NEED EARLY RETIREMENT INSPIRATION... ANY BOOKS?

[PLANNER1111]

I'M READY... I HAVE THE MONEY AND THE DREAM TO RETIRE EARLY. I MANAGED TO SAVE $3M AND MY WIFE AND I WOULD LIKE TO GO AND LIVE AT A BEACH TOWN AND EITHER WORK AT A NICE PLACE OR SETUP A SMALL BUSINESS TO KEEP ME BUSY.... THE PROBLEM IS THAT I DON'T HAVE THE COURAGE TO QUIT MY JOB AND TAKE THE PLUNGE... ANY BOOKS THAT YOU RECOMMEND THAT COULD HELP ME WITH THAT ISSUE?

THANK YOU

 

[crazy connie]

To retire early you need certain things... One of the most critical is DESIRE. That is individual and unique. Books give you a fundamental understanding on the mechanics but desire for a different phase and style of life comes from within. This isn't a decision to be made on only 1 or 2 levels... Just my 2 cents worth.

 

[brewer12345]

A tiny smidge of tact and etiquette wouldn't hurt either...

 

[Martha]

Welcome to the board, Planner. I recommend Bob Clyatt's "Work Less, Live More". A link to Bob's book is at the bottom of the website.

What Brewer is getting at is the use of all capital letters in your post. If you didn't know, use of capitals is considered "shouting." All caps are hard to read too.

 

[setab]

Two classics:  "Your Money or Your Life," by Joe Dominguez and Vicki Robin; "Work Less, Live More," by Bob Clyatt.  There are others.  BTW, if you need courage to retire with 3 mil socked away, you haven't been reading this board long, or you haven't been listening.  That's $120,000 to $150,000 a year for the rest of your life without breaking much of a swet.  So, finances shouldn't be holding you back!  Anyway, welcome to the side of truth and light.

setab

 

[crazy connie]

A tiny smidge of tact and etiquette would hurt either...

I agree... Just hard to find before my second pot of coffee this morning. Please forgive my rudeness. It was truly not meant to be that cold.

 

[Billy]

Hi Planner,

I can recommend our book, The Adventurer's Guide to Early Retirement, A Common Sense Approach. See Table of Contents here: http://www.retireearlylifestyle.com/table_of_contents.htm

If you have any doubts that it would be helpful to you, here are our Readers' Responses: http://retireearlylifestyle.com/testimonials.htm

With $3 million, you have the money, you have the discipline, but perhaps you don't know about the emotional components of retirement that play a good part in the letting go process. We offer a good deal of 'free' information on our site as well, in the Retirement section, if you don't want to spring the $14.95 for the book: http://www.retireearlylifestyle.com/retirement.htm

Billy and I have been posting here for a few years, and we are regular contributors to The Motley Fool Rule Your Retirement Newsletter... We retired at the age of 38, 16 years ago, so we are not fly-by-night.

See for yourself; make your own decision.

BTW, we were interviewed for Bob Clyatt's book Work Less, Live More... Bob has presented many options for semi-retirement in his book.

Welcome to the Board!

Best,
Akaisha
Author, The Adventurer's Guide to Early Retirement

 

[PLANNER1111]

Those are great responses. I'm very sorry about the capital letters post, I was not aware of the protocol in the forums.
It is not that I don't have the desire, is that I am afraid... afraid to leave the only thing I know... afraid of losing the status (pure ego, i know), afraid to be ridiculed, etc. That is why I need books to enlighten me in those issues. Thank You Very Much In Advance.

 

[setab]

It is not that I don't have the desire, is that I am afraid... afraid to leave the only thing I know... afraid of losing the status (pure ego, i know), afraid to be ridiculed, etc.


First, you won't be ridiculed here, at least, not for retiring although other topics may be fair game. Second, maybe there are other things to get to know, so why not explore? Third, we all have egos here, especially the attorneys. Just because we are retired doesn't mean we got rid of our egos; we've just determined that we don't need a title or a job to maintain our egos. Finally, if you like what you are doing, why are you leaving it; if you don't likke it, why are you staying?

setab

 

[Mach1]

It is not that I don't have the desire, is that I am afraid... afraid to leave the only thing I know... afraid of losing the status (pure ego, i know), afraid to be ridiculed, etc.

Planner, I came to this board a few months back with the same question, since then I have decided to sort of semi ER for now and will hang it up completely in five.  You know it really don't matters about status, what matters is how we see and treat others.   I am a guy so I now about that ego thing, having been there and done that but since I decided to semi ER, some how I no longer need to be important, what important is how I live my life today.

 

[Billy]

It is not that I don't have the desire, is that I am afraid... afraid to leave the only thing I know... afraid of losing the status (pure ego, i know), afraid to be ridiculed, etc. That is why I need books to enlighten me in those issues. Thank You Very Much In Advance.

You have been very honest! I respect that...

It's natural to be 'afraid' to leave something you have done for many years and try something else. You sort of have to balance the need for something new with the need for something the same.

It's all a personal choice as to how much of each you have. 

Status is fleeting, though, and it promises more than it can deliver, IMO...

The fear of being ridiculed... by your friends? your peers? (They are not necessarily the same) Maybe they are just jealous.. ya think?

Best,
Akaisha
Author, The Adventurer's Guide to Early Retirement