the time that you’ll free-up after your earning years, that’s up to you to decide. In this way, don’t be like Jiro. May you dream wonderful dreams of your life’s next chapter, and perhaps enjoy some sushi from time-to-time as well.

All the best,