retirement was painful

[WarrantiesFurLess]

Greetings,

I am new here, and although I was retired early, I am not the retired type, I was bored stiff having fished and golfed to the point of saturation, so I went back to work and started a few more businesses, which is my passion from day one. I guess I am just a workaholic, and old habits are hard to break. lol

Good luck to all, Mike

 

[73ss454]

Hello Mike, sounds like your at the wrong forum. (heh)

 

[Coach]

Hi Mike, and welcome aboard! It sounds like you'll bring a viewpoint we don't see a lot of, and that's always valuable. Thanks for joining.

Coach

 

[BunsGettingFirm]

Greetings,

I am new here, and although I was retired early, I am not the retired type, I was bored stiff having fished and golfed to the point of saturation, so I went back to work and started a few more businesses, which is my passion from day one. I guess I am just a workaholic, and old habits are hard to break. lol

Good luck to all, Mike

There's nothing wrong with that. As long as you have the option to stop at any time, you're doing just fine.

 

[packrat44]

Mike,

I think the forum you are looking for is Workaholics-R-Us.

Welcome, IMO you will find this forum interesting.

 

[jambo101]

If you are happier working than fishing or golfing i'd say go back to work as life is short and its more fun being happy than it is to be bored or sad.

 

[novaman]

Welcome! I'd love to hear more details about your turnabout.

I had envisioned retiring really young (early forties), but a short 3 month break following a near career ending injury changed my mind. I was simply bored to tears and realized how much I enjoyed working and interacting with people.

 

[WarrantiesFurLess]

Retired bodies make for retired minds is what I find

Welcome! I'd love to hear more details about your turnabout.

I had envisioned retiring really young (early forties), but a short 3 month break following a near career ending injury changed my mind. I was simply bored to tears and realized how much I enjoyed working and interacting with people.

Interesting,

I thought I was the only one, in fact, those friends who have 9 to 5 jobs always wondered why I didn't retire when I sold my first business when I was much younger, so I guess it all comes down to different strokes for different folks, and I don't mean strokes, like in heart attacks. lol

I haven't had a job in decades, so I guess we have different mind sets when it comes to retirement. Given most of my friends and associates still work at a job, they envy the thought of retirement more than the typical entrepreneur does. Being in my own business came from a hobbie, so I never looked at is like a job, even thought I worked long and hard hours, it was still a hobbie, so I guess that is why I will never retire until the man above retires me. lol

Nice to see others enjoy working like I do beyond retirement, but like I said, everyone is different, just nice to get a read the opinions of others. Especially when hit by recession and you cannot count on retirement pension income like in the old days. When companies are going belly up left and right like Bear Stearns, you have to look at retirement and see why there is no security any longer, no matter how big a company you worked for. Sure changed the minds of a few friends who were just layed off with nothing, so for those already retired, I wish my best.

Good luck to all, Mike

 

[oma]

Glad to have you posting - as many of us haven't made the move to ER. I find your situation very interesting - as I have a big fear of boredom/lack of social interaction when retiring. Keep posting if you don't mind.

 

[Midpack]

I thought I was the only one, in fact, those friends who have 9 to 5 jobs always wondered why I didn't retire when I sold my first business when I was much younger, so I guess it all comes down to different strokes for different folks, and I don't mean strokes, like in heart attacks. Good luck to all, Mike

You're by no means the only one, but there is definitely an 'all work is evil' contingent here. I've been blasted for aspiring to a second career at something I'd really like to do after I retire from MegaCorp OR for suggesting that some people actually like the work they do...but they're entitled to their POV as long as they allow others (a few haven't grasped the last part).

 

[freebird5825]

try volunteer work. you can sign up, do a little, change your mind, take a few months off, whatever floats the boat. good stuff. everyone needs help, large or small.

welcome to the board.

 

[Nords]

You're by no means the only one, but there is definitely an 'all work is evil' contingent here. I've been blasted for aspiring to a second career at something I'd really like to do after I retire from MegaCorp OR for suggesting that some people actually like the work they do...but they're entitled to their POV as long as they allow others (a few haven't grasped the last part).

I don't object to work as much as I object to all the crap that's slung along with it. And the type of work some people have had to put up with surely is evil.

I also object to the paternalistic attitude of the financial (and still working) media assuring me that I'm going to be bored, unfulfilled, and a general millstone around the neck of society.

But as for praising the joys of work... well... I'm not sure which part of "Early Retirement" is associated with that lifestyle.

 

[dex]

I may not have ERd if work was not work - in other words - it was enjoyable and provided me with the lifestyle I wanted. And I did have it easy in my previous position - 165K salary - TV/Internet in office; worked 9-5 mostly and had a staff that did the grunt work. But I had the money and youth to ER - the work and lifestyle it provided wasn't worth my staying.
So what would work look like that would keep me working?
Salary - 150K - 250K
Days/Wk - 4
Hours 9-5
Vacation 2 months (amybe 3)
Content - something that challenges my mind in a wide area interests with a good team of people
Failing that I'd rather be bored.
Also; another thing to consider is that there are phases to ER and while there are boring time. I think those times are pointing towards a need for development.

PS - There is nothing wrong with working if you want to now and will not regret it in the future for missiong something.

 

[Rambler]

I think both work and ER can be defined differently by different people. One reason I want to ER is so that I can "work" in my yard, and "work" on my hobbies. WFL is, in a sense ERd, because he hasn't had a "job" for decades, but he is still working at his hobby of building businesses.

I say, if thats what makes you happy, great. When my time to FIRE comes though, I will be doing other things, with less rigid scheduling, more freedom, and a lot more focus on health and fitness.

R

 

[bongo2]

I also object to the paternalistic attitude of the financial (and still working) media assuring me that I'm going to be bored, unfulfilled, and a general millstone around the neck of society.

Perhaps this is a topic for another thread, but I've been wondering for a while: everyone around here loves their retirement, but the "experts," from psychology to finance, seem to all claim that retirement is a big mistake. Why the disconnect?

 

[MissParker]

Welcome Mike!

It is much better to be able to retire early and work because you love it then it is to not be able to retire and work because you have to.

 

[Midpack]

Perhaps this is a topic for another thread, but I've been wondering for a while: everyone around here loves their retirement, but the "experts," from psychology to finance, seem to all claim that retirement is a big mistake. Why the disconnect?

Maybe because most of the people here are by definition happy with retirement or they wouldn't be enamored with an Early Retirement website? Those who are happier working are, well, mostly busy working and not on this forum. There's nothing wrong with either camp, although there are some militants (some here even, can you imagine?) who can't accept another POV. Flame away...

 

[Rivrider]

Hi Mike

ER isn't for everyone. Some people love their jobs. Some just need something to do. You've got to go with whats right for you.

The ones I feel sorry for are those that hate their jobs(me for the next seven months), but can't afford to quit.

I have no idea what will happen when I ER. If I'm bored, at least I can afford to look for something that I will enjoy rather than having to do something I hate.

 

[friar1610]

try volunteer work. you can sign up, do a little, change your mind, take a few months off, whatever floats the boat. good stuff. everyone needs help, large or small.

Volunteer work has been an essential part of my ER. Here's what I like about volunteering:
- I get to do something I enjoy (in my case, doing adult literacy tutoring and also - in a separate venue - helping older military veterans.)
- I get to set my own hours. I tell them how much time I'm willing to put in; they appreciate what I do and have learned not to push me to do more. I volunteer Sept - May but take the summer off. (I hike, paddle and work on my yard June - Aug.) They understand that.
- Because of the work I've done, I'm well respected in the organizations in which I volunteer.
- I don't have to go to staff meetings! Because I've worked up credibility where I volunteer, I've been offered the "opportunity" to attend staff meetings. (They think I'm one of them.) My answer is always the same: "Thank you very much but, being retired, I dont do staff meetings any more."

 

[Kitty]

You have to do what ever makes you happy. You are happy working I was not I love being retired I checked my ambition at the door to retirement and walked out without it.

Life is great for both of us.

Kitty

 

[Meadbh]

Greetings,

I am new here, and although I was retired early, I am not the retired type, I was bored stiff having fished and golfed to the point of saturation, so I went back to work and started a few more businesses, which is my passion from day one. I guess I am just a workaholic, and old habits are hard to break. lol

Good luck to all, Mike

Today, on a flight, I met a woman who felt the same way. She is ER, has a $0.5m home and enough money to travel worldwide several times a year, and was on her way to visit a sick friend. She is considering "starting something entrepreneurial, to have a purpose". I understand where you both are coming from. But I didn't point out that if she were not FI, she would not be able to rush to her sick friend's side as she was doing today (purposeful, I think), nor would she have been able to spend the first 3 months of 2008 in New Zealand.

The key here is choice, which depends on financial independence.

 

[A854321]

I'm not one of the ER bunch, but I am reading and listening to this forum all I can to get to the FI part, in a happy way.

There is so much to learn from others.

 

[rs0460a]

My thoughts on this...

Happiness comes in many forms.

If you have the ability to "retire" (e.g. being financially independent) but still want to do something - go for it!

As others have said, there are those on the forum that think "the way I did/do it is the only way"...

Nonsense! Life is short - if what you are doing pleases you (and you don't hurt anybody else), "just do it".

For me, I retired "before the age of 60" (59 ) and I get my "bliss" by volunteer work. Others can't see "doing something" (even if retired) for someone else without getting paid for it. That's OK with me. I'm happy, and I hope they are.

Take care...

- Ron

 

[TickTock]

The key here is choice, which depends on financial independence.

And Meadbh nails it!

The FI part must come first; then you can RE, or volunteer, or be an entrepenuer, or whatever else makes you happy.

 

[unclemick]

I have posted this as best my memory can recall several times:

Anybody remember the old E.F. Hutton(?) tv ad with the old phart and the young man sorting bones in a tent on a dig - the young guy complaining and the old guy smirking that he could afford to to this because he presumably had picked the right stock broker.

'Follow your Bliss!'

The corollary being you are FI and can manage it.

heh heh heh - In some 'jobs' pay is just a way of keeping score. In others - irrelevent.