When to retire?

[Rich_in_Tampa]

Originally Posted by zcung

I am not much of a debater here but again, is that all there is? shouldn't we all being doing something more with our lives after ER? ...

Not sure you are going to hear what you are listening for around here. What you do after FIRE is about as personal a decision as you can imagine.

Perhaps earning money and the "thrill of the chase" provide gratification for you. If so, keep working and entrepreneuring. Your FI might allow you to take risks you would not otherwise have taken.

If there is a point to any of this, it is that FIRE removes the need to factor in earning an income stream in your life. For most folks, rich or not, that makes a difference. If it's meditating all day, great. If its voluntarily placing yourself in what others might see as the rat race, great.

Do what you want. Doubt anyone here's gonna tell what that might be. I try to avoid judging the choices others have made. Sounds to me like you have done the FIRE part and your bigger challenge is figuring out what to do with your life. Don't mean this in a nasty way, just an observation on your posts.

Good luck.

[Dawg54]

Originally Posted by zcung

Thank you Nords for the links and everyone else comments.* I did not read all the threads by each word but it seems FIREs daily life is too routine and (to me) may be even boring... IM refering to "Up at 5/6, drink coffee, walk the dogs, lounge around, eat lunch, take a knap, excercise, eat dinner, go to bed... and repeat)

I am not much of a debater here but again, is that all there is?* shouldn't we all being doing something more with our lives after ER? and I am not talking about volunteerism or charity w*rk.* I am listening...

* *

As Rich said, what one chooses to do in retirement is very personal. For me, I love golf and that will be a big part of my retirement. For you, that may sound like a very boring thing to do. It's all about personal choices.

[kaudrey]

Hi,

I'm relatively new here as well, and my plan is to FIRE at 52, in 15 years. However, I can tell you what my parents do - although they are now 69, they FIRE'd 12 years ago at 57.

Mom and Dad BOTH- golf about 4 days a week. Play tennis a few times a week. Read books and the newspaper, volunteer with the local arts council in various capacities, play bridge, kayak/swim on the lake.

Mom - gardens, volunteers with the local breast cancer society and the library, sews, paints/decorates scarves, cooks/bakes etc.

Dad - builds things (wood), works on the house as needed, does photography and mattes/frames his own photos, became a rockhound and overseas a local mine, does crossword puzzles, cross country skis...

They live in NH and spend a few months in the winter in FL, doing the same kinds of outdoorsy things and visiting friends. They travel out west once every two years or so.

They are always busy and are having a blast. I want to be just like them!

[rs0460a]

Originally Posted by zcung

shouldn't we all being doing something more with our lives after ER? and I am not talking about volunteerism or charity w*rk.* I am listening...* *

Most importantly, the folks responding to you are probably doing "what they want to do" (not HAVE to do).* That in itself is "freedom" (and I substitute "freedom" for the term "retirement)....

For me, retirement is the chance for the (hopefully) last 1/3rd of my life to do what I want - not what others (parents, bosses, family) want me to do...

- Ron

[cute fuzzy bunny]

I think what you'll find is that most people lack the discipline or organizational skills to "do something with their lives".

You'll do something, for certain. I'm not sure you'll get a nobel prize for it, but it beats the crap out of getting up at 6am, scraping the face, strapping on the noose and going to work.

Its 1:30 where I am now. My wife and I have made breakfast, fed the baby, watched the morning news, taken a 2 hour walk, dropped by the neighborhood day care center so the baby could play with the other kids for 20 minutes, came home, cleaned up, eaten lunch, and put the baby down for a nap.

The day fills up pretty quick...

[donheff]

Originally Posted by zcung

shouldn't we all being doing something more with our lives after ER? and I am not talking about volunteerism or charity w*rk.

People here talk of dozens of things from vacations, to reading, to sports... Your quote suggests that isn't enough. You seem to have ruled out volunteerism/charity work as if that is not worth mentioning.

So...? You brought it up- you must have something in mind. Spit it out.

[astromeria]

Originally Posted by zcung

it seems FIREs daily life is too routine and (to me) may be even boring.

I despise routine and automatically rebel against it (ask any of my employers/teachers/parents/children/husbands!) and can assure you that my days aren't similar to each other. My time now reminds me a little of my early adulthood between college and rasing children full time, when I sang medieval and Rennaissance music, learned to cook, went hiking and camping, read what I wanted to. I did forget to mention my volunteer work in my earlier post, but even that takes place on random days. After I get back from a month in Italy and spending a little time with my children and friends, I'm thinking of picking up another activity, perhaps some different additional volunteer work or taking a class. I'll see how I feel in September. It's so nice to be free to choose!

I'm a dilettante by nature and not very goal-oriented. I spent 20+ years working d@mn hard for The Man--fortunately it was mostly creative and flexible work with nice people. But now I'm back to being my true freewheeling, hippie self 8). I am happiest when I live according to my nature--not according to someone else's expectations (even yours )

It's up to YOU to figure out how to spend your life. The best we can do is tell you how we spend ours to help spark your imagination. But perhaps you're more like my Mom. She prefers a very structured life--goes to sleep and wakes up at the same time every day, takes walks at the same times every day, has reguarly scheduled bridge games, volunteer work, lunches out, hair & nail appointments, shopping days and times. Her life would make me insane, and vice versa.

[laurence]

If you really can't imagine the thought of true retirement, but you have a 12 year old at home, quit, spend time with your kid, take up a job at a junior college teaching computer science, inspire young people to great careers, have three months off in the summer, still feel like a productive member of society.

[lazygood4nothinbum]

I feel tired and worn out! should I retire early... is that all there is...I have no ideas what to if I do ...
it seems FIREs daily life is too routine...is that all there is...shouldn't we all being doing something more with our lives

while some satisfaction might flow from the likes of what we do, where we are, how much we have, or even, ultimately, who we are with, these are not the wellsprings of happiness.

when you think this is where your life is centered, you will forever remain out of balance. instead of finding happiness, all your energy will be exerted to finding balance as you go through life holding the ends of a tilted spinning gyroscope. so of course you feel tired and worn out as living that life takes so much effort.

for as long as you insist life be this difficult, it won't matter whether each day is routine or adventure. for you will either be bored or tired with the routine or you will hop from one adventure to another, taking minimal satisfaction from either.

and whether you are rich & lazy, collect a pay check or work for charity, none necessarily speaks to how well you pay yourself, to how well you balance your own books. you might collect a paycheck for a job you don't care for, you might work charity out of some sense of guilt or just trying to make yourself feel good. out of this you might get some temporary satisfaction. but not permanent retirement, not a place of seclusion from all the torment keeping us from peace.

find that and you will know when to retire.

[blanston]

Zarquawi retired today!

[zcung]

Thank you all for sharing. I am beginning to see ER now. I think I am going to re-position myself and planned to hang it up completely in five years or so.

Ron, I see what you mean... I am sitting here in the office instead of fishing meaning I am doing something that someone else want me to.

Bunny, UR right. So how do I undiscipline my routine.

Don, please don't get me wrong, I have been and always will volunteer and will help out others. I was seeking for some... perhaps higher purposes.

Astro, I think you got it down well, travel lately?

Laurence, good suggestion with teaching.

Lazy, your quote is very inspiring.

Z

[cute fuzzy bunny]

Originally Posted by zcung

Bunny, UR right. So how do I undiscipline my routine.

That seems to have a way of taking care of itself...I used to be mr organized and disciplined and now i'm a human entropy machine...

[Nords]

Originally Posted by Cute Fuzzy Bunny

That seems to have a way of taking care of itself...I used to be mr organized and disciplined and now i'm a human entropy machine...

In other words, start a family.