What I want most

[Brianeboatman]

I thought for the longest time that I wanted to retire early. I recently had a conversation with a friend and it dawned on me that I really don't care to retire. What want most is to be ABLE to not work. I want to work solely because it's what I want to do, and not what I HAVE to do. At this point in my life/career, I'm pumping 37% of my income into retirement and other accounts. I hope to only work cause I want to, or not, at age 50...2027. Is this what you want too?


I better not die right after retiring! I've saved for years to be able to enjoy the money and time. (This is one of my fears)

[Mulligan]

If I had a job I truly loved I would have worked until the day I died. The only real job I wanted to do was be a professional baseball player or golfer.... And my applications were always rejected.


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[Balance]

I agree wholeheartedly that the goal is to be FI so you can choose to work as much or as little as you want. That's where I am. Right now, I am working part-time at my pace and to my desires. I could quit and never look back, but as long as I enjoy it and it does not interfere with my other personal endeavors, then why not. Never hurts to pad the nest egg a little more. I view it as a staging down process. I am in the downwind leg to full retirement. I can turn and make my final approach at any time.

Lastly, my guess is you are in your late 30's. Stick to your plan, odds are in your favor you will live well beyond your 50's and get to enjoy your FI in whatever way makes you content and happy.

Good Luck

[RobbieB]

Seldom have I hated my job. Once I did and I called up my head hunter and said "get me outta here"

But a job is still a job. Someone pays you to do what they want you to do. I really only want to do what I want to do.

[travelover]

Nothing wrong with being FI but not RE, but at least you have a choice. What sucks is having to work a job you have come to hate.

[RAE]

Quote:

Originally Posted by RobbieB But a job is still a job. Someone pays you to do what they want you to do. I really only want to do what I want to do.

+1. If you really love your job and can't imagine spending your time doing anything else that would make you happier, then by all means, you should keep working. For many of us, however (including me) it became pretty clear that I wanted to have control over how I spend my time, and continuing to go to work every day was not the best use of my time after I became F.I. (even though my job was not horrible, and probably better than a lot of jobs). You only have so much time on this earth; make sure you use it wisely.

[dunkelblau]

I can relate, right after finishing school I hired into a job that was a poor fit for my personality, so I decided an early out was all I wanted. A high savings rate and good (lucky) returns from the 1990s bull market brought me to my FI target just before I turned 40. But strangely enough right around that time my job was moving in a direction that suited me better, or maybe I was just getting used to it. So the RE part went on the back burner.

After another decade my job had gotten even better. I started working in an obscure niche years ago that many around me saw as a headache but I found to be interesting and fun (it's basically a form of puzzle solving). I figured my retirement was already bought and paid for, so I didn't care that my chosen field wasn't on a promotion or raise track, work-wise feeling good was good enough for me. Fast forward to today and that little niche is now a hot topic under the 'data mining' umbrella.

A few years ago I applied for a buyout offer, it was denied, but I retired anyway. That lasted all of three weeks before I ran out of ideas about how to occupy my free time, and management offered an inducement for me to return. I got the relocation I wanted, plus total control over schedule and work content, mainly because we're seriously short staffed in my area of expertise. So far I'm thrilled with this new arrangement.

I know to enjoy it while it lasts because it won't. My area will go out of fashion and I won't be re-inventing myself to appeal to a new world order, instead that'll be the right time for me to bow out. No regrets at all about my wasted sprint to FI, sure I could have spent quite a bit more in my youth, but I'm extremely grateful now to not need a paycheck as a 50+ hardware engineer. So go ahead, give your future self a "you're welcome".

[Senator]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brianeboatman I better not die right after retiring! I've saved for years to be able to enjoy the money and time. (This is one of my fears)

Exactly. I like my job too, but it is work. It is not something I will be doing on weekends, just for fun.

Once you are FI, the job really seems like work.

[medved]

Not too long ago, I had an opportunity to take a really interesting job (at least I think it would be really interesting), but it would have come with an 80% + pay cut. I turned it down. I often think about whether I made the right decision, or not. I'm not sure I did....

[Sunset]

Quote:

Originally Posted by RobbieB ... But a job is still a job. Someone pays you to do what they want you to do. I really only want to do what I want to do.

I had a job, boss told me what to do.
Then I was self employed and customers told me what to do .
Now I'm retired and DW tells me what to do.

[MRG]

I loved what I did for many years. Then things changed. Some were my changing priorities some Megacorp's direction. In the end things worked out just how they're supposed to. Your views may change, or not, it's all good.

This is the best deal I've ever had, better than delivering auto parts out in BFE when I was a kid. Besides this is only job I ever had where I can sleep with the boss.

[Lucantes]

From the day I started working until today I have wanted to retire!
Some jobs/careers have been better than others but I have always wanted to retire.
I have only 9 months left for it to become reality.
At this point I wouldn't stay a day longer than I have to, no matter what they offered me.
My wife feels the same except she would quit today if I said we could.

[skipro33]

Here's the litmus test;
If you are FI and would stay at your job without pay, for free, then stay working. If, however, you wouldn't stay for free, then there's something else you would rather do for free. That's retirement.
Of course, there are those who are FI and want to stay at their job but only if paid. Doesn't make sense to me, but a lot of folks do it. Many folks are concerned they won't keep active in retirement. I don't know how to answer that other than I've been busy, as busy as I want to be anyways, every single day I've been retired. Not once have I been stumped with what to do and wishing I was back at my old job.

[Markola]

Quote:

Originally Posted by RobbieB Seldom have I hated my job. Once I did and I called up my head hunter and said "get me outta here" But a job is still a job. Someone pays you to do what they want you to do. I really only want to do what I want to do.

+1. My headhunter saved me from a lousy manager recently. Now I'm in a much better situation and am thinking, meh, a few more years so we can incubate the best egg more.
I'm entering my 50s and so many of my friends are suddenly tired of careers and say they want a change. I think I'm the only one among us squeezing the buffalos off the old nickels so I can actually do it in my mid 50s though🤑

[catii]

As an engineer, I was always able to find a job, but finally got tired of moving from state to state. So, 30 years ago, my wife & I started our own consulting company &, since then, I don't feel that I've worked a single day! It's a real pain to start your own company, but if you have marketable skills, go for it!

We were able to move our HQ to Hawaii 25 years ago, & although it's hellishly expensive out here, we have no regrets. Wonderful weather, friendly people, & half-way to the places we like to visit (Japan, Australia, New Zealand, etc.).

So sit back, & see if you can figure out a way to do your own thing, rather than working for somebody else!

Ken

[eytonxav]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mulligan The only real job I wanted to do was be a professional baseball player or golfer.... And my applications were always rejected. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Me too, although I never had the self-confidence to submit an application

[Dawg52]

If I had been lucky enough to have a job I enjoyed, I wouldn't have retired early. That wasn't the case.

[VFK57]

I did HVAC/Refrigeration job for 34 years until due to health issues I had to quit. A job I wanted / liked to do did not materialized. At 55+ there are very slim chance at new carrier.

[Mulligan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by DFW_M5 Me too, although I never had the self-confidence to submit an application

I grew up in a small town rural area and played against competition of like size in my youth. I was a very good athlete. It took playing college sports to realize "wow there may be millions of people better than me". Suddenly "hitting the books" became a priority. Total bummer....


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[Music Lover]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mulligan If I had a job I truly loved I would have worked until the day I died. The only real job I wanted to do was be a professional baseball player or golfer.... And my applications were always rejected.

I wanted to be a professional golfer or a rock star.

5 years ago I took some bass lessons from a local player with loads of talent...far more than I could ever have hoped to have. He was one of the top players in the area, but to make ends meet he gave lessons in his basement, and had to juggle lessons with gigging...often getting calls a 9:30 at night in -30 weather to drive across town to sub at a gig for 3 hours to earn $100.

That's when I actually became thankful that I wasn't good/talented enough to be a professional. I ended up with a govt. job with great benefits and have now retired from the cube farm with a good pension and play music for my enjoyment...not to pay the bills. I still see him at the local watering holes taking whatever gig he can get. I play the local watering holes when I feel like it.

My cousin was invited to the New York Rangers training camp but was a late cut. He followed his dreams and played semi-pro hockey for 15 years, and was then lucky enough to get on at the fire department. He's doing okay now, but he can give you a list a mile long of guys whose career ended when they were in their early to mid 30's and now work at less than ideal jobs.

For the lucky few that make it in their dream job and become millionaire rock stars or NHL players, it's a great life. For the other 99% that almost make it, but don't, they end up picking up gigs for peanuts and giving lessons in their basement, or slogging away in the minor leagues. It's a tough life with few financial rewards.