Why Your Portfolio Won’t Make You Happy (But This Will)

Be one of a kind with Mike's Plan.

January 7th is here, man. We've already completed a full week of 2026. This is the One of a Kind Financial Show Daily with your host, Mike Milligan. Uh, a happy retirement isn't just a dream, it's a destination you plan for. Um, on the One of a Kind Financial Show, Gary and I unpack the financial, emotional, and spiritual ingredients of a true retirement, um, and the joy that it can bring, and more importantly, how you can build it. We went over how freedom comes from structure. Health plus— health plus wealth equals joy. Purpose doesn't retire. Debt-free equals drama-free. Relationships matter more than returns, and a retirement income plan equals confidence. But I want you to stay around and listen to this segment and hear what I said at the end around generosity and joy. I tell a story that is absolutely, uh, it is the truth when it comes to what a retiree can face and how they should approach joy in retirement. Enjoy this segment from the One of a Kind Financial Show.

What does a happy retirement look like? It's more than beach chairs and bucket lists. It's about peace of mind, purpose, and the freedom to live on your terms without the fear of outliving your money or missing your calling. Now, in this episode, we're going to dive into the core pillars of retirement happiness and show you how a clear financial plan can make your golden years shine. Freedom comes from structure, Mike.

Well, it may sound counterintuitive, but freedom in retirement doesn't happen by accident. It comes from having a plan, just like a beautiful garden needs a fence to keep the rabbits and the animals out. A fulfilling retirement needs boundaries around it. And those boundaries would be a budget, an income plan strategy, and contingency plans, or another word for that is guardrails. And so with structure, you actually gain the freedom to say yes to what matters the most, like travel, family, or faith-based activities.

How about this? Health plus wealth equals joy.

Well, guys, you're not wealthy if you're not healthy. There's— it's— you don't get to enjoy what you've put on paper or in investment accounts if you can't get out and be active. So, a happy retirement includes a really good Medicare plan, a long-term care plan strategy, and again, income plans that will adjust with inflation. The sooner you plan to be healthy and how to enjoy your wealth, the sooner and more confident you can age with grace and independence. And you could probably do that one-of-a-kind life stuff too.

Yeah, absolutely. And this is so true. Purpose doesn't retire, Mike. You need a purpose. You need a reason to get up out of bed in the morning.

Yeah. Studies show that people with a strong sense of purpose live longer, healthier lives, whether it's volunteering, mentoring, or finally writing that novel, purpose is what turns spare time into sacred time. A good retirement plan supports not just your lifestyle, but your legacy.

Yeah, I'm dying to write the book on, you know, I was in radio business for over 40 years, the regular radio business. I'm dying to write a book about some of the experiences because some of the stories are just unbelievable, Mike.

Well, I mean, for, for, for you, while the people you got to interview, the music you got to listen to, the awards events you got to go to, Yes. It's really a fascinating group of people. Creatives are just by nature, they live life like on a different stratosphere than what like analytical people do.

The show is the one of a kind financial show. I'm Gary Nolan, your consumer advocate. Let's get you on Mike's calendar, all set up with that comprehensive plan. It's 2026. Now's the time to act. You listen to the show each week. We certainly do appreciate that you do that, but now's the time to take action. 800-748-1838. 800-748-1838, or text the word ideas to 600-700. The folks at Warnock Financial standing by ready for your phone call. Here's another equation: debt-free equals drama-free.

Uh, nothing steals joy in retirement faster than having to stroke a check to a MasterCard that has lingered with a balance for a long time.

Yeah, exactly.

So from paying off your mortgage, which, man, I, I've, I've seen Thousands of people. I've been right with people when they've paid off their mortgage. The joy that not having that payment any longer brings is exhilarating. To even having smart tax-efficient withdrawal strategies, these bring financial peace. And that comes with you not paying interest, where you're not servant to the debt holder, but you're actually earning. A happy retirement lives within your means, not your memories.

A couple of minutes left. Relationships matter more than returns, Mike. Is that possible?

Yeah. According to Harvard study spanning 80 years, strong relationships, not portfolio performance, these are the key to long-term happiness. That's why retirees with clarity around finances can focus more on family dinners, weekend getaways, going to their grandkids, Sporting events, traveling, watching your grandkids grow up. See, a happy retirement is a shared experience. It's not something you put on the shelf and pull down and look at once a year.

A retirement income plan equals confidence.

Happiness. This BlackRock study, we talked about it in the previous segment and on the podcast, we talked about this, this study about when you mix guaranteed lifetime income with an appropriate Social Security strategy, it gives you the ability to spend more. And it reduces risk. This is so true. A written income plan answers the big questions. Where does the paycheck come from? What's the backup plan if the market drops or my health changes? And confidence continues to grow when you know how the plan works, no matter what's going on with things you can't control.

Right. Absolutely. Makes a lot of sense. And finally, generosity multiplies joy.

Yeah. Ancient wisdom reminds us it is more blessed to give than to receive. You know, coming out of the Christmas season, Right? We got to experience a lot of that in person. It reminds me of a story that I recently heard from a business owner whose brother was his business partner. And the brother, the older brother bought the younger brother a brand new vehicle. And this little kid walks by and says, sir, can I see your truck? And the guy was like, yes, I'll be happy to show you your truck. And the older guy was expecting this little kid to say, man, I can't wait to own a truck that day. But what the kid said is, I can't wait to be a brother who can buy my brother a truck like this.

Wow.

That's a great story, Mike.

And when you think about what generosity is for people, like the joy it brings in giving, that's what we want in retirement. We want to enter retirement like a child thinks about life.

The one-of-a-kind financial plan. Tell us about it. We got about a minute.

Um, guys, I think you're missing some stuff in life, and, um, you're missing some joy. Maybe you're missing happiness. Maybe you're just living a life that's— that you're content with. Uh, in order to satisfy these and get some things in writing for you, we have to make sure your risk capacity is right. That you actually have a written tax plan and that income is stable and adjusting with inflation. Guys, the place I know to get that is on Colley Avenue or in a Zoom meeting when you call in with us. I wrote the book called The One of a Kind Financial Plan. It's available on Amazon. And that book for you is, can help you live with comfort, live with less fear, live with less anxiety. And if you work with us, we'll actually help you write the plan. I'm a— I'm an author and I'm good at writing, but I'm really good at putting financial meaning to your life. And I would love to help you write the story of what the rest of your life is going to be like.

And it starts by picking up the phone and dialing this number: 800-748-1838. 800-748-1838.

Or text the word ideas to 600-700- This has been the One of a Kind Financial Show Daily with your host, Mike Milligan. Again, Gary gave you ways to connect with us on the phone number or our text line. But I want to remind you that I am— that's Mike Milligan— is an investment advisory rep with Advisory Alpha LLC. Ideas by Mike, doing business as One Oak Financial, is an unaffiliated entity of Advisory Alpha LLC. All opinions expressed by me and Gary Nolan From the One of a Kind Financial Show are strictly our opinions. This is done for education purposes only. Please consult with a tax advisor, a qualified financial professional, or various resources that are out there offered by investor.gov, socialsecurity.gov, or, um, or other reliable sources. Until next time, this has been Mike Milligan.

Be one of a kind with Mike's plan. Innovation growth, take a stand. Visibility strategy, take the lead. Transformation's yours, fulfill the need. Mike's got the way to help you rise and stay. Leadership impact you'll find in your one-of-a-kind mind. Be one of a kind. Take the flight. Mike's the guide. You'll shine bright.