too young to retire

[cooch96]

I think you probably don’t exercise as much as you think then. 10 to 20lbs overweight is a lot.

Ever seen any football linemen, sumo wrestlers, or heavyweight boxers? Many of them watch their diet, but if you eat 8million calories of steak salad a day and only burn 7.5, there’s a chance you’ll pack on the weight. It has a lot to do with the genes.

I weighed 165 at my most athletic (way back in grad school) but I’m built like Fred Rogers and used to wrestle at 147. So I was carrying a good 15lbs in my love handles and belly. I routinely see folks walking around with over 100lbs of flab; 15 is really not much.

 

[COcheesehead]

Ever seen any football linemen, sumo wrestlers, or heavyweight boxers? Many of them watch their diet, but if you eat 8million calories of steak salad a day and only burn 7.5, there’s a chance you’ll pack on the weight. It has a lot to do with the genes.

I weighed 165 at my most athletic (way back in grad school) but I’m built like Fred Rogers and used to wrestle at 147. So I was carrying a good 15lbs in my love handles and belly. I routinely see folks walking around with over 100lbs of flab; 15 is really not much.

I think people miss my point. The OP was complaining about their doctor. Yet what the OP was saying didn’t seem to add up. Prime example, I eat right and exercise regularly, yet I am overweight. As we found out their exercise was a 35 minute walk and occasional Pilates.
I was just taking the doctor’s side of the argument.

 

[Retch The Grate]

I retired at 57, and I have mixed feelings (non financial) about it. Most of your peers and maybe all your friends will be at work all day Mon-Fri. Are you ready to be alone that much, or hang out with retirees much older than you are. It’s not that I didn’t know going in, but it’s not easy to get used to. I wasn’t going to hang out regularly with 70-80 year olds, many physically limited. Some people like solitary, so people don’t.

Make friends with nurses. their work schedule tends to include long blocks of time off, often during the work week. I'd be doing a much better job building a deeper relationship with the nurse friend I'm dating casually if I was not working a job at the moment.

 

[DogGone]

I also recall reading that doctors in particular have the hardest time so take that into consideration on his response. I just FIREd a few months ago in my early 50s and it’s been great.
I have many personal interests that do not rely on others and I socialize on the weekends like I did before but spend much more unrushed quality Time with my wife, parents (while their still alive) and son. (while their still home).

 

[sfbrown]

He's probably worried about losing you as a paying customer. Nothing virtuous about being a physician. It's a business like anything else. That's why I'm also wary of the drugs he's trying to push your way. He get's a benefit for pushing certain products. Show the same level of trust and skepticism when you go to the doctor as you do when you go to buy a car.

 

[PoF]

Time for a new doctor?

Sounds like your physician is out of touch. He may also be jealous.

I assure you that there is a generation of doctors very much interested in early retirement, for their patients and in many cases, for themselves. I've been out of the profession for three months now and I find it much easier to take better care of myself now than I did before.

Cheers!
-PoF

 

[FI FELLOW]

Facing a similar choice. I turn 60 in 3 weeks, and have a net worth around 5MM. I can easily retire, but worry if it's too early. I'm the highest grade scientist at a Fortune 500 company whose products you'd all recognize, work in a fun lab full of interesting people of varied backgrounds, and have quite a bit of prestige and gravitas at work. At home I'm just another guy who gets in his wife's way. I'm in good health, lift weights 3 time/week (5am workouts before work that I really enjoy) and feel much younger than 60.

I get 7 weeks of paid vacation per year, so I can do a lot of traveling now, and get paid for doing it.

Although I have no doubts I'd find things to do, I wonder if they'd be as rewarding. As of now I'm staying at work... can you talk me out of it?

 

[JoeWras]

Although I have no doubts I'd find things to do, I wonder if they'd be as rewarding. As of now I'm staying at work... can you talk me out of it?

Not with that cushy job and 7 weeks of paid vacation.

7 weeks? Damn, I'd stay.

Do start thinking about a way to get your gravitas, though. I don't know what your gravitas is. The people who I worked for seem to think it was to push me around. (Not saying that is your case!!!) I feel like you mentioning that is key. You need to find something that you feel gives you importance.

For high prestige scientists, lawyers, doctors many never find it and end up working until they can't, usually at an easier pace.

 

[The Cosmic Avenger]

Facing a similar choice. I turn 60 in 3 weeks, and have a net worth around 5MM. I can easily retire, but worry if it's too early. I'm the highest grade scientist at a Fortune 500 company whose products you'd all recognize, work in a fun lab full of interesting people of varied backgrounds, and have quite a bit of prestige and gravitas at work. At home I'm just another guy who gets in his wife's way. I'm in good health, lift weights 3 time/week (5am workouts before work that I really enjoy) and feel much younger than 60.

I get 7 weeks of paid vacation per year, so I can do a lot of traveling now, and get paid for doing it.

Although I have no doubts I'd find things to do, I wonder if they'd be as rewarding. As of now I'm staying at work... can you talk me out of it?

Usually the only people who we try to talk out of it are those who don't seem to have enough money to meet their spending needs. Your safe withdrawal rate would probably be $150-200K per year with that NW (although that's just a guess, as we're missing a lot of information like AA, SS, pension (if any)), so that doesn't sound like an issue!

So rather than try to talk you out of it, I'll ask, do you ever want to travel more, volunteer more, spend more time around the house and/or on hobbies? You might want to ask about working 35 or 30 hours a week for a few months, or taking more weeks of leave unpaid. It sounds like you don't need the money and so a reduction in compensation in exchange for more time off wouldn't be a problem, and you would still be doing the work you seem to enjoy. And if you find yourself not enjoying the extra time, you could go back to full time. I would just suggest you try it for a minimum of 3 months, as some people take some time to build new habits and get used to the change in routine.

 

[Focus]

Facing a similar choice. I turn 60 in 3 weeks, and have a net worth around 5MM. I can easily retire, but worry if it's too early. I'm the highest grade scientist at a Fortune 500 company whose products you'd all recognize, work in a fun lab full of interesting people of varied backgrounds, and have quite a bit of prestige and gravitas at work. At home I'm just another guy who gets in his wife's way. I'm in good health, lift weights 3 time/week (5am workouts before work that I really enjoy) and feel much younger than 60.

I get 7 weeks of paid vacation per year, so I can do a lot of traveling now, and get paid for doing it.

Although I have no doubts I'd find things to do, I wonder if they'd be as rewarding. As of now I'm staying at work... can you talk me out of it?

Your choice is clear. You enjoy your job and it's ideal for you. Why leave it? Sounds like whatever you'd find to do in retirement wouldn't be as fulfilling as your job.

I'm getting the sense that you somehow feel you're obligated to retire once you've reached FI and a certain age. Not true at all. FI is all about gaining the ability to choose what you want to do. You happen to be doing it already. Ride that wave as long as it's enjoyable, knowing that you have the resources to drop out at a moment's notice if things ever go south.

 

[KarenF]

Vitamin D does matter. Look into it and take a supplement.

 

[FI FELLOW]

Not with that cushy job and 7 weeks of paid vacation.

7 weeks? Damn, I'd stay.

Do start thinking about a way to get your gravitas, though. I don't know what your gravitas is. The people who I worked for seem to think it was to push me around. (Not saying that is your case!!!) I feel like you mentioning that is key. You need to find something that you feel gives you importance.

For high prestige scientists, lawyers, doctors many never find it and end up working until they can't, usually at an easier pace.

Thanks for the reply. No, it's not pushing people around, it's being the guy other scientists go to when they have a tough problem they are stuck on. Also, the Executive VP relies on me to lead the scientific community and keep them engaged, so I travel to various technical center locations each year to talk about opportunities in technical careers and mentor up and coming scientists and engineers. I also still do my own research and just filed a patent on an invention of mine.
So basically I'm very engaged and busy and enjoy it about 80% of the time. The rest is the usual corporate BS.

 

[FI FELLOW]

So rather than try to talk you out of it, I'll ask, do you ever want to travel more, volunteer more, spend more time around the house and/or on hobbies? You might want to ask about working 35 or 30 hours a week for a few months, or taking more weeks of leave unpaid. It sounds like you don't need the money and so a reduction in compensation in exchange for more time off wouldn't be a problem, and you would still be doing the work you seem to enjoy. And if you find yourself not enjoying the extra time, you could go back to full time. I would just suggest you try it for a minimum of 3 months, as some people take some time to build new habits and get used to the change in routine.

Mostly it's because a lot of my peers are retiring and seem to be loving it. I think I would for while, then be bored out of my skull. I guess I need to find a hobby.

 

[braumeister]

Mostly it's because a lot of my peers are retiring and seem to be loving it. I think I would for while, then be bored out of my skull. I guess I need to find a hobby.

Do you take vacations? Some people don't, but most do.
If so, what do you like to do then? Travel? Fish? Hunt?
What would you do if you were unable to go to work for a few days (snowstorm, etc.)?

Maybe you just need to give this some thought.

 

[FI FELLOW]

Not with that cushy job and 7 weeks of paid vacation.

7 weeks? Damn, I'd stay.

Yes, and every 5 years I get a bonus week, so then it's 8 weeks for a year. That's coming up again in 2022.

Pretty good deal.

 

[FI FELLOW]

Do you take vacations? Some people don't, but most do.
If so, what do you like to do then? Travel? Fish? Hunt?
What would you do if you were unable to go to work for a few days (snowstorm, etc.)?

Maybe you just need to give this some thought.

Thanks for the reply.
Yes, this year we spent 3 weeks in Southeast Asia. Last few years we've done Spain, Italy, the Caribbean, the Baltics, and a few closer trips in the US. So I don't need to retire to travel.
Part of me feels like I'd be retiring just because I can, rather than because I want to. Guess I'll keep at it for a while more, or at least until it's not fun anymore.

 

[JoeWras]

Mostly it's because a lot of my peers are retiring and seem to be loving it. I think I would for while, then be bored out of my skull. I guess I need to find a hobby.

Turns out for me, hobbies didn't really do it.

I needed a goal that looks beyond myself, so I've been doing this disaster relief thing.

As for you, it is pretty clear you get that satisfaction (or gravitas) out of solving problems, helping people along, and filing patents.

Have you looked at some kind of "emeritus" designation you could get at Megacorp? Here are some other ideas:

- freelance research and publishing
- Adjunct professor
- career counseling (maybe volunteer?)
- science mentoring in the school

The whole "help in the schools" thing interested me for a while. But lately, even as a volunteer, it is kind of a regulatory nightmare to interact with kids.

 

[FREE866]

Did your doctor elaborate at all on his comment that "men don't do well retiring early"?


I retired at 50. Am 53 now--so far so good, but I'm curious what he meant by that.
Thx

 

[JoeWras]

I guess I need to find a hobby.

After seeing your post on the "old technology" thread, you may have a hobby! Those tube amps are pretty cool.

 

[JJpop]

I just had a physical after 4 years. I am mid 50s and targeting retirement for next year. I think my health to be pretty good for my age. No known issues or ailments. I exercise regularly and eat healthy, real foods and cut out as much sugar as I can. I do need to lose a 10-20 pounds, but that is about it.

I mentioned that I was retiring in the next year, and my Dr. was aghast. "You are too young to retire. Men do not do well retiring early."

Then my Dr. went on to tell me about some new statin drugs that don't damage the liver. My cholesterol is genetically high and my liver does not do well with statins. The Dr. lost me when he went on to tell me to stay away from saturated fats and eat more veggies. I thought dietary cholesterol was no longer a thing to worry about.

At two glasses of wine, I apparently drink too much and it is putting me in a high risk category for heart attacks.

It seems somewhat contradictory to tell me I am too young to retire, and that my high cholesterol and drinking puts me at a higher risk of having a heart attack. Isn't that a good reason to retire now?

Dietary cholesterol is a problem as is drinking too much alcohol.I would not say your health is so great for your age based on what you said.The main reason for the negative assessment about retiring early is that you lose your purpose and maybe your social structure but that is an individual thing.Everyone is different.

 

[FI FELLOW]

After seeing your post on the "old technology" thread, you may have a hobby! Those tube amps are pretty cool.

Yes, that was my hobby for quite a few years. I built my amps, preamp, and DAC and rebuilt many sets of speakers until I found my favorites (the Infinity RSIIb pair in the pictures). After the mega-amps, which took a full year to build, I have not done too much with the hobby, but I could pick it up again, for sure.

 

[harley]

Dietary cholesterol is a problem as is drinking too much alcohol.I would not say your health is so great for your age based on what you said.The main reason for the negative assessment about retiring early is that you lose your purpose and maybe your social structure but that is an individual thing.Everyone is different.

Got any recent references to back up your dietary cholesterol statement? Everything science based that I've read in the last few years says the opposite. I have seen a few correlation must equal causation type articles, but nothing that was very convincing.

 

[JJpop]

Got any recent references to back up your dietary cholesterol statement? Everything science based that I've read in the last few years says the opposite. I have seen a few correlation must equal causation type articles, but nothing that was very convincing.

Well then feel free to eat as much cholesterol as you want if that is what you believe.Nutrition based science seems to change from it is good to it is bad to it is good a little bit too much for me.I have read and heard enough differing opinions to choose to limit my cholesterol intake,but that is my choice.