I never want to retire.

When most hear that, they don't understand me. They think I'll change my mind... Surely he'll realize he wants to stop working.

But that's the truth, I've never wanted to retire - and I don't ever see myself doing so. Why would I?

In today's Letter, I question how we see retirement, and why I never want to do so.

Grab a mug of coffee with butter, and let's hop in, my friend.

Why on Earth do people want to retire?

When I hear people talk of retirement, I can't do more than shake my head.

But then I do realize why they want to do so...

It's because they hate what they do.

I mean heck, if you're not getting paid for what you love, and you're hating every day apart from the weekends... sure, retirement sounds great.

But the question is... which one will get you faster - the graveyard or retirement?

The retirement ages are continuously rising. People my age (21) might not see such a thing as retirement. But older people too see it becoming more difficult to achieve.

But what if you didn't have to retire? What if your days would be filled with joy rather than boredom?

How do you see retirement? Do you see it as something where you're on a beach in Mallorca, Spain sipping butter coffee when you're 67?

That's OK if you have that dream. And I bet it can be nice... but how long will that nice feeling last?

(If you don't get the butter coffee joke yet, ​watch this short Instagram video​.)

When business owners retire after selling their businesses, it's fun for a while. You get to enjoy all fruits of your labour... but sometime after, you feel you lack something.

And what you lack is contribution.

We humans are designed to contribute to humanity.

Without contributing to humanity, we don't feel as good - and that's biologically a fact.

Sipping the butter coffee on the beach could feel nice for a bit, but if you don't contribute to humanity anymore after a good while... your happiness will take a hit.

If retirement means doing nothing, that won't bring lasting happiness.

So, I understand if people want to get out of their jobs.

But I don't understand why people want to stay in jobs they hate for 40+ years waiting to retire.

What if you could find a way to enjoy your life, and do all the things you want to do before retirement age?

What if you could continue contributing to humanity while also not working 12 hours a day?

What if you could be energized by your work?

Well, my friend, that's possible.

Let me go through what I've done so far, and what you could do as well.

A freedom business

Build a freedom business.

This is a business that relies a lot on automation and delegation.

This is what I have done so far because my dream is not to work 14h days indoors. My dream is to travel the world while helping other people achieve their own dreams.

Your dream might be different - but we all seek autonomy, the ability to choose what to do, where and when, to an extent at least.

I'm able to travel the world, take photographs that I want to take, and enable all that by teaching others online.

It's not as simple as hopping on a call with a student... of course, there are strategies, systems and lots of other pieces in place.

But at a high level, a business can look like:

You make content and post content.

You capture the contact info of potential clients.

You see could you help a client.

You help them if you can.

You help them.

You get paid.

That would be the high-level version of the business I am running.

If you made money by taking photos and used social media to do the marketing, it'd look like something like this:

You take photos.

You make videos about the photos.

You capture the contact info of potential clients.

You see could you help a client.

You help them if you can.

You help them.

You get paid.

Photography and teaching online are both amazing ways to run businesses. They both can enable you the freedom, the autonomy, you're looking for.

I don't know what your dream is... but imagine if you could travel where you want... and when you want? You could wander around take in the scenery, take photos... before being in retirement age.

Wouldn't that be nice?

Next up, I want to show you a bit more about what has helped me build my business.

The offer that brings freedom

There are many things you can offer.

Let's take photography as an example.

You could go to your local flower shop and market your work.

But what you could also do is find companies, or other people, who have the money to buy more expensive things.

The flower shop could have a budget of €100. The bigger company could have €10,000.

How do you think you'd make the most money? By working with the flower shop - or the bigger company?

Yes, the bigger company, of course.

I'm not saying don't offer anything to the people who are not rich.

I'm saying you can offer different things to people.

And, especially, once you've been able to get a business going.

Let me ask you another question.

Would it be easier to land 50 clients for €100? Or 2 clients for €2,500?

You might say the 50 clients... but you'd be surprised how much easier it is to find the 2 for €2,500.

Imagine if you only need 2 clients at €2,500 to make €5,000 a month.

And that's more than doable with the right frameworks and knowledge.

When you'd have a €2,500 offer, you could just find 2 clients per month or heck, you could have them on a retainer... and all you need to do is do those shoots for them... and now you've made your money.

From 2 shoots!

Or the same with teaching, you'd find 2 people you could coach for €2,500.

Hugo... that's impossible.

Nah, it is not. There are people charging 5-figures for coaching, heck, some 7-figures.

So you can definitely get someone for 4-figures.

Making a career you don't want to retire from

We all have our unique dreams.

Maybe I want to spend the winter months in Finland, maybe you want to be on the beaches of Thailand.

But whatever your dream is, it's much more than doable.

Why not start building a life of yours today instead of waiting until you retire? Especially, as you don't know will you make it there... if I can be so direct.

What if you could experience the stuff you want earlier in life, while you're still healthier?

Wouldn't that be amazing?

If you're ready to build a photography career that’s so fulfilling you’ll never want to retire, I could help you with that.

I'm just now taking my first students for Photos to Profit Launchpad.

In that program, I’ll show you how to turn your passion into profit by securing your first clients and building a sustainable business.

If you want to join the waitlist and secure your spot when I take new students... click here to join the waitlist.

If you're already running a photography business and would like to build a personal brand and scale your business with social media...

or you'd like to start making money by teaching online, like me, fill in this form.

I'll chat with you to see if I can help you reach your goal much sooner than your retirement age.

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I hope you enjoyed this week's Letter, my friend.

I felt like writing about something a little different this week. :)

We'll be back next week with another Letter.

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Alright, till next week my friends,

Hugo