Ep 175 - If Your Retirement Plan Feels Boring, You’re Probably Doing It Right

If your retirement plan feels boring, that might actually mean it’s working. In this episode, Joe Curry explains why disciplined, boring retirement planning leads to better long-term outcomes — and how chasing excitement, headlines, or FOMO can quietly derail your retirement income strategy.

Key Takeaways

1. Boring isn’t broken — it’s intentional.
   A retirement plan that feels calm and uneventful is often doing exactly what it’s designed to do: quietly fund your life.

2. Excitement increases risk, stress, and regret.
   Plans built around big changes, predictions, or trends tend to rely on emotion rather than discipline.

3. FOMO is about excitement, not opportunity.
   In retirement planning, fear of missing out usually leads to unnecessary changes that hurt long-term results.

4. Slow Adjustments Beat Sudden Moves
   A disciplined plan adjusts for taxes, income needs, and life changes - without emotional reactions to headlines.

5. Progress doesn’t always feel productive.
   Especially near retirement, consistency matters more than clever moves or constant activity.

Insights Worth Sharing

“Your retirement plan isn’t supposed to entertain you — it’s supposed to quietly fund your life.”

“The more exciting your retirement plan feels, the more likely it is to break.”

“Boring removes guesswork, reduces stress, and avoids emotional decisions.”

“In retirement, the goal shifts from winning to not breaking the plan.”

“Retirement success is rarely loud — it’s quiet, repetitive, and boring. And that’s why it works.”

Why a “Boring” Retirement Plan Is Often the Best Sign of Success

If your retirement plan feels boring right now — no urgent changes, no dramatic moves, no constant tweaking — that might actually be good news.

One of the biggest misconceptions in retirement income planning is that progress should feel active. We’re wired to believe that doing something, changing something, or reacting to new information means we’re being responsible. But when it comes to retirement planning, especially in your 60s and beyond, that mindset can quietly work against you.

The truth is, the most successful retirement plans often feel uneventful. They don’t depend on predicting the next market move, reacting to headlines, or chasing last year’s best-performing investment. Instead, they rely on discipline — and discipline isn’t exciting.

As you approach retirement, the stakes naturally feel higher. Recovery time shortens, emotions run stronger, and small mistakes can compound more quickly. That’s exactly when many people feel the urge to “do more.” But ironically, this is when doing less — and sticking to a sound plan — matters most.

A good, boring retirement plan doesn’t mean ignoring your finances or avoiding adjustments. Quite the opposite. It includes globally diversified portfolios, rules-based rebalancing, tax-efficient withdrawal strategies, and income planning that’s reviewed and optimized each year. The key difference is how those decisions are made — slowly, intentionally, and without emotional reactions.

It’s also important to separate boredom from freezing. Parking everything in cash or avoiding all investment risk may feel safe, but that kind of “boring” can quietly erode your purchasing power over time. A disciplined plan still grows, evolves, and adapts to changes in tax rules, markets, and your life. It just doesn’t chase trends or headlines.

If excitement isn’t the goal, what should your retirement plan give you instead? Confidence, not certainty. Calm, not control. Clarity, not prediction. And yes — boredom instead of adrenaline.

If you’re feeling uncomfortable with your plan, it’s worth asking: is something actually wrong, or is it simply not entertaining? You can stay informed without taking action. Market news can be interesting — even useful — but it doesn’t need to drive your decisions.

And if FOMO creeps in, don’t fix it with more trades. Fix it with a conversation. Talk with your spouse, your advisor, or a trusted professional who understands long-term retirement income planning.

Because the most dangerous mistake in retirement isn’t standing still — it’s confusing activity with progress. Retirement success is rarely loud. It’s quiet, repetitive, and yes, a little boring. And that’s exactly why it works.

Learn more about our retirement planning process at MatthewsAndAssociates.ca.