Is There Any Yearning to Be Recognized for Your FIRE Success?

[Starsky]

FIRE success is its own reward. You have the magic ticket in your pocket. When you decide to use it, you'll be quietly recognized by everyone around you who'd love to do the same thing.

I can think of few things more respected than someone who gets to retire early from a rewarding career and live life on their own terms.

 

[427Vette]

I feel no need to be recognized for my financial success. However I didn't work my tail off and save and invest wisely my whole life to putter around in an old clunker car with memory dents all over it. I Could care less what people think about what I drive, I want to drive a nice vehicle and buy whatever I want. If people have a problem with that it's their issue not mine.

 

[Nemo2]

I want to drive a nice vehicle and buy whatever I want. If people have a problem with that it's their issue not mine.

As usual, à chacun son goût......I doubt that most people are proselytizing, (I'm certainly not, being more in the 'caringly constipated' category), nor experiencing 'problems' with what others drive.

 

[Gumby]

The sad truth is that most people aren't thinking at all about what you drive or where you live or how you dress. Mostly, they're doing the same thing you are -- thinking about themselves. So I say don't worry, be happy.

 

[Koolau]

I feel no need to be recognized for my financial success. However I didn't work my tail off and save and invest wisely my whole life to putter around in an old clunker car with memory dents all over it. I Could care less what people think about what I drive, I want to drive a nice vehicle and buy whatever I want. If people have a problem with that it's their issue not mine.

Each of us has our own priorities. At one time, my car was much more a priority than it is now. If I ever return to the mainland, I might just buy a nice vehicle - would love to have a new C-8 but doubt it will ever happen. Not even sure I could still get in (or, more importantly OUT) of one. YMMV

 

[Amethyst]

I believe in this so strongly, that it startles me when I learn, as I occasionally do, that people have been talking about me. Evidently they are starved for entertainment.

The sad truth is that most people aren't thinking at all about what you drive or where you live or how you dress. Mostly, they're doing the same thing you are -- thinking about themselves. So I say don't worry, be happy.

 

[Bigdawg]

I believe in this so strongly, that it startles me when I learn, as I occasionally do, that people have been talking about me. Evidently they are starved for entertainment.

Just to ease your mind, I have never talked about you and most likely never will. Unless this post counts. LOL

 

[RetMD21]

Is there any yearning to be recognized for your FIRE success?

Get your recognition here. Your accomplishments are more appreciated and it is safer. Working 10 years after FI will put you in a position where you will be trying to figure out how to spend all the money. Not a bad situation. Although we bought modest cars and drove them into the ground. Now there is no point

 

[socca]

If I did suddenly yearn for recognition of my financial "success", I could sell my current house and buy one much higher on the socioeconomic ladder. What tangible things would I get for my money? Well, a larger lot, larger rooms, more rooms, larger garage, etc. What intangible things would I get? Well, more affluent neighbors and the opportunity to exercise my personal vanity: "oooh ... just look at what I can afford, people ... "

The problem is that I can't justify such a move on the basis of an improvement in my current quality of life. I don't need a larger lot, larger rooms, more rooms, etc., and my current solidly middle-class neighbors are fine. In fact, a larger property would just bring more headaches and costs while providing few, if any, benefits.

So ... if I suddenly find myself needing recognition for financial success I'll have to find some other method than upgrading my personal residence. Maybe a sports car will do the trick?

 

[brett]

My spouse is the opposite. She seems embarrassed by our financial resources. The very last thing she wants is for others to know about it. Not that they would....because I am somewhat of a dark horse when it comes to discussing financial issues with anyone except our advisor.

 

[bltkmt]

We even considered allowing our families to believe that we are still working (I am still working until April - DW retired last year). Ultimately though, it seemed too difficult of a lie (or omission) to pull off.

I have that same thought - not telling my family (who are all 3k miles away).

 

[Sunset]

.....

From the outside, no one can tell my financial net worth..... I like to wear socks until they have holes in them. ....

Pretty extravagant of you.
I put on socks this morning, and realizing there was a hole in one, turned it around so the hole is on top.
I can get another 6 months out of that sock...

 

[Skyward1]

So many replies in such a short amount of time must have hit a nerve. I'm quite chuffed about my "success" but I'm also a very private person so I have no desire to be recognized. Here and BH's are the only place I have to discuss this subject to any extent and my post count probably displays my reticence to even do that.

 

[aja8888]

Is there any yearning to be recognized for your FIRE success?

No.

 

[1242Vintage]

Both wife and I retired last year at age 56 and keep a very low profile about our early retirement status and efforts that made our financial freedom possible. We recognize how blessed we are and simply keep silent.

 

[Dtail]

None of our friends have a solid idea of our net worth. They know about my ER, but our lifestyle in our neighborhood is fairly typical of middle class spending.

 

[Exwallstguy]

People know

People know we are wealthy from how we live. We travel a lot, for awhile our son went to private school, we gift family 80k a year, other years we’ve bought our parents new suvs, gave family down payments for houses, etc. that and not getting a job and RE after getting let go in early 40s was another big flag.

 

[Exwallstguy]

I disagree that a lot of people live w “an illusion” of wealth. If they have a 3-5mm house, send all 3 kids to private school when the live in the best school district, and have several summer homes, they probably really are wealthy. You’d be surprised how many really wealthy people there are.

 

[albireo13]

I prefer to keep a low profile.

It's the nail that sticks up that gets the hammer!!

 

[catii]

I know a lot of millionaires living from one paycheck to the next. But this is Hawaii, where the average (crappy) house sells for over $885K.

 

[GoodLife59]

No, not at all. I was around many people who let their corporate success drive a special level of narcissism- cars, homes and high end everything. All to impress each other. I had a FIRE buddy at work and we would talk about the risks of supporting a high dollar personal infrastructure. Only takes one tough quarter for those lifestyles to come under serious threat. Saw it happen many times. I was very surprised at the astonishment generated by my retirement announcement at age 59. A few of the high lifestyle folks had questions. They all started with “how” . All the best.

 

[unclemick]

FIRE success is its own reward. You have the magic ticket in your pocket. When you decide to use it, you'll be quietly recognized by everyone around you who'd love to do the same thing.

I can think of few things more respected than someone who gets to retire early from a rewarding career and live life on their own terms.

And then there are the lrft handed 'blind squirrel' dummies like me.

Investor since 1966 out of college. Slowly convinced by Bogle's Folly - still try a 'few good stocks'. It's a guy thing (maybe hormones?). Lay off at age 50 - 1993.

Un employed until the mental shift occurred thanks to this forum's fore runner and others.

Heh heh heh - Had to convince myself first.

 

[indiajust]

Yearning is an internal emotional state, inaccessible to others. Recognition is somewhat antithetical to the process. Try to distract the ego with other activities away from money.

Becoming a recognized expert in some rare niche can be fabulously rewarding. And you have the time to build the talent, a defensible moat!

 

[couch]

Maybe. I would like to be recognized because I would like to help other people achieve the same and that would be more likely to happen if my success was recognized.

Also, I would like to be able to talk about the ridiculous increase in my net worth this year to SOMEONE. I've never felt that way before, but it has been crazy. February to February(thereby excluding the drop from COVID) we saw a 24% gain!

Gains came as a result of savings(nearly half), market returns, stupid BTC increases(I mined it) and house value increase... so what I did isn't special.

 

[HI Bill]

Maybe. I would like to be recognized because I would like to help other people achieve the same and that would be more likely to happen if my success was recognized.

+1. I gave a couple of retirement planning lunch 'brown bag' talks at work, because I am passionate about planning for one's future, and designing it, rather than just letting it happen. The impression that I got from folks who attended was 'jealousy' and some folks started to refer to me as a 'millionaire', although I never once mentioned the amount accumulated, except by inference with regards to the 4% rule.

I now live in a gated community, and in a decent house with a pool. Nothing too extravagant. But my wife doesn't want me posting any photos online, which is probably wise. I just wish I could buy a Ferrari without attracting the wrong type of attention. I grew up as a 'nerd' in a rural area, and I was able to leave the area, get a solid education, decent jobs, and become financially and professionally successful, despite not being a good-looking athlete (I must have some self-image issues). Many of my high school class mates still live in the same small town, and struggle to get by financially.

In the end, no, I don't want 'to be recognized' for FIRE success, but it would be nice to be able to share it without causing jealousy. I only have a few retired friends who have known for 5+ years about my plans who seem truly happy for us. Even my father doesn't really understand me wanting/being able to RE at 55.