Fear or Love; What motovated you to RE?

[azanon]

I would probably have to admit fear motivates me to FI more than anything. Its not like i'm afraid all the time, but I don't for one second take for granted the great job that I have and I dont assume it will always be there. I know if i'm not FI, i'm vulnerable; vulnerable of not being able to take care of myself and my family unless I'm able to get a replacement job.

I'm not going to worry right now too much about the "RE or not RE" until i get FI first. That's mainly because I might be equally content to continue to work just for the sheer material pleasure of it if i know that in the worst case scenario i can just say FU and walk right out the door cause i'm FI. What i'm saying is, meeting expectations is a lot of what i dont like about jobs, and what do i care about that if it doesnt matter if i outright lost my job? ;-)

Azanon

 

[SC]

The desire for independence and freedom, to do things because I want to do them, not because I need the money.

 

[kumquat]

I'm only half motivated, 1 or 2 years left, I think.

I'm pretty sure I have reached FI but something stops me.

A few years ago a friend took an ER package from his employer. His rational was "if they're going to give me that much money to quit going to a job I hate". Mine is more "if they're going to give me that much money to do something I like" but I've started building contacts for a bit of consulting when I do go. A month here, a month there would be much better.

 

[SteveR]

I'm not going to worry right now too much about the "RE or not RE" until i get FI first.  That's mainly because I might be equally content to continue to work just for the sheer material pleasure of it if i know that in the worst case scenario i can just say FU and walk right out the door cause i'm FI.  What i'm saying is, meeting expectations is a lot of what i dont like about jobs, and what do i care about that if it doesnt matter if i outright lost my job?  ;-)

Azanon

Grasshopper..............it is time for you to leave.
You have successfully snatched the pebble from the master's hand.

You have learned all that is truly important and the rest is up to you.

Being FI opens the doors to peace of mind and being able to find part of the job you actually like and want to do. It also allows you to ignore the Corporate A@@holes that have gone over to the "Dark Side" in their lust for power. You can smile at the BS that flows in dump truck quantities on a daily basis while others have to swim in it just to keep their head above. You can walk away any time you want and that empowers you. It is a great feeling and one that gives one a greater perspective on life in general, beyond the work world.

Congratulations on your achievement. It is a great feeling to know that when the BS gets too deep you can just tell your overbearing cretin of a boss to "take this job and shove it."

Enjoy the feeling of freedom. Work can be fun when it is no longer work.

 

[Jay_Gatsby]

SteveR,

I couldn't have said it better myself.  FI is mostly what people want.  RE is nice, but you need to do something with your time.  Why not get paid for your time to do something you would might do for free?  FI doesn't take as long as people think.  There was a discussion a month or so ago regarding whether it's possible to RE after only 20 years on the job.  I think the consensus was that it's possible, but the kind of RE you'd have would be pretty bare bones.  On the other hand, I think 20 years is plenty of time to become FI.  In fact, I'd bet many people could become FI in far less time (15 or even 10 years, depending on your definition of FI and whether your spouse works or not). People need to look at RE as having several stages, with FI being the mid-way point.

Just imagine that you're 35 years old and able to do what you truly want to do for the rest of your life, without ever having to worry about pissing off the boss, job loss, etc...?  Most people will never experience that kind of freedom.

 

[shiny]

Sure, FI is a great goal ~ it enables you to do what you want with you life. I wish more people understood that it was within the realm of possibility.

But ER... isn't that what makes this board unique? People who have (or who are planning to) live life outside the norms of society. DH and I have been FI for quite a while, but have yet to become fully ER. Why? Fear of killing the golden goose and living to regret it. So... fear is what keeps us FROM ER.

I am in charge of getting our ducks in a row. They are almost there. What motivates me to get our act together to ER (I'm already there, but feel more like a housewife) is love ~ I have lived the stress of work and know the joys of letting it go, I want DH to know that joy as well. Plus, we're young and I'm ready to gather the rosebuds while I may.

 

[audreyh1]

Wow - it never occurred to me that there was a difference between FI and ER. FI was always a dream of mine. As soon as I realized I was FI, I made plans to ER!

In theory at least there is absolutely nothing wrong with getting paid to do something I would do for free - but somehow payment always seems to come with strings attached. I don't like any attached strings......so I'd much rather volunteer than be a paid employee or consultant or service provider.

For me, FI was just as much about not being obligated to earn a living, as it is about having control over my time. For me time is my most precious commodity.

Audrey

 

[SteveR]

Wow - it never occurred to me that there was a difference between FI and ER.  FI was always a dream of mine.  As soon as I realized I was FI, I made plans to ER!

In theory at least there is absolutely nothing wrong with getting paid to do something I would do for free - but somehow payment always seems to come with strings attached.  I don't like any attached strings......so I'd much rather volunteer than be a paid employee or consultant or service provider.

For me, FI was just as much about not being obligated to earn a living, as it is about having control over my time.  For me time is my most precious commodity. 

Audrey

I think your key phrase is "obligated to earn a living". Being FI means you are no longer obligated to earn a living. You have already earned it. What you make from your work efforts from then on is just padding or a means to increase your live-style.

ER is what you can do after you are FI. The amount of $$ it takes to be FI is totally dependent upon how you wish to live without income from "work." ER is just retirement earlier than what YOU believed. ER might be at 64 or at 24...it all depends on when you become FI and when you WANT to retire.

Many folks here have stated that they fear retirement because of the big unknown of living off their investments. That fear keeps them working long past the point of FI. On the other hand. Some people like what they do for a "living" and it is the joy of this that keeps them doing it long after they become FI. ER for them is a different concept than it is for someone who hates their job and want out before the "normal" retirement age.

I am sure there are purists out there that will say that any work for money prevents you from being retired. I believe this is too strick a definition based on what I have read from the many stories shared here and on other ER or R boards.

 

[Sparky]

So the question is: What motivated you most to RE?

September 11, 2001.

 

[unclemick]

I was canned, layed off, put out to pasture, whatever - at age 49 and too lazy to move for another job. Turned out I didn't have to.

heh heh heh - took ten years, 1993 to 2003 to discover what ER meant - and then, and then SG accused me of being a bored 13 year girl from Missoula.

Oh well.

heh heh heh heh heh heh heh

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

Eh, you've gotta be 15, maybe 16 by now...

 

[brewer12345]

So the question is: What motivated you most to RE?

September 11, 2001.

Interesting. That is also what motivated me to get the hell out of the city of my birth and never return (as much as possible). Nothing like being downwind of the charnel house stench of the burning twin towers rubble (with the smell continuing for months) to drive the point home.

 

[starry night]

Yes, for me, too, it is fear of missing out on the rest of my life. Who wants to spend it in workday/workplace drudgery??

If you haven't already, run up to Blockbuster and rent "Holiday", 1930's film with Cary Grant, Katherine Hepburn. He is a self-made man who only wishes to stake himself with enough dough to pull out early -- but he is sidelined by engagement to a rich girl who only wants to pile up more and more. He fell for the wrong sister. Anyway, one of the best exchanges is when he describes how he plans to take a Holiday - he "wants to save part of my life for myself. But there's a catch. It has to be part of the young part. You know, retire young, work old. Come back when I know what I'm working for." .......

Well, we've positioned ourselves so we won't have to come back into work (unless things REALLY go wrong around here, and GWB is doing the best he can to ruin it for all of us for a long time to come - don't get me started).

But I love the philosophy of this old movie, and it makes me realize that I am as young as I'll ever be again, and I've got to have these decades for my dreams while I can.

"Our life is closed, our life begins.
The long, long anchorage we leave.
The ship is clear, at last...She leaps!
She swiftly courses from the shore...
Joy, Shipmate, Joy!!"

Walt Whitman

Sailin' Away........Starry Night

 

[wallygator69]

Hi Kids,

Fear is keeping me from pulling the trigger. DW and I both 41, think were FI but inflation and Health Insurance scare the hell out of me.

Biggest fear comes from tech buble bursting. Lost much paper gains but also a substantial amount of real cash. (Off subject but that's why I'm in the mess with B shares and got in with the FA. Depression and loss of sensibility and just not wanting to think about Finances..) Much more diversity now but another crash early on wouldn't be good.

Set May of 2008 for Exit but could probably do it now but should be able to bank $80k this year, $40k next year and then I will most likely be out of business.

BUT, if Real estate Buble bursts and I lose 25% of my equity in Primary residence that wipes out $120k that was going to pay down Retirment home mortgage to about $80k.

So two more years pays off House with $40k left over provided no POP!

Kind of depressed myself.

I stink :

Have a great weekend,

Wally