Personal values
Your plan for the next chapter starts from what you value, not from what is expected of a retiree.
The framework
Preferment: retirement transition coaching, redesigned
Last updated: November 2, 2026
Preferment is the Rarified Life framework for turning retirement into an active, purpose-driven next chapter, moving in six steps from identity to a mission you name yourself.
Rarified Life describes Preferment as research-backed and built around three anchors: aligning your future plans with your personal values, pursuing work that is meaningful to you, and continuing to learn. It is taught by founder Anne van Leynseele in a live 8-week course, using her book Preferment as the text and workbook.
What is the Preferment framework?
The Preferment framework is a structured sequence for the non-financial side of retirement. The word preferment means advancement or promotion, and the framework is built on that idea: the chapter after a career is an ascension, not a winding down.
It is not a self-help pep talk. Each module builds on the last, and homework between sessions turns reflection into decisions. Rarified Life's premise is that you do not need a five-year plan to begin; you need a room to start figuring it out in.
The six Preferment modules
Module 1
Introduction
Where you are right now, and why the old model of retirement was never built for someone like you. This module names the gap between how retirement is usually planned and how high achievers actually experience it.
Module 2
Identity
Separating who you are from what you did for a living. For many people this is the hardest step, and the one that makes every later step possible.
Module 3
Motivation
Finding what actually moves you, now that a paycheck is not the reason to get up in the morning.
Module 4
Alignment
Matching your values and strengths to how you will actually spend your days, so the plan fits the person rather than the other way around.
Module 5
Accountability
Building the structure that turns intention into a lived routine. Good intentions fade without structure; this module supplies it.
Module 6
Launch
Naming your mission for this next chapter, and stepping into it.
“Growth is a journey inward as much as forward, where every step reveals a part of you that was always meant to shine.”
Meaningful pursuits
Days filled with errands and appointments give way to pursuits that people actually ask you about.
Continuous learning
Growth does not stop at the end of a career. Preferment treats learning as part of the plan.
How do you start with Preferment?
The recommended first step is the 40-minute Breakthrough Session. From there, the Preferment live course works through all six modules over eight weeks. Women in their 50s and 60s can also start with the free presentation. For context on how this differs from other options, read what a retirement coach does.
Where to go next
First step
The 40-minute Breakthrough Session
A focused first conversation before committing to anything larger.
Read about the sessionThen
Explore the Preferment platform
Six modules, from identity to launch, taught over eight live weeks.
Explore Preferment
Common questions
- What is Preferment?
- Preferment is the Rarified Life framework and platform for reshaping retirement into an active, purpose-driven next chapter. The word means advancement or promotion, which reflects the idea behind it: treating the years after a career as an ascension rather than an ending. It is taught in a live 8-week course led by founder Anne van Leynseele. More in the FAQ
- What are the six Preferment modules?
- The six modules are Introduction, Identity, Motivation, Alignment, Accountability and Launch. They move from understanding where you are now, to separating who you are from what you did, finding what moves you, matching values to daily life, building structure, and finally naming your mission for the next chapter. More in the FAQ
- Who is Preferment for?
- Preferment is built for driven people, particularly high achievers planning life after 50, who are done treating retirement as an ending. It suits people whose identity has been closely tied to their work and who want a structured path rather than a pep talk. More in the FAQ
- What if my whole identity is wrapped up in my work?
- That is exactly who Preferment is built for. The Identity module focuses on separating who you are from what you did for a living. Rarified Life's free presentation says its plan works even if your entire identity has been wrapped up in your work. More in the FAQ
- What if I have no idea what I want next?
- That is a normal starting point. Rarified Life's free presentation covers how to pinpoint what your future self really wants, even if it feels like a total mystery now. The course adds that you do not need a five-year plan, just a structured place to start. More in the FAQ