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If you're nearing your 40s in 2025, you're probably on the wrong retirement plan

That plan was built for a different world—one that no longer exists. The rules have changed. Most people just haven’t realised it yet.

Because let's be honest—the old retirement plan?

It's broken.

We were told to play it safe.

Study hard.

Get a good job.

Keep your head down.

Save what you can.

Then retire at 67 or 68—and maybe, if nothing goes wrong, enjoy whatever's left.

That's what our parents aimed for.

And we were told it would work for us too—if only we followed the same "good old script".

And for a while... maybe it did.

Back when a single salary could buy a home.

When jobs were stable.

When retirement actually meant something.

That world is gone.

You haven't just watched things go wrong—you've felt them.

You saw the system wobble and crack while everyone else pretended it was business as usual.

The 2008 crash didn't just hit the headlines.

It rattled your sense of security.

For some, it wiped out savings.

For others, it wiped out their future.

Then came 2020 and the pandemic.

Covid wasn't just a disruption—it was a reminder of how fragile everything really is.

Jobs.

Income.

Mental health.

Daily life.

None of it is as stable as we thought.

The hard numbers you can't ignore

After the Covid lockdowns ended, prices didn't just go up.

They exploded.

Why?

Because during lockdown, life was on pause.

Shops were shut.

Travel stopped.

Most people stayed home.

Spending slowed right down.

Then, when lockdown lifted?

Everyone rushed to spend.

Especially the richest—those who saved a tonne during lockdown.

Suddenly, they were buying cars, holidays, furniture, tech—everything.

But supply? It couldn't keep up.

Factories were behind.

Shipping was delayed.

Stock was limited.

There were bottlenecks everywhere.

So demand soared.

And prices followed.

That's what triggered the highest inflation spike in over four decades—on both sides of the Atlantic.

UK inflation peaked at 11.1% in October 2022.

US inflation hit 9.1% in June 2022.

By 2025, inflation has cooled off.

In the UK, it's now around 2.6%.

But the prices?

They didn't come back down.

They just stopped rising as fast.

The new base line?

In the UK, things are still 25.2% more expensive than they were in 2020.

In the US, it's around 22.1% more.

Meanwhile, wages?

In 2020, the average UK salary was £31,000.

By 2024, it had crawled to around £35,000.

Sounds like a raise… until you try buying anything.

That extra £4k didn't make you richer—it just made you slightly less worse off.

The cost of living is outpacing everything

You're working harder—but affording less.

And housing?

It's even worse.

The average UK home now costs 9x the average salary.

In the 1990s, it was just 3.5x

The dream your parents bought with one income?

Now it takes:

Homeowners ≠ safe

There was a time when owning a home meant you'd made it.

Not anymore.

In the UK, 1 in 5 people over 65 are still paying off a mortgage—or worse, renting privately.

In the US, nearly 30% of over-65s still have mortgage debt.

Back in 1990, that number was just 12%.

Even the ones who followed the script step by step?

Still came up short.

This isn't a blip. It's the new normal.

Rent's up.

Food's up.

Energy? Climbing.

Childcare? Through the roof.

And your wages?

Still trying to catch up—if they're moving at all.

You're making more on paper—but falling behind in real life.

The new normal looks like this:

And still, you're expected to keep going like nothing's changed, right?

You didn't fail the system.

The system failed you.

The ground is shifting under your feet

And most people?

They're still pretending it's business as usual.

But make no mistake—something big is happening.

We're living through the biggest shift in how we work, earn, and live since the internet—maybe even since the Industrial Revolution.

The global job market doesn't care about your postcode

Jobs that once felt safe?

Now outsourced.

Automated.

Replaced by cheaper labour or smarter software.

You're not just competing with people in your town anymore.

You're up against candidates in 150+ countries and AI tools that don't take breaks, don't ask for pensions, and don't sleep

In fact, according to Goldman Sachs, 83% of jobs now include at least one task that could be automated by AI.

The middle class is shrinking

This isn't theory.

It's happening.

🇬🇧 In the UK, "middle income" households dropped from 66% in the 1980s to 59% in 2024.

🇺🇸 In the US, the middle class's share of national income fell from 62% in 1970 to just 43% in 2023

Stop for a moment and let that sink in.

The stable, comfortable life they promised?

It's not the default anymore.

It's the exception.

No one's coming to save you

The things we need most—time, freedom, stability, and options—are turning into luxuries.

And by options, I mean having the space to pause, pivot, or deal with life—without everything crashing down.

There's no rescue plan.

No politician is going to radically improve your life on a personal level.

Not for your bills.

Not for your kids.

Not for your future.

You have to do this yourself.

And that's not the bad news.

That's where it actually starts.

"But Jacek, I'm already stretched thin..."

Between work, family, and just staying afloat—how the hell am I supposed to build something new?

Fair question.

And I get it.

When I put my son Alexander to bed each night—I feel that same weight.

The pressure.

The responsibility.

The quiet fear of what happens when I'm gone.

And raising a family today? It's no small thing

According to Child Poverty Action Group, the average cost of raising a child to age 18 in the UK is now over £160,000. That's around £900/month after tax!

No wonder you feel stretched.

But that's exactly why we need to move.

Now.

While we've still got the energy, the relevance, and a solid 10 years of health to build something that actually gives us freedom.

Not after we're burned out.

Not when we're outdated.

Not when it's too late to change things for the better.

Stay with me—because I've found a better way.

What I believe—and why this matters

Being in your 40s right now?

It's an advantage.

We've lived through recessions, burnout, and job loss.

We know what grit feels like.

We know how to work.

We've built resilience the hard way.

And now?

We've got enough perspective to see the big picture—but still enough time to rewrite it.

Old-school resilience meets modern tools.

Human experience meets machine leverage.

If we choose to adapt, we can build something smarter.

Something that doesn't just pay the bills—but gives us freedom, peace, and purpose.

I don't know about you, but I want to live a sovereign life

One built on personal freedom.

Self-mastery.

And peace of mind.

A life that leaves a legacy—for my son, and the people I love.

And to do that, I can't rely on a broken retirement system.

I need to build something profitable that's truly mine.

The path forward isn't more of the same

So if the traditional plan is broken, what's the alternative? I believe it starts with building something that's truly yours - something that aligns with your strengths and creates both meaning and money.

That's exactly what I'm doing

My name is Jacek Iciek.

I'm 40.

A dad.

And a full-time precious metals trader with:

But what I do have is:

And I bet that's enough to build something worthwhile—something that truly aligns with who I am, what I care about... and actually makes money.

I'm starting from scratch.

Building in public.

And documenting every step inside my free weekly newsletter called Meaning, Money and Mastery: After 40.

What's in it for you

It's not a course.

It's a roadmap.

I've created it for myself to figure out how to build something profitable, meaningful, and truly mine.

I'm sharing it as I progress and report my findings to help you do the same.

Think of it like a built-in GPS that swears, skips the fluff, and helps you build something real—something that actually fits your life.

No hype.

No shortcuts.

No pretending to be someone you're not.

Each Monday morning, you'll get one focused, real-world piece of the puzzle—designed to help you make progress, even if you're short on time, energy, or headspace.

Here's what we'll explore together:

✓ How to take honest stock of where you are - Not the "ideal you." The real you. We'll break down where your time, energy, and attention are going—and where your leverage actually lives.

✓ How to find your natural way to show up online - Writing, video, audio—whatever feels easiest and most sustainable. Once you find your medium, you can build momentum without forcing it.

✓ How to turn what you already know into value - We'll uncover the skills, insights, and lived experience you already have—and find ways to make them useful to others (and profitable for you).

✓ How to use AI as a tool, not a trap - This isn't about becoming a content machine. It's about using AI to save time, sharpen your thinking, and automate the stuff that drains your energy—so you can focus on what matters.

✓ How to build through small, fast iterations - At the core of this whole thing is one principle:

Every failure is not a verdict. It's a breadcrumb. A signal. Your next move.

Just like the Wright brothers didn't wait for a perfect flight plan—they built, tested, crashed, corrected, and flew.

You'll do the same:

Try → Fail → Adjust → Try again → Refine → Traction

The more often you loop, the faster you:

I didn't wait for a perfect niche or plan.

I started writing.

Shared what I knew.

Refined in public—and kept going.

That's the loop.

That's the real process.

And I'll walk you through it, step by step.