Is it True?

[Almost Retired]

Is it true that if ERs had only enjoyed their job, liked their bosses, could work part or flex time, had the ability to travel the world in the job, encountered minimal stress, earned good pay, they would never have ER'd?

 

[haha]

Is it true that if ERs had only enjoyed their job, liked their bosses, could work part or flex time, had the ability to travel the world in the job, encountered minimal stress, earned good pay, they would never have ER'd?  

This is a pretty tall order for any job to fill. Maybe a university professor in the 60s and 70s.

But speaking for myself only, I would say hell yes I'd keep that job. And if you are hiring, plese message me right now.

My jobs had good pay, but they failed on all the other points you mentioned.

Mikey

 

[Bob_Smith]

Is it true that if ERs had only enjoyed their job, liked their bosses, could work part or flex time, had the ability to travel the world in the job, encountered minimal stress, earned good pay, they would never have ER'd?  

Nobody would pay me to do what I truly want to do with my time, so I'd have to say no; I would have ER'd anyway. I might have stayed around until I was 55 to avoid the hits I took on the pension, but there's no way I'd have stayed on the job past 55. Life is too short.

 

[JonnyM]

It may be true for a very few professional artists I've met, those that for whatever reasons (mostly luck I think) never had to compromise their art for the sake of the dollar,

but seriously


I think you've very effectively described the "JOB" that ER is...

...and when I get there I expect all those things = true

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

You just described a paradox.

As soon as such a job came into existence, the stampede of people trying to take the job from you would immediately create stress.

The only way to make it work is if you took a job that wasnt particularly well liked by most or doable by most and someone just realllly took to it.

In most jobs though, pleasure, money making, and lack of stress are not compatible.

In the university professors job, the moneys lousy and theres plenty of politics and stress in a university environment. Artists are often loaded with depression, lack of acknowledgement of their work, and very low income.

My old job fit everything except the stress part. If you wound that company back to pre-1995 when everyone started making serious money I'd have said I could do that job indefinitely...but then the money wasnt as good.

 

[Nords]

Some of my former coworkers pity me...

... for not being able to handle the workplace. Sort of a "Sad thing about Nords, sorry he couldn't hack it here" attitude.

One acquaintance pities me for never having found a true avocation-- a job that I loved and would do even if I didn't get paid for it. Actually that described much of my first 10 years on submarines-- all before we had the kid. Still I can't imagine the work/life of The Millionaires Next Door.

But let's see. I love my "job" now, I'm my own boss, I work when I want, we can travel if we want to, we have minimal stress, and the pay is enough for our needs-- even for most of our wants. Like JohnnyM says, you've just described ER!

IMO the best thing about ER is that it's self-directed. We're able to pursue our own interests without hard deadlines and without having to do it when we'd rather do something else. And when an emergency crops up, we're ready to handle it.

 

[sgeeeee]

Is it true that if ERs had only enjoyed their job, liked their bosses, could work part or flex time, had the ability to travel the world in the job, encountered minimal stress, earned good pay, they would never have ER'd?  

Hi Almost Retired,

I'm not sure of the point of your question. To me, it seems kind of like asking, "If pigs had wings, could they fly?" We could do calculations of the weight and aerodynamics of the pig, the required lift, the wing size, etc. but at the end of the exercise, who cares? Pigs don't have wings.

 

[gayl]

Almost retired, if you like your job and it doesn't interfere with what you want to do with your life, then you should stay where you are. :-/ I didn't really mind my job but I had better things to do with my time. And we only have so much of it! Now that I am retired, I still don't have as much daylight hours as I would like but I am enjoying them a lot more now! 8)

 

[wabmester]

Is it true that if ERs had only enjoyed their job, liked their bosses, could work part or flex time, had the ability to travel the world in the job, encountered minimal stress, earned good pay, they would never have ER'd?  

No.

I enjoyed my job, but I enjoy other things more. I liked my boss, but I like my family more. I was offered lots of flexibility, but nothing's as flexible, as stress-free, or as enjoyable as what I have now.

When the idea of "more money" becomes irrelevant, what's the point in continuing the daily grind? Regardless of how close it is to your ideal job, it's still a grind if you have to do it when you'd rather be doing something else.

 

[random]

If all of the above were true then yes, I would keep my job.

I like my current job. I have a great passion for my job and really like what my company is doing. As a ER I might one day have the chance to help others but today I get to play with toys that in some cases I would never be able to afford as an ER but since I'm a gadget-mongering geek at heart playing with the toys makes me happy and keeps me from trying to spend the money out of my own pocket.

So yeah, if the job were perfect-world I would keep it, why not? I like working and I enjoy feeling like I'm contributing to something.

For me ERing is all about having the time to help others and myself. Time to relax and do hobbies for me and time to build houses in South America or maybe help kids with no parents. I know it may sound kind of squishy but that is why I am trying to escape the rat race and if I could take off four months a year and get away with it and help others I would probably take that job and have both aspect of my personality satisfied. The one additional thing ERing gives me is the feeling that I can live without the system, and that is what originally drove me down the path. Getting to the point where my job is optional rather than necessary.