This article appears as part of Casey Weade's Weekend Reading for Retirees series. Every Friday, Casey highlights four hand-picked articles on trending retirement topics and delivers them straight to your email inbox. Get on the list here.

For author Tom Pendergast, initially, retirement felt liberating. However, this newfound freedom soon gave way to boredom and an identity crisis. He experienced a loss of status and ego associated with his previous high-profile roles, which were core elements that shaped his sense of self. Tom found he yearned for a sense of "mattering" that came with meaningful work and relationships in his career, rather than the superficial rewards of money and status. To fill this void, Tom embraced more humble, hands-on work, such as selling pastries at a market. This transition helped him rediscover the joy of simple, repetitive tasks and connecting with others.

Key Takeaways: Your truest form of fulfillment in retirement won’t stem from ego-driven achievements, but from authentic experiences and relationships that matter. This is your opportunity to step away from conventional markers of success that are no longer relevant and to uncover where you can make the biggest impact today.