Post ER goals?

[audreyh1]

Quote:

Originally Posted by cardude Another thread got me thinking this morning about setting goals once you GET to retirement. I was a goal setter and planned obsessively to be able to RE, but I don't have any goals set up now that I'm in ER, other than the standard "get the kids through college, be a good husband and dad, don't screw up the nest egg" type of goals, so I think I may need something more personal to make ER more satisfying and less, um, meandering. Has anyone done this type of thing, and can you give me some examples of your goals, and how doing this helped (or hurt) you ER satisfaction levels?

Cardude!

Getting out of your business when you did was brilliant!!!!! And you are obviously financially independent and well set for life. And I don't know what you are going to do with the rest of your life*, but you just don't sound like a man who is ready to be retired (in the sense of just going with the flow).

I guess you really need a big project or two. Might involve collaborating with other people. Just try not to spend too much $$$$.

Audrey

*Well - I do know one super important thing on your plate - you still have kids to raise.

[REWahoo]

Cardude, have you considered starting a business selling those big-@ss electrical connectors everyone is going to need to recharge their battery powered cars?

[Rambler]

I agree with REW, enjoy life! That is first and over-riding priority on all the rest. If the rest of my goals don't align with that first goal, then out the window with them, I say! Some other things though would be to lose some weight and get a bit healthier (trying to do that now, but its not working so well), hike in the mountains more, paddle a kayak more, landscape and tend the acreage, run or walk or hike or bike daily, cook more, have a successful veggie garden and family fruit orchard, do some RVing, spend a lot more time with DW, etc.

Now, those don't sound like SMART goals do they? If they did, they may not be congruant with the first goal. So, I just intend to take my time and enjoy them along the way. If they don't get done today, well, there is always tomorrow.

R

[bbbamI]

My retirement goals.....

Eat/drink whatever I want

Have a lot of sex

Take naps when I'm sleepy

The day I breathe my last breath, I want to be full, quenched, satisfied and depart this life in my sleep.

[cardude]

Quote:

Getting out of your business when you did was brilliant!!!!! And you are obviously financially independent and well set for life. And I don't know what you are going to do with the rest of your life*, but you just don't sound like a man who is ready to be retired (in the sense of just going with the flow). I guess you really need a big project or two. Might involve collaborating with other people. Just try not to spend too much $$$$

Well, getting out of my business is obviously still bothering me a little bit since I keep writing/thinking about it. I still tell myself it was the right thing to do however, as I see many dealers continue to struggle.

I tend to bump along just fine for awhile, happy doing my busy work and kid stuff, but then all of the sudden I'll start wondering what the meaning of my life is and I start freaking out a little.

I think you're right. I think I need some more grownup human interaction, and some projects that don't cost money but keep my mind occupied. When I get bored I start spending money on crap. Hell, I was looking around for a dang travel trailer yesterday and I don't even like to RV.

As usual, thanks for all the great replies everyone!

[audreyh1]

Quote:

Originally Posted by cardude ... awhile, happy doing my busy work and kid stuff... I think you're right. I think I need some more grownup human interaction, and some projects that don't cost money but keep my mind occupied.

"busy work" — that's probably part of the problem. You obviously need things that are more engaging than just keeping busy.

AND I think you will have to spend money to get involved with a meaningful project or two, especially if it involves other adults. The key is just not to spend too much, or make sure the project pays back some of any investment.

Audrey

[Nords]

Quote:

Originally Posted by bbbamI My retirement goals..... Eat/drink whatever I want Have a lot of sex Take naps when I'm sleepy The day I breathe my last breath, I want to be full, quenched, satisfied and depart this life in my sleep.

"One night in Bangkok"...

[bbbamI]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nords "One night in Bangkok"...

Oh...c'mon, can't I have at least two?

[Nords]

Quote:

Originally Posted by bbbamI Oh...c'mon, can't I have at least two?

Two of what?

At 32 baht to the dollar, you can probably have as many as you feel capable of handling...

[bbbamI]

Spoken like a man with experience....

Nah...I'll pass. I've never cared for Thai cuisine.

[Alan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rambler I agree with REW, enjoy life! That is first and over-riding priority on all the rest. If the rest of my goals don't align with that first goal, then out the window with them, I say! Some other things though would be to lose some weight and get a bit healthier (trying to do that now, but its not working so well), hike in the mountains more, paddle a kayak more, landscape and tend the acreage, run or walk or hike or bike daily, cook more, have a successful veggie garden and family fruit orchard, do some RVing, spend a lot more time with DW, etc. Now, those don't sound like SMART goals do they? If they did, they may not be congruant with the first goal. So, I just intend to take my time and enjoy them along the way. If they don't get done today, well, there is always tomorrow. R

My gosh, there's a blast from my Corporate past - SMART goals (specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and timely).

How about the first step is to hire some consultants to help set up a program for ER goal setting and a strategy to achieve them once set

[Purron]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alan My gosh, there's a blast from my Corporate past - SMART goals (specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and timely). How about the first step is to hire some consultants to help set up a program for ER goal setting and a strategy to achieve them once set

Yeah I remember SMART goals Up there on the crapola scale with management deciding we needed to read "Who Moved My Cheese".

[Alan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Purron Yeah I remember SMART goals Up there on the crapola scale with management deciding we needed to read "Who Moved My Cheese".

And we had to spend 2 hours every week in a group session discussing a chapter from Stephen Covey's book "7 habits of highly effective people" that we had to have researched as "homework" from the previous week.

And when we finally got through it all we had to go back to our departments, and do it all again, leading the discussions each week, and then write a "Mission statement" for the department.

Maybe the OP needs a "Mission Statement" for ER, discussed with and agreed to by the whole family and reviewed on a regular basis with them

Oh, I don't miss those days - after a while all those leadership and management courses I was required to attend merged into one

[rescueme]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alan And we had to spend 2 hours every week in a group session discussing a chapter from Stephen Covey's book "7 habits of highly effective people" that we had to have researched as "homework" from the previous week. And when we finally got through it all we had to go back to our departments, and do it all again, leading the discussions each week, and then write a "Mission statement" for the department.

If I can't sleep tonight, it's all your fault ...

You're probably going to give me nightmares with talk such as that, which brings up long past experiences ...

[REWahoo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alan And we had to spend 2 hours every week in a group session discussing a chapter from Stephen Covey's book "7 habits of highly effective people" that we had to have researched as "homework" from the previous week. And when we finally got through it all we had to go back to our departments, and do it all again, leading the discussions each week, and then write a "Mission statement" for the department.

With regard to the above quote, please check the Community Rules and pay particular attention to the prohibition regarding "obscene or vulgar language". I would recommend you avoid the entire subject matter as it is difficult to discuss these unpleasant topics without using offensive language.

Thank you for your cooperation.

[Alan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by rescueme If I can't sleep tonight, it's all your fault ... You're probably going to give me nightmares with talk such as that, which brings up long past experiences ...

Fortunately, memories of pain diminish over time - otherwise women would only ever have 1 child (or so I am reliably informed by the mothers I know).

Take slow deep breaths, clear your mind, think of your most hated boss naked in a full body fish net stocking ..... does that help ease the mood?

I remember one time a real nasty boss came over to our table and ate lunch with us. At one point I held up a folk and looked at him through the tines for a few seconds. Afterwards I told the others I was imagining him behind bars. (I had to learn coping strategies to get through the day at times )

[Alan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by REWahoo With regard to the above quote, please check the Community Rules and pay particular attention to the prohibition regarding "obscene or vulgar language". I would recommend you avoid the entire subject matter as it is difficult to discuss these unpleasant topics without using offensive language. Thank you for your cooperation.

Apologies - I will self moderate

I forgot that the subject of w*rk is very offensive here.

[donheff]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alan Maybe the OP needs a "Mission Statement" for ER, discussed with and agreed to by the whole family and reviewed on a regular basis with them

A mission statement alone won't do, we need mission, vision, goals! Where do you see yourself 1 year, 5 years... from now.

[Alan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by donheff A mission statement alone won't do, we need mission, vision, goals! Where do you see yourself 1 year, 5 years... from now.

Oh darn, I forgot about all that as well.

[Rich_by_the_Bay]

You'd think I would have been immune to all that BS, being a non-business type. But no - as part of a large health care institution, the org chart is just as complex, we had 2 retreats a year, read books about hedgehogs and moving cheese, did SWOT analyses, 360 evaluations -- the whole enchilada. Price of rising up the corporate ladder despite myself.

I nearly went crazy in those retreats which were neither tailored nor relevant to all but a handful of physicians. Somebody, please, let me go and see a dying cancer patient - it would be far more rewarding than this.

ESR changed all that over night. A very recent exchange, almost word for word:

DW: "do you have your usual Wednesday night 5 to 6:30 meeting tomorrow?"

Me: "Why would I want to do that?"