Define Retirement Success

[Amethyst]

These are aspects of a good life; not limited to retirement.

I'd put HEALTH at the top of any list; and I'd add: plenty of interesting hobbies and things to do.

Quote:

Originally Posted by imoldernu Enough in assets to feel safe in your time horizon Freedom to do and go anything/anywhere you want Have the love and closeness of family Health, and healthcare under your own control A plan for the later years You own "possible" bucket list Social comfort, as you wish it to be Your dream home base Physical objects, house, car, belongings that avoid "want" .................................................. ................................................ Based on the above responses, and obvious disinterest, I am asking Moderators to delete this thread.

[Retire52]

I like this Bob Dylan quote, “A man is a*success*if he gets up in the morning and gets to bed at night, and in between he does what he wants to do.”

[albireo13]

In between, you fend off the Megacorp sphincters with a machete. If you are lucky, you live another day.

[Ronstar]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Independent I can't resist another example. Soon after I retired, I spent an afternoon removing an overgrown arborvitae. It was getting late, I wasn't getting done, and I was hurrying. Then it occurred to me "I'm retired, I'm not going to work tomorrow. I don't have to hurry, I've got all day tomorrow, or the next day ..." My blood pressure dropped 10 points. That was an amazing transformation in my world.

Similar to my grandmother back in the 80’s. Her front yard was about 50’ x 25’. Back yard was about the same. She would cut the front yard grass one day and cut the back yard the next day. I asked why she didn’t cut the whole thing on the same day. She said she was retired and didn’t have much to do, so she split it up into 2 days.

[Focus]

Being ruled by your own body clock and no one else's. Sufficient sleep, night after night, because if something wakes you up, you can go back to bed and get the remaining shut-eye in.

I realized after I retired that I had been sleep-deprived almost my entire career.

[LARS]

Learning how to truly relax about EVERYTHING!

[scrabbler1]

I was working only 2 days a week prior to fully retiring 10 years ago, so I was already enjoying some of the benefits of retirement. Being able to extend those benefits from 5 days a week to 7 days was nice. Some of the things I enjoyed by not working any more were:


(1) No more morning alarm clock.
(2) No more commute on those damned trains EVER!
(3) No more having to start cooking new food after coming home from work.
(4) Being able to do my regular errands at 10:30 AM on weekdays when stores are not busy.
(5) Being able to go out and do stuff on weeknights because I am not worn out after work and the awful commute.
(6) After developing some health issues 4 years ago, I was able to devote all of my time and effort to getting myself well again without work competing for my time.
(7) Being able to do some volunteer work during the day on weekdays.

[Bir48die]

Quote:

Originally Posted by scrabbler1 I was working only 2 days a week prior to fully retiring 10 years ago, so I was already enjoying some of the benefits of retirement. Being able to extend those benefits from 5 days a week to 7 days was nice. Some of the things I enjoyed by not working any more were: (1) No more morning alarm clock. (2) No more commute on those damned trains EVER! (3) No more having to start cooking new food after coming home from work. (4) Being able to do my regular errands at 10:30 AM on weekdays when stores are not busy. (5) Being able to go out and do stuff on weeknights because I am not worn out after work and the awful commute. (6) After developing some health issues 4 years ago, I was able to devote all of my time and effort to getting myself well again without work competing for my time. (7) Being able to do some volunteer work during the day on weekdays.

Couldn’t have said it better

[imoldernu]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bir48die Couldn’t have said it better

Yeah... especially about the train... That was the last nag I finally got rid of...

[scrabbler1]

....and I forgot one big thing (mentioned by some others here):


(8) I can nap EVERY afternoon!

[ggbutcher]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nemo2 You don't work, but you can still eat.

Ah, someone else beside me with low expectations...

When I read the title, this promptly came to mind:

"Three hots and a cot"

Yes, it's a bit more complicated than that, but that is the foundation upon which all of the other things to be done in retirement are built.

[vince]

Waking up in the morning and thinking ..."what do I feel like doing today"?

[WestUniversity]

The freedom to do what I want to do, not what I have to do...

[ckelly78z]

Quote:

Originally Posted by scrabbler1 ....and I forgot one big thing (mentioned by some others here): (8) I can nap EVERY afternoon!

I now only get to do that on camping trips when i'm not working....a luxury indeed !

[SumDay]

All these responses are wonderful. It's like a gratitude journal.

I'll add a couple I don't think I've seen.

I used to sit and stare out my office window and wonder what my dog was doing. Now all I have to do is turn my head both ways and I can guarantee he's within my line of sight. I love the fact that he has as much freedom now as we do.

And I love being able to go to the grocery store during the day when it isn't crowded.

[jollystomper]

Saving/investing enough to be able to choose what I want to do and live the lifestyle I desire, without having to work or be dependent on others.

[Hermit]

I work at building my house most every day, but I am quite fond of telling folks that wonder why it is taking so long that the paycheck is the same whether I work hard or not hardly at all.

[Koolau]

Quote:

Originally Posted by imoldernu Enough in assets to feel safe in your time horizon Freedom to do and go anything/anywhere you want Have the love and closeness of family Health, and healthcare under your own control A plan for the later years You own "possible" bucket list Social comfort, as you wish it to be Your dream home base Physical objects, house, car, belongings that avoid "want" .................................................. ................................................ Based on the above responses, and obvious disinterest, I am asking Moderators to delete this thread.

I am glad you started the thread (as usual!)

I think I would only add to your list some "spiritual connection" or "bigger than yourself" connection. This doesn't mean necessarily a "religious" connection though it could be. I know folks who are quite contented, for instance, by "giving back" - basically an unselfish 'streak' that gives them great pleasure. It would be different for all of us so YMMV.

[griffithee]

Being able to do what I want, when I want, with whomever I want is my go to answer.

But what really hit home was when DW asks to re-tile the outdoor kitchen AND fly first class to Honolulu for the summer vacation and being able to reply "yes" without even asking the dollar amounts.

Just another confirmation that we successfully retired is when our only arguments involve what to do with the extra money every month.

[Bamaman]

My mother lived the perfect retirement--living 40' from a major lake with a 6 mile sunset view for 25 years.

When she passed, she was down to a one month supply of cash. That's successful retirement.