This is nice, but incromprehensible to me. Must be part of the Galternate Universe. Motivation is important but far from everything if what you are trying to do is sell real estate, or mutual funds, or insurance.
But the only place I can see motivation playing much part in retirement affordability is the motivation to prefer privation over work. What else can motivation do? It can't increase returns, it can't lower prices of necessities, it can't make a cold house warmer, or a hamburger taste like steak.
I tell you what, I'll give you my motivation squared, and you give me a million bucks. Then I will be really comfortable, and I don't think think I will miss the motivation at all.
There are a whole bunch of people who work little, and live cheaply. They are called poor, and historically they have not appeared to be happy.
Mikey
Hey Mikey: Once again you show commen sense in your posts.
The only thing that motivated me to retire early, was the idea that I could live as if I were still working, but had the time to do the things that I didn't have time to while chasing a buck.
If I had to live like John Galt appears to live, I would still be working.
I've been poor, and as you stated, it's no fun.
Your point about the poster stating "my wife contributed to ER pile, so I therefore owe her, was also quite appropriate. My wife didn't work outside of the household, but she put up with me for years, so i couldnt expect her to put up with going backwards.
Retirement is great, but some posters may be fooling themselves if they think that retirement is a magical pill that allows them to completely overhaul their previous lifestyle and allow them (and their wife, if she doesn't haul your a-- into divorce court), to live once again like starting over. (It's a damn site different than the nostalgic memories of being a kid and living on a wing and a prayer.)
One important thing also, that never seems to be considered, is at what age you are talking about retiring.
There is a world of difference between retiring with $l,000,000.00 at age 40, and the same amount at age 60.
The amount that would be required is up to the individuals, but I don't believe that a complete overhaul works for most folks.
If you have enough money to live reasonably close to the way you were living when you were working, then by all means "pull the pin" if you have a desire to do so, but an error on the upside is the best.
Regards, Jarhead