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Old 01-10-2018, 04:43 PM   #21
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I love threads like this because they make me realize it’s NOT just me. And I now also realize that I have always been lazy, but got whipped into shape enough to work hard during my career so as to be “respected” and “successful.”

One last point - if you’re always running from the bear, even when you don’t need to be, it, or a different one, will inevitably catch you!
Someone on this very forum said it best many years ago. The poster admitted that if he had had a choice he'd have simply been a trust fund baby with rich parents who could go through life doing whatever he wanted instead of working for a living. But at some point he "did the math" and realized he'd "have to do something for a while in exchange for being able to do nothing for a longer while."

The italicized part is an exact or nearly exact quote that I have always remembered since it described my own philosophy of life ever since I saw Thurston Howell III. I did the math as some point and realized I didn't need anywhere near Thurston Howell's money to pull it off.

I don't recall who said it but Hats Off! It's in my book of useful quotations right up there with Calvin Coolidge's "There is no dignity quite so impressive and no independence quite so important than living within your means."
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Old 01-10-2018, 05:02 PM   #22
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Back when I was in high school, I lamented what I called the 'million dollar dilemma'. If everyone was born with $1M in their name, they would never have to work (more like $2M today). But then, there would not be anyone to do the work, if everyone took the option.

My laziness, and not wanting to work, have actually been the driving force behind me working hard, taking promotions, adding responsibility, saving and investing, and aiming to retire early. By working harder earlier in life, I can coast down the hill later beginning in my mid 50s, rather than late 60s.
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Old 01-10-2018, 05:52 PM   #23
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No one believes me when I tell them I am lazy.

I am a hard charging type A in the office, because I want to minimize my time in the office!

When I am not there, I spend great amounts of time doing nothing, and it makes me very happy.
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Old 01-10-2018, 06:02 PM   #24
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No one believes me when I tell them I am lazy.

I am a hard charging type A in the office, because I want to minimize my time in the office!

When I am not there, I spend great amounts of time doing nothing, and it makes me very happy.
That's me, except I like to spend my spare time scuba diving, flying drones, swimming, cooking, hanging out with my wife! Full-bore at work, so I don't have to work OT for free!
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Old 01-10-2018, 07:39 PM   #25
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I have to admit I was lazy while working. I spent the hardest working time automating my duties and then then just breezed through them each month. I’d have to wait days for others to finish their parts before continuing.

This laziness continued into retirement except nothing to automate. My favorite quote goes something like, "I worked on nothing today and didn’t finish it."
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Old 01-10-2018, 08:00 PM   #26
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Old 01-10-2018, 09:42 PM   #27
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+1

too lazy add anything original . too lazy to hold down the shift key
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Old 01-10-2018, 09:54 PM   #28
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I’m not lazy in the least. But I dont mind not doing much. I will always do the stuff that needs doing. Never bored either. Very strenuous workout almost every day belies any suggestion of laziness I think. A high pressure career did certainly make retirement very attractive at 56. Been 11 years now, and feeling quite “settled” in retirement. “Lazy” just doesn’t seem like an appropriate word to use?
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Old 01-10-2018, 10:46 PM   #29
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I'm pretty lazy, but I have one problem that gets in the way. I can't stand it when something (in this case around the house) isn't working correctly. So I usually get things done that need to be done. As I move into retirement, I'm working on an agreement with myself to find some type of daily activity/exercise, as I know that I'll be better off in the long run if I move more than my natural tendencies would dictate. Wish me luck.
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Old 01-10-2018, 11:46 PM   #30
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I’ve become a lot more relaxed since ER. Like others, I was a hard-charging Type A at work and I can still get that way when I get focused on a project. Like yesterday DH and I worked non-stop for 10 hours culling through our kitchen and reorganizing and getting rid of stuff. On the other hand, there are days I don’t do much at all and I thoroughly enjoy that too.

The beautiful thing about retirement is freedom of choice!
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Old 01-11-2018, 12:33 AM   #31
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Another recovering hard-charger and w*rkaholic here. My teams got the j*bs other more experience teams screwed up. It was a point of pride. I loved figuring out difficult stuff, even better if the experts declared it "impossible".

I still love to learn new stuff, but now at my own pace. I don't have to prove anything to anyone. No more grades or other arbitrary evaluations of my "worth" by anyone.

The frequency and intensity of w*rk related nightmares have faded after 3 years in retirement. Some folks have said it would take at least 6 months to acclimate to retirement. I guess I'm a slow learner since it has taken almost 3 years.

Recently, DW and I sat in a college cafe sipping coffee with one of our young student friends. I remarked that I never had time or money to do this when I was at the university long ago. I was born to sit around and drink coffee!

Speaking about coffee, today I spent a couple of hours drinking coffee with DW. It was wonderful! Oh, it takes me about 20 minutes to prepare each round of coffee, but it's delicious and I enjoy the ritual. Sure beats w*rking!

To be fair, though, I'm not sure if I'd enjoy this sitting around as much if I didn't have to w*rk so hard for it in the past. I guess I'm still a recovering w*rkaholic. Maybe I would have been a very unhappy trust fund kid, but I never had a chance to find out!
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Old 01-11-2018, 07:55 AM   #32
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By nature I'm totally with you on the laziness bit. But fortunately I have an energetic wife to fill my idle time with fresh goals.

Likewise, I’m sure. I just wish she’d keep the nap-shaming to a minimum! ;->
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Old 01-11-2018, 08:18 AM   #33
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I was also high-energy, setting the alarm for 6:30 AM five days a week, working 10-hour days, business travel across time zones, getting up even earlier to work out since there would be no time at the end of the day, etc.

Now I feel a bit disgruntled if I have more than one commitment on my calendar in a single day or if I have to set the alarm. I do make time for doing things for others, such as donating blood and maintaining the church Web site but those are mostly on my terms. My excess energy has been channeled into better workouts at the gym and keeping the house cleaner. I'm happy with that.
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Old 01-11-2018, 09:12 AM   #34
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Does anybody remember the show "Flame Trees of Thika"

The young girl when asked what she would do if she was rich said "nothing". Why? Because her father told her that "doing nothing is the most expensive thing a person can do".

I agree.
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Old 01-11-2018, 09:14 AM   #35
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Clever and Lazy

I agree with the military quote citing the virtue of being intelligent and lazy. That combination creates the most efficient solutions to most problems/challenges. In essence, we turn it on when needed and don't waste everyone's time (including our own) when it is not.

The quote:

"I divide my officers into four groups. There are clever, diligent, stupid, and lazy officers. Usually two characteristics are combined. Some are clever and diligent -- their place is the General Staff. The next lot are stupid and lazy -- they make up 90 percent of every army and are suited to routine duties. Anyone who is both clever and lazy is qualified for the highest leadership duties, because he possesses the intellectual clarity and the composure necessary for difficult decisions. One must beware of anyone who is stupid and diligent -- he must not be entrusted with any responsibility because he will always cause only mischief."
General Hammerstein
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Old 01-11-2018, 09:25 AM   #36
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Now that I have been retired nearly two years, I realize how lazy I am. Like someone who can run fast and far if a bear is chasing them will stop running when the bear is not chasing. I really enjoy the option to do very little if that is what I want that day.

Once I achieved FIRE I realized the bear was not chasing me anymore, so my natural laziness kicked in. I now assume a majority of the hard work and general industriousness in Society is driven by debt or desire to save.


Note: I had a very demanding, high stress, well compensated career, so you would not have guessed how lazy I really am.
I like the opportunity to be lazy. Last week I was in an all-inclusive resort in Los Cabos, I was so lazy that I did not want to do anything but just stayed in hotel for the sun. My wife said that was a waste of money, so what. I just don't want to do anything.
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Old 01-11-2018, 09:54 AM   #37
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Similar story here... generally lazy if left to my own devices.... got mediocre grades in high school and first semester of college because I wasn't applying myself... while working a manual labor job between freshman and sophmore years of college I realized that I was destined to live in poverty if I didn't step it up... was Dean's list after that. Once I started working I was having a ball with money to burn... partying many nights and occasionally showing up to work hungover.... at my first year evaluation the senior partner said that they thought I was a smart, young guy but wasn't applying myself worth a lick and that in 6 months they would decide to either promote me or show me the door... it was the kick in the a$$ that I needed... I was promoted 3 months later and did well the rest of my career.

I had a fairly type A, pressure jobs and worked long hours and traveled a lot. When I decided to hang up the gloves many people who knew me well thought that I would be climbing the walls in a year. One of the biggest surprises of retirement was how content that I could be just puttering around and not doing much of anything.

One of my favorite Beetle Bailey comic strips was one where Beetle was doing a number of onerous tasks and asked Sarge why he was getting all the hard tasks... Sarge replied that in his view that Beetle was the lasiest person in the unit so he would fine the easiest way to get the task done. That rang a bell with me.
Many similarities to this story except I was lazy in college throughout the whole experience. Getting laid off in a recession (80's) with a pregnant wife was my motivator. Changed my life.

Had lots of projects after I retired. Now I'm settling into a more relaxed phase. Still planning but don't have that drive every day to do something productive.
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Old 01-11-2018, 10:38 AM   #38
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I agree with the military quote citing the virtue of being intelligent and lazy. That combination creates the most efficient solutions to most problems/challenges. In essence, we turn it on when needed and don't waste everyone's time (including our own) when it is not.

The quote:

"I divide my officers into four groups. There are clever, diligent, stupid, and lazy officers. Usually two characteristics are combined. Some are clever and diligent -- their place is the General Staff. The next lot are stupid and lazy -- they make up 90 percent of every army and are suited to routine duties. Anyone who is both clever and lazy is qualified for the highest leadership duties, because he possesses the intellectual clarity and the composure necessary for difficult decisions. One must beware of anyone who is stupid and diligent -- he must not be entrusted with any responsibility because he will always cause only mischief."
General Hammerstein
I was enlisted and later an officer. I would agree with this for the most part. Usually found myself replacing someone who was clever and diligent. I was/am clever and lazy. As an Aviation Maintenance Control Officer my predecessor would come in at 0500 and leave at 1800. I would come in at 0545 and be out the door most days at 1700. All of my metrics were just as good or higher than my predecessor.

At one of the resident courses I was required to attend we planned and executed our day in 10-15 minutes increments. Ex 0430-wake up, 0445-shave/shower get dressed, etc... I was completely done with everything NLT 1400 each day. Way too organized and efficient for me to the point of being uncomfortable. To this day I will have a honey due list with maybe ten items. When I have completed maybe 6 or 7 of the items I stop for the day. It bothers me to be too efficient. Weird? I suppose. It works for me.

To score a 275-285 on the USMC physical fitness test I needed to dedicate aprox 5-10 hours/week on physical fitness. To score a perfect 300 I would need to dedicate at least 20 hours/week. The 280 I would always get put me well above average. Least amount or time to acquire the highest score. Worked for me.

It works that way with $ for me too. My bosses boss is moving up to be a VP. They want me to take his place. I spend a day with him. Turns out his EASIEST week is 50 hours. In the 2.5 years I have worked this current gig I have worked 50 hours maybe once. Usually work 30-35. Rarely 40. The time cost to receive an extra 30k is not worth it to me. Hour for hour that position would be less $/hour.
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" People say I'm lazy, dreaming my life away Well, they give me all kinds of advice designed to enlighten me When I tell them that I'm doing fine watching shadows on the wall "Don't you miss the big time, boy. You're no longer on the ball" -John Lennon-
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Old 01-11-2018, 10:47 AM   #39
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At one of the resident courses I was required to attend we planned and executed our day in 10-15 minutes increments. Ex 0430-wake up, 0445-shave/shower get dressed, etc... I was completely done with everything NLT 1400 each day. Way too organized and efficient for me to the point of being uncomfortable. To this day I will have a honey due list with maybe ten items. When I have completed maybe 6 or 7 of the items I stop for the day. It bothers me to be too efficient. Weird? I suppose. It works for me.
I worked one summer in college at a civil service job (government). My first clue should have been that I showed up and they didn't even know I was coming.

When I finally got settled in on the first day, I was given a stack of punch cards (remember those?) and was asked to write a program to organize them according to one of the parametric variables on the card(s).

I went off to work on it and came back around lunchtime and handed my manager the results and the software instructions.

He looked at me with the most confused expression I had ever seen, and in a VERY slow, southern drawl (Charleston, SC) said, "Boy!?! ------ (long pause) You're gonna work yourself right out of a job!!"

Turns out that task was supposed to last me the ENTIRE summer!

The rest of the summer was the most miserable job I ever had, just sitting there staring at the clock because they didn't have enough work for themselves to do all day, let alone me!

.......even worse than digging swimming pools in 100+ degree heat the next summer!
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Old 01-11-2018, 10:51 AM   #40
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I am pretty lazy, too. I try to spread out my errands during the week so I can do them during off-peak hours, mainly between 10 AM and 3 PM on weekdays. I have my square dancing a few nights a week and see my best friend one night a week and see my ladyfriend most other nights.


But once in a while, I have several things to do on the same day and it can be quite exhausting because I'm not really used to being that busy any more. Like last Monday, when I had 8 things to do, some of them during a freezing rainstorm in the late afternoon, which thankfully canceled my evening square dancing because I was totally worn out. It took me until midday Tuesday to recover and return to my usual lazy self!
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