Click: a decision is made to ER

[Buckeye]

Quote:

Originally Posted by growing_older I've been back and forth a number of times with OMY or stay or find a new job. There are so many factors to consider and so many possible advantages and strategies to consider. Until today, then CLICK. The decision is made. I've been battling a series of endless frustrations at work, assignments that seem pointless, inability to get others to take seriously my concerns about product bugs or data security, promises to customers not fulfilled, lack of planning for the future features we will need to stay competitive. I'm assigned three bosses who don't coordinate and two of them don't believe in doing anything except work 24x7. Curiously I was okay managing this because the overall mission of the company is worthwhile and I felt like I was helping accomplish good in the world despite these problem. Then Click. We changed from our pretty poor 401k plan to an even worse one. This of all things is what pushed me over the edge. This company really doesn't care about our employees. I'm getting into the years when the bad effects of high ER are compounding against me. I'm done fighting this with the CFO who should know better, but doesn't. I probably have six months of preparations to make sure my finances are in order and to insure that I get all the bonus payouts and stock awards that I have earned, but that are usually withheld if anyone leaves (or is known to be leaving) before the payout date. But it feels like this is no longer an open question. It is just working through all the details. Is this how people decide to ER? A long series of plans, pros and cons, reasons to decide based on great data and projections. Then CLICK something just pushes the right button and the decision is made.

Yes.

[MRG]

I watched a former co-w*rker go the same way FI, click, and gone. I understand why it clicked, terrible manager couldn't figure out how to act like other humans.

[Independent]

Quote:

Originally Posted by 38Chevy454 As stated many times on here: "Retire when you have had enough, and when you have enough" seems to be very appropriate to OP. Could also be defined as your BS bucket just overflowed. Now you really have to put on the game face and stick it out until that last day!

I like that line, though I'd reverse it. "Retire when you have enough and have had enough". I think that's very common on this board.

[athena53]

When I was in my late 20s, some actuaries I worked with were talking about a former coworker at their previous company. They'd told him he was being promoted. He told them he didn't want to be promoted. They told him he had no choice. "Oh, yes, I do", he said. He'd been saving and investing for years, and he surprised them by retiring. I think that story really stuck with me- the idea of having the luxury of exiting on your own terms. Maybe it influenced my own thinking about saving for retirement.

[Cobra9777]

No "click" moment for me, more like a crescendo of circumstances. I was mentally "geared up" for 55, at which point lots of good stuff was scheduled to happen relative to pension and unvested stock grants. But around 49, I started to question everything: my compensation, growth potential, work-life balance, life goals.

My responsibilities, workload, travel, and stress were at an all-time high and increasing. Yet my compensation, while still high in absolute terms, had been essentially flat since the financial meltdown. I began to realize this value-shift in favor of Megacorp was unlikely to change. After some brutal layoffs in 2009, followed by resurgent growth, corporate productivity was soaring, and yours truly was ground zero. For the first time, I was no longer enjoying my work and began to resent the lack of time for other pursuits.

I dusted off the spreadsheets... answer was encouraging though inconclusive. DW was supportive, market was recovering, and the lure of ER was irreversibly ignited. I started to actually visualize what it would be like. It took 3 more years of introspection, market growth, spreadsheet refinement, and implicit confirmation of my plight at Megacorp. But at 52, I scheduled an appointment with the boss and let him in on my plan. Seven months later, my replacement was primed, and I was unemployed for the first time since 15.

[ESRwannabe]

Quote:

Originally Posted by growing_older Is this how people decide to ER? A long series of plans, pros and cons, reasons to decide based on great data and projections. Then CLICK something just pushes the right button and the decision is made.

I can only guess at this, but I'd imagine that is the case.

Who hasn't had one of those "take this job and shove it" moments? Of course it just gets bottled up inside as not many people will risk their job. Once you are FI though there is no fear anymore forcing you to hold back.

I was thinking about ESR in a few years as I'm almost FI, but recently work has been fun again. So, who knows.

[growing_older]

So, maybe my work will turn fun again while I am getting all the ducks lined up. It usually has some fun elements most of the time anyway. But I will say that when I see the various dysfunctional behaviors around me since my CLICK moment, I have a curious detachment and calm about them. These are not my problems anymore and while I will of course help in any way I can to fix them, I have a lot less internal stress about any of them. Very empowering. I hope it doesn't lead me to saying anything I will regret.

[athena53]

Yes, it IS empowering to know that if you stay and put up with some BS, it's a choice., not something you do because you have no options. Keep trying to find the fun; it will make your last months go by faster.

[dunkelblau]

Quote:

Originally Posted by marko An acquaintance went to work one day with no intention of RE for at least a few more years. (mega-mega corp) They were having some sort of voluntary RIF and his buddy came by his office at 3:30 telling him that today was the last day to sign up and if he didn't RE that day, he'd be working the next 5 years for absolutely zero financial benefit. He literally ran down the hall to HR and signed up with 15 minutes to spare. Called his wife..."guess what honey?"

I hit a similar trigger in a surprise buyout offer. It looked pretty good to me but a co-worker ran the numbers and found the layoff package was better so he didn't apply. As it turned out my application was denied, and the expected layoff round didn't happen, so we're both still working. Got some upgrades out of the subsequent deal, mostly related to control over work conditions.

Enjoying the ride while it lasts, but I expect to try again at the next offer. Unfortunately despite my reduced work hours, my performance has shot up so another rejection seems likely.

[48Fire]

Quote:

Originally Posted by growing_older Is this how people decide to ER? A long series of plans, pros and cons, reasons to decide based on great data and projections. Then CLICK something just pushes the right button and the decision is made.

My "CLICKS" came much earlier in my career, followed by several co-workers who died suddenly. One day I was working shoulder-to-shoulder with them, and that night they died.

I considered waiting for one last "CLICK", but was afraid it could be me. So I left on good terms, in relatively good times, with no severance.

[brett]

I can relate to the comment someone made a out an ER looking so much more relaxed six months out.

Happened to me, it surprised me when several friends made this observation. It did take me six months to wind down.