If you are looking for the best example of how to destroy your long and successful life with a major mistake in its last act, look no further than Shakespeare’s tragic story about Lear, the King of  Britain.

Here’s a guy who could have really benefited from some executive coaching or family therapy, but who isolated himself from his capable and caring advisors, Gloucester and Kent and acted upon his own really bad idea for retirement.

Since it would be hard to reach this age without having read Lear, I’ll assume I need issue no spoiler alert about the plot and its outcome.  Lear, entering his ninth decade, decides to give his realm to his three daughters.  “’tis our fast intent To shake all cares and business from our age Conferring them on younger strengths while we Unburdened crawl toward death.”  So far so good.  Excellent succession planning and retirement plan!  Then, Lear veers off course when he decides to base the division of the realm on his daughters’ profession of their love for him:  “Tell me, my daughters which of you shall we say doth love us most, that we our largest  bounty may extend where nature doth with merit challenge.”

You’ll recall that Goneril and Regan outdo each other with bullshit claims of love while Cordelia proffers that she “loves your majesty acccording to my bond, no more no less.”  Cue Buelah the Buzzer! Cue Groucho Marx’s duck!  Wrong answer, my dear.

Lear disowns his only true daughter, and the rest of the play chronicles the disastrous consequences:  Lear thrown out of his daughters’ homes and left to the violence of the storm, Gloucester  blinded, Kent banished, Edgar hunted, and ultimately, Cordelia murdered.  Really bad outcomes all around!

So what did good Will want us to take away from this tale of old age gone awry???  First of all, get some good advice and counsel. Second, don’t do anything rash. Third, have a realistic view of your own needs and those on whom you will need to rely.  Finally, don’t give up your independence and become totally reliant on your children for support, housing, etc.

Lear ignored all of those tenets and ended up in deep doodoo.  Be warned.