Can you really enjoy retirement if it was someone else's decision?

[Danmar]

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Originally Posted by Major Tom Completely agree. I was propelled into ER by a layoff due to the fact that my company went out of business. My self-worth wasn't entirely tied to the job, but I did derive a fair degree of satisfaction (and a little bit of my identity) from it. There was something strangely unsettling about the fact that the organization that had been such a mainstay of my life for 16 years no longer existed. It had no physical location that I could go back to. Employee records, archives of meetings, business plans, ad campaigns etc have most likely long been shredded and recycled. It's all gone. But I'm still here

Yes. Agree it is better not to tie up too much of your phsyche in your job. However, for those in executive positions this is really necessary to succeed. It's how your react after retirement that is key. Ie you need to get over it ASAP. Took me maybe 3 years.

[Big_Hitter]

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Originally Posted by Waiting For Pension Could you enjoy your retirement if you were pushed out before you were ready, even if you had enough money to retire and were over 60?

enjoy? I'd probably slit my wrists if I was still doing this at 60. Life is too short.

[Amethyst]

Funniest answer prize!

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Originally Posted by travelover No way would I give them the satisfaction of seeing me happy. I'd be bitter, angry and miserable until I died. Then they'd be sorry.

[Amethyst]

I think it's That Poster, too. Everybody gets peeved at this poster, but s/he does start the most interesting threads, even if with hypocritical motives.

In my view, it's not quite like true trolls, who make provocative comments in hopes of setting everyone by the ears.

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Originally Posted by splitwdw +1 Maybe I'm getting cynical but I thought this sounded like "Forced to Retire" too...

[bclover]

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Originally Posted by Waiting For Pension My friends and relatives who really enjoy retirement the most are people who leave the workforce after a long and successful career and do it on the date of their choosing. They feel proud of their career and life accomplishments, have a nice retirement party at work, get all kinds of compliments about how great they are and feel like they really added value to their employer and profession. Other friends and relatives who are retired are bitter, bored and frustrated. Their employer kicked them out without any warning or praise. Their ex coworkers ignore social offers and they felt they still had things to offer the workforce, but employers disagreed. Could you enjoy your retirement if you were pushed out before you were ready, even if you had enough money to retire and were over 60?

ABSOLUTELY! but here's the thing. As others have stated, My self worth was and never will be tied to a job.

LOL in fact It's my belief that all youngins should have to work two types of jobs. 1) fast food/service job and 2) mega corporation.

The mega corporation job will quickly let you know that you are not all that important. they can, have and will continuing to operate in the best interest of the shareholders and don't give a crap about the employees.

My employer gave me my "please go away quietly" papers April of 2106. It took me all of 5 minutes to breathe a sigh of relief.

Maybe their coworkers decline social invitations because they whine all the time? who the heck wants to have lunch with someone complaining non stop?

[RunningBum]

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Originally Posted by Amethyst I think it's That Poster, too. Everybody gets peeved at this poster, but s/he does start the most interesting threads, even if with hypocritical motives. In my view, it's not quite like true trolls, who make provocative comments in hopes of setting everyone by the ears.

I think most people got angry when the person had that long, drawn out thread about being tied to an apartment, unable to get any kind of job anywhere, with a bunch of excuses why he couldn't things a lot of people suggested, then it all turned out to be a sham. I wouldn't have been surprised if he'd have turned this thread into the same thing, given a chance.

[brett]

Downsizing, employee terminations at all levels is so very common these days. And it has been for many years. I worked in an industry that started downsizing and offshoring in the very early 90's and is still doing it.

I think the trick is to understand that any employee/executive can and will be replaced at some point. Perhaps for performance, compensation issues, or changes in business direction.

I was prepared for downsizing and was 'waiting' for it since I did not want to leave without a package. It is such a great way to start an early retirement.

Still, I know some former colleagues who were downsized years ago. One in particular, years later, will still never purchase any products from his former employer, or successor company. This bitterness shows and I feel sorry for him. People tend to forget, it is just business nothing more. This can be difficult to do when you have progressed through the ranks for so long. But there comes a point, I believe, where the higher you are in management the more risk there is that your employer will say goodbye and good luck.

[Big_Hitter]

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Originally Posted by Amethyst I think it's That Poster, too. Everybody gets peeved at this poster, but s/he does start the most interesting threads, even if with hypocritical motives. In my view, it's not quite like true trolls, who make provocative comments in hopes of setting everyone by the ears.

isn't there a rule against multiple accounts?

[W2R]

Let's try to turn the conversation back to the subject matter of this thread, "Can you really enjoy retirement if it was someone else's decision?", and away from past or future moderator actions. We do our best to make the forum a pleasant place to post, and beyond that we have a policy of not discussing what consequences any member may or may not have incurred. We base our actions on the Community Rules, which everyone here is encouraged to review often.

[MRG]

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Originally Posted by RunningBum I think most people got angry when the person had that long, drawn out thread about being tied to an apartment, unable to get any kind of job anywhere, with a bunch of excuses why he couldn't things a lot of people suggested, then it all turned out to be a sham. I wouldn't have been surprised if he'd have turned this thread into the same thing, given a chance.

Yes it's like trying to help someone solve an issue only to learn the time you invested was a sick joke.

No different if you saw a sick homeless person and gave them a twenty, only to find out their homes nicer than yours!

[gauss]

Well [edited per above request]

-gauss

[pb4uski]

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Originally Posted by Waiting For Pension My friends and relatives who really enjoy retirement the most are people who leave the workforce after a long and successful career and do it on the date of their choosing. They feel proud of their career and life accomplishments, have a nice retirement party at work, get all kinds of compliments about how great they are and feel like they really added value to their employer and profession. Other friends and relatives who are retired are bitter, bored and frustrated. Their employer kicked them out without any warning or praise. Their ex coworkers ignore social offers and they felt they still had things to offer the workforce, but employers disagreed. Could you enjoy your retirement if you were pushed out before you were ready, even if you had enough money to retire and were over 60?

IMHO, if you are over 60 and have enough money to retire and are still working then they are doing you a big favor by pushing you out and you should thank your lucky stars that they pushed you out of your rut.

That said, I left on my own terms at age 56 and they threw me a nice "retirement" party so I'm probably the last person one should ask. I can see a short period of bitterness because of being pushed out but not for long.

[NW-Bound]

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Originally Posted by Major Tom Completely agree. I was propelled into ER by a layoff due to the fact that my company went out of business. My self-worth wasn't entirely tied to the job, but I did derive a fair degree of satisfaction (and a little bit of my identity) from it. There was something strangely unsettling about the fact that the organization that had been such a mainstay of my life for 16 years no longer existed. It had no physical location that I could go back to. Employee records, archives of meetings, business plans, ad campaigns etc have most likely long been shredded and recycled. It's all gone. But I'm still here

Two megacorps I worked at were bought out. These were large corps with more than 100K employees each. The new owners eradicated all the legacy and history of the once proud and long-lived corporations. I felt sad when thinking about it, even though I no longer worked there when the take-overs happened.

But the closing of the start-ups that I helped founded did play a major role in my early retirement. After these small businesses went defunct, I could not go back to an 8-5 job at a megacorp anymore once I had the taste of freedom. So, I did part-time consulting, and retained the freedom to travel and take time off as I wanted. I even refused the offers to go full-time with them (heck, it was not out of kindness but they wanted to own my a$$). Eventually, I decided to call it quit when even the hassle of a part-time job became too much.

[chilkoot]

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Originally Posted by Waiting For Pension My friends and relatives who really enjoy retirement the most are people who leave the workforce after a long and successful career and do it on the date of their choosing. They feel proud of their career and life accomplishments, have a nice retirement party at work, get all kinds of compliments about how great they are and feel like they really added value to their employer and profession. Other friends and relatives who are retired are bitter, bored and frustrated. Their employer kicked them out without any warning or praise. Their ex coworkers ignore social offers and they felt they still had things to offer the workforce, but employers disagreed. Could you enjoy your retirement if you were pushed out before you were ready, even if you had enough money to retire and were over 60?

Yes.

[FUEGO]

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Originally Posted by pb4uski I can see a short period of bitterness because of being pushed out but not for long.

My bitterness lasted about as long as the 10 minute drive home from the office It wouldn't have lasted that long but I hit a lot of red lights.

[braumeister]

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Originally Posted by bclover My employer gave me my "please go away quietly" papers April of 2106.

Major bummer!
90 more years in the salt mines?

[NW-Bound]

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Originally Posted by braumeister Major bummer! 90 more years in the salt mines?

Makes one ask "do I want longevity if I have to work all my life".

[pb4uski]

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Originally Posted by FUEGO My bitterness lasted about as long as the 10 minute drive home from the office It wouldn't have lasted that long but I hit a lot of red lights.

That seems appropriately not for long to me!!

[Major Tom]

Quote:

Originally Posted by FUEGO My bitterness lasted about as long as the 10 minute drive home from the office It wouldn't have lasted that long but I hit a lot of red lights.