How the Dying Teach Us to Live Fully

Join Beau Henderson as he sits down with Dr. Jordan Grumet, a former hospice physician and author of The Purpose Code, for a deeply meaningful conversation about aligning money with meaning before it’s too late.

Dr. Grumet, also known as Doc G and host of the award-winning Earn & Invest podcast, shares how his years working with the terminally ill transformed his understanding of purpose, identity, and financial planning.

Beau opens by discussing the “Rich Life Retirement Roadmap,” which outlines five core components of retirement: investment risk management, income planning, healthcare, tax strategy, and estate planning. But at the very center of this framework is “YOU” — your unique values, priorities, and aspirations.

This episode expands on that core with profound insights into how we can plan our retirements (and our lives) around what matters most.

Dr. Grumet explains how many people delay asking big questions about purpose until retirement, or worse, until the end of life.

Drawing from his experience in hospice care, he emphasizes the urgency of living with intention now, rather than postponing fulfillment. “The dying can teach us the importance of doing the hard work of self-reflection before it’s too late,” he says.

One key highlight is the introduction of “Purpose Anxiety” — the paralyzing fear that many feel when pressured to discover one big, audacious purpose.

Dr. Grumet reframes this by distinguishing between “Big P Purpose” (the lofty goals we often idolize) and “Little p purpose” (the daily, fulfilling actions that align with our values). He encourages listeners to identify activities that light them up and incorporate them into everyday life, particularly as they plan for retirement.

Beau and Dr. Grumet discuss how financial advisors can better serve clients by starting with purpose-first planning. Rather than beginning with spreadsheets and retirement ages, advisors should ask, “Who do you want to be?” and “What life do you want to live?” Financial assets become the vehicle, not the destination.

The conversation then turns to redefining legacy. While most legacy discussions focus on money and estate documents, Dr. Grumet encourages listeners to consider “generational growth” — passing down purpose and intentional living.

He shares a moving story about how his grandfather’s love for math created ripples that affected generations, demonstrating that true legacy is lived and modeled, not just inherited.

As Beau notes, “Maybe the greatest legacy we can leave is simply to model a well-lived, intentional life.”