On 9^th June, we marked Heroes’ Day in Uganda. Media platforms were awash with messages praising all manner of heroes – freedom fighters, life savers, self-sacrificing workers, selfless leaders, altruistic givers… Hail the heroes!    

But even as we give the much-deserved acclaim to the stars of our lives, we should never forget that there is a hero inside each one of us and it’s amazing what that hero can do. To be one’s own hero is to look out for yourself and the things that elevate and fulfill you.  In contemporary lingua, people say, “webereremu” – be your own hero!

One of the most important things you can do as your own hero is to be foresighted enough as to prepare for your retirement. It is squarely upon you to determine what kind of life you would like to enjoy when you step out of active employment. Retirement is a reality of life. Commonly, people retire from active engagement because of old age and its attendant bodily changes. However, people may also retire owing to other circumstances for example if one suffers mental or physical disability which leaves them partially or totally incapacitated and unable to work and earn a reasonable livelihood.  The important thing is to understand that there’s a time to retire and one must plan for it.

Many people tend to perceive retirement as far-off, or even impossible. Some people believe that one retires only upon death; they plan to work hard for as long as they live. The youth think old age is too far away and they are more concerned about the pressures of today. They reason: “How can I possibly look ahead thirty years from today, when I have to worry about tonight’s dinner? What if I never make age 60? Whom can I trust with my savings anyway?”

All of those perceptions, concerns and questions are valid. The need to balance day-to-day pressure with future needs; the fear that savings may not be safe; the concern that life expectancy is short… However, at the end of the day one has to face life’s difficulties and make difficult choices. If you are struggling to make ends meet while you are still young, able-bodied and productive, what will happen when you are old and frail or when debilitating conditions set in?  How will you deal with old age poverty? What will be your starting point?

The hero in you should face the reality and start planning for retirement today. Indeed, retirement preparation takes some hard choices and self-discipline, which can only be achieved if one prioritizes oneself.

First you must have a clear vision for your retirement – what kind of retirement do you want to enjoy? Heroes are visionaries who see beyond the now. It is your responsibility to envision your retirement.

Healthwise, you must make the right choices today in order to enjoy good health in retirement. The food you eat, the lifestyle you lead, the level of physical activity – they all have implication for your health in retirement. This involves making tough choices too – the hallmark of a true hero.

Socially, you have to make choices about what kind of company you would like to keep in retirement. Choosing good, genuine friends can be a hard task too because elimination is a hard approach to take – only a self-hero will have the courage to drop names off their list of ‘friends’.

Perhaps the most important part of retirement planning is saving and investing. In a country where the saving culture is still wanting, it is safe to conclude that at individual level, saving for retirement is a heroic act – do it for yourself. And when you save, be sure you do it with a scheme which has been licenced by URBRA the sector regulator. The scheme will prudently invest your savings and make sure you have a good return by the time you retire.

It is upon you to plan your retirement, so be your own hero.