James Sinegal, co-founder and former CEO of Costco Wholesale Corporation, continues to defy retirement norms at the age of 89. He officially stepped down as CEO in 2012, but Sinegal still comes into the office every Tuesday. His almost-daily presence is an expression of his steadfast devotion to TPC — the company he built. The spirit of his work ethic reflects the values that his teacher, Sol Price, entrusted in him. Sol’s influence truly loomed over his professional philosophy.
Sinegal’s time at Costco was nearly three decades long, and during that period he held the titles of both president and CEO. Together with fellow businessman Jeff Brotman, he co-founded the now-legendary retail chain that is often credited with revolutionizing the wholesale retail model. To illustrate his commitment to the grocery industry, he visits Costco stores every week. He doesn’t leave because of duty — he genuinely cares deeply about the industry and the business.
Sinegal describes his new role attached to Costco as a hobby. At one point he famously defined that if you find something you’re passionate about, it won’t feel like a job. “Find something you are really passionate about and you won’t have to work a day in your life,” he stated. It’s no surprise, then, that recent research has found that a large percentage of retirees experience post-retirement depression. That’s not the case with Sinegal’s experience.
His daily presence in the offices and store inspections demonstrates his commitment. Together, they represent his sincere excitement about the firm. As Sinegal himself has stated, “Nobody’s got a gun to my head,” underscoring his choice to do the Costco thing. His work goes beyond the traditional idea of retirement to model how people can engage with real success.
During his long career, Sinegal has been a mentor to students already and to aspiring entrepreneurs. In a 2016 convocation address to students at Loyola Marymount University, he taught that infusing passion into your work makes the work worth doing. He challenged everyone to make their health and family a priority. Approach work as icing on the cake, but only if it can be integrated into your life.
“Worry about your livelihood, you gotta worry about your health and you gotta worry about your family. Anything else you do is a bonus, if you’re able to sneak it in there.”
Sinegal’s excitement is shared with hundreds of other young business leaders whose eyes light up when they learn what he’s done. His ongoing connection to Costco exemplifies a deep-rooted commitment that transcends conventional retirement expectations.
Sinegal’s understanding rings true with the research of Teresa M. Amabile on intrinsic motivation. She is the author and prominent researcher at Harvard Business School who has looked closely at the retirement crisis. She noted that many people don’t know who they are when they are no longer working. In order to weather this transition, she urged them to think about what they want to bring from their professional lives going forward.
“Consider who you are in your career life, which pieces of your working self you’ll be able to take with you, and which ones you want to leave behind.”
Sinegal thinks that there’s something powerful about connecting passion to the work you want to do. This principle informs all of the others as people walk through their careers. His conviction that being true to your dreams is the most important thing you can do has been borne out in his own life story.
“I do it because I love it; if you can find something you love, it will be a great gift for you.”