People Who Should Retire But Don't

[retire@40]

It amazes me that someone could be financially independent but continues to take abuse in the workforce. Yet there are a countless number of people that do so. Some deserve to be abused and some don't. But, with all their financial fortune, they could all quit and enjoy the rest of their lives doing something less stressful and perhaps even more enjoyable.

For example, one such person is Don Imus. He's 67 year old and just took a mental beating he could have avoided by getting out early on his own terms. What is wrong with these people?

 

[Meadbh]

Don't get me started. I work with some old geezers who are well past their sell by date. Enough already!

 

[bbbamI]

I think it's ego.

 

[audreyh1]

When you retire, you give up the influence and power that you will not have as a private individual. The higher the position, the more in the public eye, etc., the more you "lose" when you retire. For many people the influence, power and public recognition is the main reason WHY they work. The money they earn is just more "evidence" of how important they are.

Audrey

 

[dex]

I don't think they know what else to do.

 

[samclem]

.

 

[kramer]

At my last ever staff meeting today (I am semi-FIREing on Friday), my "year off" (official cover story) was mentioned and someone said that if they were out of work for more than three weeks that they would be bored stiff.

Sad but true.

Kramer

 

[Mwsinron]

Look at how long some Dr's work till. I think some people really just love their jobs.

 

[Texas Proud]

Many people do this... as has been mentioned before... look at every CEO of a major company...

We have an executive that beats up people all the time... many keep quiting he is so bad... he is in his upper 60s or early 70s... but never had to work a day in his life... was FI as a kid... but has worked all his life.. he LOVES it...

And since he is in charge, he does not have to put up with other peoples crap... someone who knew him many decades ago said that when he was young he went up to an EVP and cursed him out because he was doing something stupid...

 

[haha]

My dentist is getting up there. He is quite well off, but he loves dentistry. He is a real artist and crafsman and he would hate to retire and his patients including me would hate to lose him.

Today he prepped me for a "7/8 gold crown". He says I will really appreciate the look; and I imagine I will.

Ha

 

[SteveR]

Some folks just don't have a life outside of work. Leaving the comfort of what they know to the unknown of retirement can be so traumatic that they have a heart attack or stroke in only a few weeks of retirement.

Retirement should be a place you want to go to; not a place you end up in.

 

[DangerMouse]

I think for many people their entire identity is tied up with their employment. Take that away and you are stripping them bare, forcing them to look at themselves. Sometimes it is easier to live in denial than to face reality.

If only people were not so scared to step out of the box and live for themselves instead of existing within the boundaries of the norm that have been formed over the years.

 

[youbet]

Then there are those folks with such shallow lives they have little to do but wonder about why other people aren't retiring.......

 

[chinaco]

For example, one such person is Don Imus. He's 67 year old and just took a mental beating he could have avoided by getting out early on his own terms. What is wrong with these people?

Imus is different than tht average person. He has an ego to feed... plus he just sits on his can and spews his opinion. This is much differen than the average worker. He enjoys his job.

The average worker works mainly for the money (and probably goes to work for that reason only).

I have seen some people at my workplace that can retire. They a pension and health care such that the difference between what they earn at the job is only about 20% more than they would earn if they retire. In other words, they are working for 1/5 of their wages. The only thing I can figure is that they are either: In debt up to their eyeballs (or have extraordinary expenses)... Or the only social outlet (personal meaning) they have is their job.

I suppose there is a third option: They do not understand how to do basic math.

 

[saluki9]

Look at how long some Dr's work till. I think some people really just love their jobs.

Exactly!

I think some here fail to see the fact that there are actually people who love their jobs. My dad could have retired 10-15 years ago in his late 40s or early 50's. In a month he turns 65 and has no end in site. He just loves his job so much, his clients are all his friends, and he can take off a day, week, or more if he wants to.

I always ask him about retiring and he just says that while he likes travel, golf, and tennis he couldn't do them full time. He likes meeting new people all day, and solving problems for his clients. What could be better?

 

[donheff]

Exactly!

I think some here fail to see the fact that there are actually people who love their jobs. My dad could have retired 10-15 years ago in his late 40s or early 50's. In a month he turns 65 and has no end in site. He just loves his job so much, his clients are all his friends, and he can take off a day, week, or more if he wants to.

I always ask him about retiring and he just says that while he likes travel, golf, and tennis he couldn't do them full time. He likes meeting new people all day, and solving problems for his clients. What could be better?

I ERd at 56. My brother is 73 and still at it. He is a lobbyist - heads in about 10:00 AM, heads home about 6:00 PM, loves his work. He has a group of long time clients who trust him and he enjoys his work. He recently told me he had long ago set 75 as his target retirement date but was rolling it back to 80. He is computer illiterate so I help him out around the office when something goes wrong but I refuse to take a dime for it. I don't want him as a boss.

 

[Outtahere]

I can understand someone truely loving the work they do, almost like a hobby others enjoy, I envy the fact that they can make money at what they love. I see no reason for a person like that to retire unless they want to. The others that should/could retire and don't probably have reasons, no life, bills up the wazoo or a spouse that doesn't want them home. One things is for sure, you won't find anyone saying "man she should retire" about me They'll be saying wow she's retiring? What's she gonna do all day.

 

[Joss]

I think that folks with the mindset of this board are still a rather striking anomaly in our society. The mainstream probably considers early retirement as at least slightly weird.

Given this, there may be a psycological progression we pass through as our own ideas regarding it "mature".

One early step seems to be a nearly militant astonishment at those that don't "get it".

My guess is that this compensates, in some way, for the levels of anxiety we sometimes feel in pursuing this alternative. By transfering the "weird" factor from ourselves, to those that don't "get it", it makes it easier to confirm our believe that we, in fact, really DO get it.

But down the road apiece, after we've been through several debates with family, friends, employers, co-workers and aquaintences who STILL don't buy into it, I think many of us just sort of morph into a more the willing acceptance of "different strokes".

 

[happy2bretired]

I was shopping the other day. A lady, probably in her late 70s rang up my sale. I was actually a little worried that something would go wrong since she didn't appear to know what she was doing. She was very flustered and kinda forgetful. I quickly thought about "why is she still working? and why did they hire her?" After the transaction was completed, I thought about her situation a little more. Maybe she HAD to work, maybe she too was a widow. I also thought...hey that could be me in a few years. I don't ever plan to go back to work, but, nothing is a sure thing. I also thought about the baby boomers...we might see quite a few older people at the retail level in the coming years (already do)...since they may not be able to retire due to financial issues. We all might need a little more patience and understanding in the coming years.

 

[Sandy]

It wasn't that long ago that company policies included a mandatory retirement at 65. Many successfully fought to eliminate this prejudice, in part, with the sound argument that older workers can be valuable producers. For those who love what they do, it is a win win for everyone.

What we really have today are options that weren't available in the not so distant past when everyone had to move through in a similar lock-step fashion. So, now we can FIRE, w*ork to a traditional retirement age, or continue w*rking well past traditional retirement age. I am grateful for the choices and am happy to make mine and let others make theres. They don't understand me any more than I understand them.

 

[JustCurious]

someone said that if they were out of work for more than three weeks that they would be bored stiff.

I feel the same way.

As was pointed out by others, it is hard for some on this board to accept the fact that some people actually enjoy their job and find it stimulating.

 

[samclem]

I feel the same way.

As was pointed out by others, it is hard for some on this board to accept the fact that some people actually enjoy their job and find it stimulating.

I don't think people have a hard time accepting that others enjoy their jobs and find them stimulating--most of us have had jobs like that at some time.. It's just hard to believe that they find these jobs more enjoyable/stimulatiing than anything else they could find to do on their own.

 

[JustCurious]

I don't think people have a hard time accepting that others enjoy their jobs and find them stimulating--most of us have had jobs like that at some time.. It's just hard to believe that they find these jobs more enjoyable/stimulatiing than anything else they could find to do on their own.

That is a false dichotomy. You can have both...a stimulating job, AND find other interesting things to do.

 

[Nords]

That is a false dichotomy. You can have both...a stimulating job, AND find other interesting things to do.

Well, the original point of the thread was financially-independent people who put up with workplace abuse because they just don't know what else they'd do.

Look at Dan Inouye & Dan Akaka. I can't believe that these guys would rather be working in the DC swamps than cruising around the islands enjoying their victory tours & director's jobs. And yet they continue to put up with the hassles of working in Congress. Maybe their each hoping to outlast Byrd, Kennedy, & each other. Is that the most they can think of to live for?!?

And at some point I'd feel that those "other interesting things to do" would conflict with that "stimulating job"-- especially if the former included beach wear and the latter had the disincentives of commuting, workplace attire, work hours, deadlines, indoors, working lunches, high-stress socializing, official travel, office/corporate politics... am I leaving anything out?

 

[donheff]

Well, the original point of the thread was financially-independent people who put up with workplace abuse because they just don't know what else they'd do.

Look at Dan Inouye & Dan Akaka. I can't believe that these guys would rather be working in the DC swamps than cruising around the islands enjoying their victory tours & director's jobs. And yet they continue to put up with the hassles of working in Congress. Maybe their each hoping to outlast Byrd, Kennedy, & each other. Is that the most they can think of to live for?!?

And at some point I'd feel that those "other interesting things to do" would conflict with that "stimulating job"-- especially if the former included beach wear and the latter had the disincentives of commuting, workplace attire, work hours, deadlines, indoors, working lunches, high-stress socializing, official travel, office/corporate politics... am I leaving anything out?

You are not leaving anything out but those are exactly the things some people love. I know several senior Federal execs who retired and went off to the private sector but then came back to similar or higher positions. They liked the attention they got and the scope of their government jobs. All the BS that comes with those jobs is water off a duck's back to these folks.