Had to keep my mouth shut last night...

[Redbugdave]

This whole working after your "retire" or never actually completely stopping work seems to coincide with the introduction of defined contribution retirement plans. Has the culture really changed or are so many people unable to retire as they get older that they keep tellings themselves and everyone else its better to always work in some form? More of a denial and refusal to admit you can't have what you want than people really wanting to work if you ask me.

You are absolutely right Green with that observation. I have noticed that too. I do not know how people can drift along their whole working lives and be ignorant of what to do to prepare for a retirement or older age. Many people live totally in the present.

I do not have many people ask about what I do all day long being retired. I post on Facebook to many of my real friends and they all say that they want to be in my shoes. I planned all along for retirement and was ready to jump ship when I became eligible. I always felt like I was being held back from the things I wanted to do and the job was always in the way, but not any more!

 

[kcowan]

I wonder how many people really love their jobs? I loved my jobs when I had to work. But when I think back now, I wonder if it was just rationalizing. I got a personal sense of satisfaction out of them (status and recognition) but when I retired, I realized that I am self-actualizing and don't react well to Pavlovian rewards including external recognition.

 

[SilentWalker]

I wonder how many people really love their jobs? I loved my jobs when I had to work. But when I think back now, I wonder if it was just rationalizing. I got a personal sense of satisfaction out of them (status and recognition) but when I retired, I realized that I am self-actualizing and don't react well to Pavlovian rewards including external recognition.

I think I still love my current job after 10 years. It is the difficult relationship with my boss that is driving me out many years earlier than I otherwise planned. Lucky to be FI so I have that flexibility. Guess I'm not enough self-actualizing to survive a bad boss any longer.

 

[exnavynuke]

Since I've never worked a job I would do for free, I'll say I've never loved any job.

 

[eastnortheast]

since i've never worked a job i would do for free, i'll say i've never loved any job.

+1. Lol

 

[dixonge]

One reason we even began *thinking* about ER, not to mention actually *doing* something about it, was because my opinion about my job shifted. It was a wake-up call kind of moment. I'm sure it was precipitated by something my boss said or did, but I had a full sense of just how lowly a cog I was in the overall machinery. There was *ZERO* long-term significance to my work. I kept things humming so people could collect taxes, hand out forms, itemize, categorize, etc. Then they would do it all again the next day/week/month/year ad infinitum. Once I ran across the ER concept, it didn't take much convincing.

When I took my current job to finish up my pension vesting, there was never any illusion about it. Do my time, then as soon as the wife hits her retirement date, bam - we're out. I also just figured out that we'll start our retirement taking home *more* than I'm currently making. So our very initial meager pension checks will be more than our current income. Then every couple of years we pile on another pension or SS payment. I really can't imagine a scenario where I would go back to work after that.

 

[kcowan]

Guess I'm not enough self-actualizing to survive a bad boss any longer.

I had to endure a VP that did not like me. He was fired in 2 years and my life got better. He was in a different city so day-to-day impact was minimal. It was also early in my career.

 

[doneat54]

My favorite reply when people ask me "how is it you can retire at 54?" is "Because I decided to 30 years ago."

 

[ExFlyBoy5]

You are absolutely right Green with that observation. I have noticed that too. I do not know how people can drift along their whole working lives and be ignorant of what to do to prepare for a retirement or older age. Many people live totally in the present.

I see this very often and it makes me a bit sad. I understand that there may be a very small minority of folks that do REALLY love their j*bs and just "keep on keeping on!" but I think it's usually out of necessity.

I have mentioned my DW's boss before. She is in her mid 70's and having some issues with dementia. She also has a pretty sick husband (he's been retired for several years) but yet she just WILL NOT RETIRE. The DW's office has gone through a merger so they are left with just 3 people and the boss told my DW that she probably won't be able to take off the week of Christmas since there just isn't enough coverage in the office. My DW told her, "Yep, that's not going to happen. Either I get the time off, or you can consider this my 2 month notice...your choice." Her boss then tried to preach that this is the best j*b in the world and why would she risk losing it over "just a little time off". The DW told her that family would ALWAYS come before w*rk and that was the way it was going to be. As of this week, it sounds like they are going to give her the time off...which disappoints me. I was *really* hoping she'd get canned so she would FINALLY join me in this FIREd adventure!

I wonder how many people really love their jobs? I loved my jobs when I had to work. But when I think back now, I wonder if it was just rationalizing. I got a personal sense of satisfaction out of them (status and recognition) but when I retired, I realized that I am self-actualizing and don't react well to Pavlovian rewards including external recognition.

I think you are onto something. For *years* I said that I LOVE MY J*B!!! It was an easy sell...I got to fly big expensive jets all around the world and see cool stuff. If you *had* to have a j*ob, well, it wasn't a bad way to earn some money. BUT...being 2 years removed from it (as fun as I thought it was!), it would take a significant AND I MEAN SIGNIFICANT amount of $$$ or some crazy benefit to convince me to do it again. So, in the end, even one of the coolest, funnest j*bs in the world...was still a j*b.

 

[Eagle43]

For 43 years, whichever boss I had would say jump and I would ask "how high?" I could never convince myself that I loved that and now they're paying me to nap.

What do I love? I love retirement checks. I earned them and if I could be retired 43 years, it would only be fair. Probably won't make it, though I shall keep trying.

 

[gerntz]

I post on Facebook to many of my real friends and they all say that they want to be in my shoes.

Further confirming why I have nothing to do with Fb. I don't want & certainly don't need people telling me what they think of me being retired - or anything else. Just too much connection for me. Thank you.

 

[Redbugdave]

I wonder how many people really love their jobs? I loved my jobs when I had to work. But when I think back now, I wonder if it was just rationalizing. I got a personal sense of satisfaction out of them (status and recognition) but when I retired, I realized that I am self-actualizing and don't react well to Pavlovian rewards including external recognition.

I did enjoy my job up into about halfway through my career. I was pretty much locked in by that time and jumping ship to another field would set me back too much financially and time-wise. You have to be realistic and even though job satisfaction is important, money is what buys freedom and self reliance. I think most people don't like their jobs and are stuck. But, I do not know why they don't funnel that dissatisfaction into a positive situation of planning and investing their way to an eventual escape. Looking back on it, that's what my job did for me and I am grateful for that. I was never plugged in about awards in the job unless it involved cash. I realize now that working for money messes things up. Working a passion is not work.

 

[RobbieB]

I don't think anyone loves their job.

Not really, not like you would love your wife or your children or even your dog.

It's enough to like your job me thinks. That's good enough eh?

A lot better than those that hate their jobs.

 

[harley]

I loved my paycheck. Is that good enough?

 

[gerntz]

I don't think anyone loves their job.

Know a few people who own their own business. They plan to keep it as long as they're able to work & are excited to go in & be at work. If that's not love, OK.

 

[brucethebroker]

My favorite reply when people ask me "how is it you can retire at 54?" is "Because I decided to 30 years ago."

Bravo!

 

[brucethebroker]

I loved my paycheck. Is that good enough?

Bravo, #2!

 

[Senator]

My favorite reply when people ask me "how is it you can retire at 54?" is "Because I decided to 30 years ago."

My favorite reply is "Because you are still working"...

 

[Mulligan]

Know a few people who own their own business. They plan to keep it as long as they're able to work & are excited to go in & be at work. If that's not love, OK.

I never went that path, but I admire and respect it. And I could definitely see owning ones business as "their baby". If I owned a business that I enjoyed and was profitable, I could see it being very hard to ever walk away from it..... But since I didnt, I was easily able to walk away from my job and retire at 45.

 

[RobbieB]

When Mr. Selfemployed's wife tells him that her water broke and she needs to go to the hospital now and he tells her to call a cab because he is busy with a customer then I'll agree.

 

[Mulligan]

When Mr. Selfemployed's wife tells him that her water broke and she needs to go to the hospital now and he tells her to call a cab because he is busy with a customer then I'll agree.

I meant in a retirement sense... And maybe I am thinking older than you are...I dont visualize well an 80 year old man marrying and procreating with a still fertile woman. But I guess it happens. I just don't like visualizing it.

 

[2017ish]

When Mr. Selfemployed's wife tells him that her water broke and she needs to go to the hospital now and he tells her to call a cab because he is busy with a customer then I'll agree.

Not unheard of. I know of several lawyers who did this--and one female J.D. who was working between contractions while in active labor (she was DW's patient).

Similarly DW ordered me to go to the office 20 minutes after she went back to room after her first C-section because I was pacing and bored. (pre-internet.) At least I was there for all conceptions and deliveries though!

But, for the larger point, I don't love my job enough to not E.R. Everyone my age (or older) who I work with has made the opposite decision. Don't know personal numbers, but none of them live high on the hog and all have healthy six figure incomes; unlike me, however, they don't know what they'd do if they weren't working seven days a week. Thus, the confusion when I gave my "notice" last year.

 

[brucethebroker]

When Mr. Selfemployed's wife tells him that her water broke and she needs to go to the hospital now and he tells her to call a cab because he is busy with a customer then I'll agree.

We actually had that happen years back. I was out training a newbie when DW called and said "it's time". We just cancelled our business appts for the rest of the day. Everyone was very understanding and asked about Mom and new baby when we re-scheduled.

 

[brett]

We never thought about it much. We have been busy enjoying ourselves and travelling.

But there were two back to back incidents that DW noticed. I did too, but she is much more 'aware' as it were. After all, I am just a man.

The first was bumping into a former colleague who still working. He made some comment that we are travelling on my previous employer's money. I stayed in the DB plan, he opted out to a DC in 2000. I assume his investments did not do very well.

The second was from a SIL. Alas, she and her husband must work until they drop. She said to DW that she did not resent those who did well, retired, and have the resources to truly enjoy their retirement. DW noticed this. It was the first time in four years that she had said this so clearly she does resent it. But, it did not stop her from showing us her new full load car....parked beside our 10 year old Honda!

It left me wondering if the SIL resents all the 12 hour days that I put in, all the time that DW was a house widow with our kids when I was travelling on business. Or the re-locations we made for business/career objectives. Or all the things we did not buy on consumer credit?

We sold our house a few years ago and are renting. We have been travelling extensively ever since. We keep both of our mouths closed tight when people make comments about spending our house equity on travel or early retirement. Not the case with us and we have been tempted to reply a number of times. But we don't. Better to say nothing and keep our
business to ourselves.

 

[Teacher Terry]

Even it you were spending your house equity $ on traveling nothing is wrong with that. My Mom's property taxes, maintenance on her home were more then rent on a nice 2 bd apartment so she sold her home and traveled on that $ for years. WE are glad she enjoyed her $.