America’s retirement savings stand at $12.2 trillion—a staggering figure that represents not just dollars, but dreams. Every contribution to a 401(k) or IRA is more than a number; it’s a promise to your future self: You’ll have the freedom to choose how you live, work, and give back in your later years.

And yet, more people are dipping into these accounts early, using them like piggy banks for short-term needs. AWall Street Journal report shows withdrawals are rising faster than expected. What’s at stake isn’t just money—it’s decades of compounded growth and the choices that growth gives you.

The Real Question: What Kind of Life Do You Want?

Most of us don’t want to simply “survive retirement.” We want to thrive—travel, deepen relationships, pursue passions we didn’t have time for earlier. But those opportunities hinge on choices we make now. Every dollar you withdraw today isn’t just lost—it’s multiplied over decades into missed experiences, unstarted ventures, and unrealized potential.

The Age Brilliantly mindset asks: What does your most fulfilling life look like at 70, 80, 90, even 100? For some, it’s meaningful work without financial pressure. For others, it’s freedom to move closer to grandchildren, launch a nonprofit, or explore the world. That vision demands long-term thinking. Treating retirement accounts as short-term cash erodes not just savings, but the future freedom to choose a purpose-driven path.

Building Lifelong Freedom, Not Just a Nest Egg

True financial success isn’t just hitting a number—it’s designing a life where your finances fuel your health, relationships, passion, and purpose. That means seeing savings as a tool for fulfillment, not just a cushion against fear. It also means reframing money decisions through the lens of your future self: Will this choice bring me closer to the life I want, or pull me further away?

Where to Learn and Take Action

If you didn’t grow up with financial guidance (and many of us didn’t), there are great starting points:

10 Great Resources to Build Financial Resilience

Here are ten free or low-cost resources to help you learn, plan, and stay on track:

1. Khan Academy Personal Finance – Free courses on budgeting, saving, and investing basics.
2. Mint – A budgeting app that tracks spending and helps you plan for emergencies.
3. You Need a Budget (YNAB) – Paid app with a hands-on approach to breaking the paycheck-to-paycheck cycle.
4. SmartAsset – Calculators and tools for understanding retirement projections and emergency planning.
5. NerdWallet – Guides on saving strategies, emergency funds, and credit management.
6. Vanguard Investor Tools – Visualizes how withdrawals affect future growth and retirement readiness.
7. America Saves – Campaign and tips to encourage building separate emergency savings.
8. MyMoney.gov – U.S. government resource on budgeting, saving, and borrowing wisely.
9. ChooseFI – A community and podcast exploring financial independence and practical strategies.
10. National Endowment for Financial Education (NEFE) – Research-based tools to strengthen decision-making skills.

These resources aren’t just about money—they’re about freedom. They help you master one of the 8 Life Essentials (finance) so you can better nurture the others—health, relationships, passion, purpose, and beyond.

A 100-Year Life Demands a New Mindset

The old model—retire at 65, live a few “golden years,” and be done—is obsolete. Many of us will have decades of vibrant life ahead. That means planning, protecting, and investing with an entirely different vision: not just to make ends meet, but to make life meaningful across every stage.

What vision do you have for your future self? What decisions today will help you get there? Join the conversation in theAge Brilliantly Forum and see how others are rethinking money as a pathway to purpose.