Breaking the Curse of Knowledge

How to Share What You’ve Learned About Retirement

After teaching hundreds of hours of retirement planning classes over the years, I’ve discovered something surprising: no matter how much the financial landscape changes, the questions people ask about retirement almost never do.

The course I teach, Retirement Elevated, was created to help aspiring retirees prepare for both the practical and emotional sides of this life transition. Advisors across the country now teach it in colleges and community settings, and the enthusiasm we see from attendees is remarkable.

People show up curious and eager, wanting clear answers to big questions like:

How much money do we need to retire?
How should we invest during retirement?
When should we claim Social Security?
What’s the best way to draw income from a 401(k)?
How can we minimize taxes and plan for healthcare costs?

These are the questions that keep people up at night, and the ones we revisit again and again in class.

And honestly? I used to wonder if I was repeating myself too often. But then I realized something important: even the smartest, most successful people crave a clear, step-by-step understanding of retirement. And for those who already ‘get it’, it’s easy to forget how confusing this all can be to someone just starting out.

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When What You Know Becomes Invisible

There’s a concept in psychology called the curse of knowledge. It describes what happens when we’ve learned something so well that we forget what it felt like not to know it.

Once you understand how compound interest works, or how to balance a portfolio, or why Roth conversions might make sense, it’s hard to remember that, at one point, those ideas were completely foreign.

Retirement planning is a perfect example. If you’ve already built your plan, reviewed your income strategy, and taken care of your estate documents, you may assume everyone around you has done the same. But chances are, they haven’t.

Many people in their 50s and 60s are still unsure where to start or worse, they’re afraid to ask. The jargon feels intimidating, the rules keep changing, and the stakes are high.

That’s where you come in.

Sharing Your Wisdom Is a Gift

You’ve spent a lifetime working, saving, and learning. You’ve navigated ups and downs, market swings, tax changes, and maybe even a few financial missteps along the way. All of that experience has value, not just for your own retirement, but for the people who haven’t yet built their roadmap.

Breaking the curse of knowledge is about reaching back over the wall and helping others climb up. It could be as simple as:

Encouraging a coworker to contribute to their 401(k).
Talking with your adult children about the importance of planning early.
Inviting a friend to attend a retirement class with you.

Even sharing your own story: how you approached retirement income or made big financial decisions can be a game-changer for someone else.

Why It Matters

When you share what you know, you help others gain confidence, and you reinforce your own understanding at the same time. Teaching forces clarity: it reminds you why you made certain decisions and how far you’ve come.

And in the bigger picture, this kind of mentorship creates stronger, more financially resilient families and communities. Everyone benefits when financial literacy spreads.

At our firm, we offer simple ways for people to begin this learning journey, whether it’s a Discovery Session at our office or a Retirement Elevated class at a local college. If you know someone who’s ready to learn what you already may know, consider pointing them in that direction.

Turning the ‘Curse’ Into a Calling

The curse of knowledge only stays a curse if we keep what we’ve learned to ourselves.

So, think of the people in your life - friends, colleagues, or family members - who could use a nudge toward understanding their retirement future. Reach out, share what you’ve learned, and show them that this process doesn’t have to be overwhelming.

Because in the end, the best use of wisdom isn’t keeping it, it’s passing it on.