How to put your money to work
Think of the "jobs" money does for you
Last week, I shared the story of two women — both newly retired, both financially secure — who ended up living two very different versions of retirement.
If you missed it, you can catch up here:
It wasn’t a story about money, really.
It was a story about what they wanted their money to do for them.
That’s something most people don’t think about - but should.
The hidden truth about retirement planning
Here’s something I’ve learned after 30+ years of working with women as they prepare for and transition into retirement:
You’re not just creating a retirement plan.
You’re hiring it - along with your money - to do a job (more likely, multiple jobs) in your life.
This idea comes from something called the “Jobs to Be Done” framework.
It’s often used in product design, but it applies to your retirement planning too.
The idea is simple:
People don’t want a quarter-inch drill. They want a quarter-inch hole.
~ Theodore Levitt
They’re not buying the tool - they’re buying the outcome.
The result.
And that’s true here, too.
You’re not building a retirement plan just to organize your accounts or check a box on your to-do list.
You’re building it to help you feel something: safe, confident, independent, free, generous, prepared.
Back to those two retirements…
The women I wrote about — Carol and Dana — had similar retirement resources.
But their values, their fears, and their priorities were completely different.
One wanted to keep her options open and protect her independence — even if it meant spending less.
The other wanted to front-load her retirement with meaning, connection, and joy — because she knew those healthy, active years wouldn’t last forever.
They were hiring their money to do very different jobs.
That’s why their plans - and their lives - looked different.
So… what job is your money doing?
Here are a few of the most common jobs I see women hire their money to do in retirement:
Peace of Mind: “Help me stop worrying about running out of money.”
Independence: “Make sure I never become a burden to my family.”
Legacy: “Take care of the people I love after I’m gone.”
Experience: “Help me enjoy the time I’ve earned - while I’m still healthy and able.”
Security: “Protect me from the unexpected.”
Most women are trying to solve more than one of these at once.
That’s normal.
But it helps to get clear on which jobs matter most - and whether your money is doing those jobs to your satisfaction.
Try this:
Think about your biggest retirement worry at the moment.
That worry is probably a clue - pointing to a job your money isn’t doing very well.
Once you know what that job is, it becomes easier to:
Make clear, confident financial decisions
Tune out the noise
And enjoy the retirement you’ve worked so hard for
I’ll ask you again:
What job is your money doing for you right now?
And is it doing the job that matters most to you?
Here’s more on Jobs to be Done where you’ll learn why customers “hire” a milkshake from McDonald’s:
Thanks for reading.
Until next Wednesday,
Russ
I've probably heard/read this before but really like the way you explain it here. Really helped clarify some things for me. Now I really need to do some serious thinking.