FI/BS bucket analogy

[Apex1]

Is it inevitable (regardless of age) that once the FI bucket is full, the BS bucket WILL overflow?

My current plan is to RE before 45 but I don't know how I can hold out for what seems like such a long time. For reference, I'm a 38 year old specialist solo-practictioner and early this year I've made some changes in reducing my work hours from 32 to 28 hrs and made sure I have a full hour lunch break everyday. I already work an enviable 4 days work week but I feel guilty considering a further reduction to 3 days/week in the near future. I'm not burned out in any way but I seemed to have lost my career mojo which I partially attribute to this FI/BS bucket analogy.

I've been an overachiever for much of my life, now I aspire to underachieve and be lazy? What gives??

 

[aja8888]

Is it inevitable (regardless of age) that once the FI bucket is full, the BS bucket WILL overflow?

My current plan is to RE before 45 but I don't know how I can hold out for what seems like such a long time. For reference, I'm a 38 year old specialist solo-practictioner and early this year I've made some changes in reducing my work hours from 32 to 28 hrs and made sure I have a full hour lunch break everyday. I already work an enviable 4 days work week but I feel guilty considering a further reduction to 3 days/week in the near future. I'm not burned out in any way but I seemed to have lost my career mojo which I partially attribute to this FI/BS bucket analogy.

I've been an overachiever for much of my life, now I aspire to underachieve and be lazy? What gives??

You either need a vacation or a wife and some kids.

 

[Apex1]

You either need a vacation or a wife and some kids.

yes, that would be the normal assumption but I've got a DW and kids who are 3 and 6! And every weekend is a long-weekend!!

 

[someguy]

I'm in a similar boat and at a similar age. Several trusted friends have reminded me that working until a very old age is only a recent--probably VERY recent--thing on the scale of human history. And certainly working 60-80 hours a week for luxury material things is even more recent.

 

[Which Roger]

I think the dynamic is this: Once you reach FI, either the BS bucket fills up very quickly and you want to ER ASAP, or, the opposite occurs: You know you can leave if you want to but w*rk starts feeling different than before, and you start to easily shrug things off that would normally go into the BS bucket.

 

[Koogie]

I feel the same way too. Reached FI at probably 37 or so, figured I would semi-ER at 40.
Just hit 40. Still moping along. I to reduced my hours (mostly by reducing the client list of my business) and am trying to take it easier and enjoy life a little more with DW.

I guess I'm in the golden handcuffs phase right now.

 

[FIREd]

I've been an overachiever for much of my life, now I aspire to underachieve and be lazy? What gives??

Welcome to the club! I was an overachiever for the first 35 years of my life. I was always proud of my ability to strive under pressure. I didn't see the BS bucket fill up until my body said no mo'. Now, the only achievement I yearn for is a peaceful and happy life.

 

[Apex1]

I think the dynamic is this: Once you reach FI, either the BS bucket fills up very quickly and you want to ER ASAP, or, the opposite occurs: You know you can leave if you want to but w*rk starts feeling different than before, and you start to easily shrug things off that would normally go into the BS bucket.

I'd be interested if anyone on this board has reached FI and felt like the latter scenario or if that falls into the believing in Unicorns category.

 

[Gotadimple]

I'd be interested if anyone on this board has reached FI and felt like the latter scenario or if that falls into the believing in Unicorns category.

I don't believe that being FI, liking what you do, and making money at it is believing in Unicorns.

I have a friend who is CEO of a social service agency and is 69 years old. She loves the work, travels frequently, and earns a salary commensurate with her abilities. The key is 'loves the work.' She is now considering retiring next year at 70, not because the BS bucket is full, but life is not about working til you drop.

If you aren't challenged by your work you have choices: spend the extra day off volunteering at an endeavor that speaks to your heart. That endeavor or firm may not exist. Maybe you need to create the endeavor. There was recently an article about a man who has started a non-profit whose sole purpose is to take no longer needed/used prosthetics and send them to individuals in third world countries who do need them.

You'll find your muse. Give it some thought!

-- Rita

 

[foxfirev5]

I'd be interested if anyone on this board has reached FI and felt like the latter scenario or if that falls into the believing in Unicorns category.

Absolutely once I reached FI the BS ceased eventually. It took quite bit of time however for it to set in. But after a year or two I began to realize none of this stuff matters. After decades my job is pretty easy but involves considerable travel in the Eastern US. But since the kids are grown that doesn't even matter. My wife retired from nursing in '10 and travels with me part time and runs the show at home the rest.
My boss doesn't even bother to call which I'm sure would make some people nervous. However, I do my job, but don't buy into any of the drama. Never screw with someone who has nothing to lose.

 

[aja8888]

I think when you realize the company has no plans to erect a statue of you in front of the main office and you have determined that you have enough money saved for the long run, it's time to move on.

 

[Midpack]

Is it inevitable (regardless of age) that once the FI bucket is full, the BS bucket WILL overflow?

Nope. There are people who reach FI and keep working for any number of reasons. I worked about 7 years past FI because my BS bucket didn't fill until later.

And this is hardly the place to ask and expect an objective mainstream answer, by definition this is a community of folks interested in ER (vs work).

 

[rodi]

My step mom continued working long after reaching FI. Her BS bucket didn't fill up till a few weeks ago - the university she taught (known for a lot of online programs) changed their software that professors used - and at age 87 she got frustrated with it. She finished the first day of training (out of 4 days) for the new software and drafted her (second) retirement notice. (She'd been forced to retire from a different university at age 67 due to age.)

She'd still be working if she wasn't frustrated by the new software. She loves teaching. Even at age 87.

 

[TimSF]

I think the dynamic is this: Once you reach FI, either the BS bucket fills up very quickly and you want to ER ASAP, or, the opposite occurs: You know you can leave if you want to but w*rk starts feeling different than before, and you start to easily shrug things off that would normally go into the BS bucket.

I think WR has it exactly right. In my case, both things happened simultaneously: difficult work situations got more manageable because I knew that I could walk out the door, and the desire to leave gradually grew also. A double benefit of feeling FI.

 

[Gatordoc50]

I'd be interested if anyone on this board has reached FI and felt like the latter scenario or if that falls into the believing in Unicorns category.

I reached FI but continued to work because I was able to reduce the BS bucket by reducing hours and focusing more on the procedures I enjoyed. And then new regulations and insurance headaches were filling the BS bucket back up so I said good bye.

 

[obgyn65]

I have a similar view. Still stuck in the OMY syndrome also.

I guess I'm in the golden handcuffs phase right now.

 

[sengsational]

If we look at it objectively we may find that the BS is constant. Maybe our tolerance of BS drops when we attain FI?

 

[chasesfish]

So, what is the BS bucket?

 

[urn2bfree]

Apex1-
As a fellow health professional I can tell you that for me the reduction of hours even if possible could not cancel out the toxicity of the BS. Whether it is onerous regulations, new EHR BS, ungrateful, or even worse litigious patients and families, those flavors are too strong and just weigh too much in the bucket for me. Not sure how it works in Canada, but in my neck of the woods they just changed the rules making my previously thought out asset protection strategy less bullet proof. I cannot wait to hit the Exit door before I might lose a sizable chunk of my savings to some jackpot justice seeker.

 

[Apex1]

Sorry for this overdue reply on some of the posts..... its taken me some time to digest the responses I have gotten. Thanks everyone!

I guess I'm in the golden handcuffs phase right now.

This describes me as well. My families needs are all taken care of but our wants for the kids (private school and possibly out of state/country universities) however, are underfunded. The kiddie handcuffs are the toughest to escape

I don't believe that being FI, liking what you do, and making money at it is believing in Unicorns.

I have a friend who is CEO of a social service agency and is 69 years old. She loves the work, travels frequently, and earns a salary commensurate with her abilities. The key is 'loves the work.' She is now considering retiring next year at 70, not because the BS bucket is full, but life is not about working til you drop.

-- Rita

My litmus test of whether I "love my current work" is whether I would be willing to do it for "free". The answer is no.

However, I do like the pure clinical side and would be willing to serve for a charitable cause versus the pressure and BS that comes from doing it for money.

Absolutely once I reached FI the BS ceased eventually. It took quite bit of time however for it to set in. But after a year or two I began to realize none of this stuff matters.

This would be nice....i am giving it more time, its still early

I think when you realize the company has no plans to erect a statue of you in front of the main office and you have determined that you have enough money saved for the long run, it's time to move on.

I wish it was this simple. The "enough" part is sometimes difficult to predict when you have young dependents.

Nope. There are people who reach FI and keep working for any number of reasons. I worked about 7 years past FI because my BS bucket didn't fill until later.

And this is hardly the place to ask and expect an objective mainstream answer, by definition this is a community of folks interested in ER (vs work).

This makes sense but I don't know who else to ask. Really close friends/family think I am nuts to pull the plug before 45. I was hoping to see if there were any here who after reaching FI would continue to work because they discovered that they actually really enjoyed their work (environment) rather than the reasons of "not having enough". Ideally, I would like to take the risk of hiring an associate and taking off on a sabbatical once the wants are completely taken care of and there is nothing much to lose.

 

[EllisWyatt]

I've experienced it both ways- hit my my "minimum comfortable" FI number while working for a toxic organization, and decided that the BS bucket not only wasn't going to get less full, but was rapidly reaching overflow, so I left. Thought I was retired at that point, but I missed some aspects of my profession, and when an interesting posiion presented itself, I took it. Have been here 5 years now, and during "high BS" times, knowing that I can leave has helped reduce the stress immeasuarbly.

Sometimes a change of latitude will help the change of attitude.

 

[Apex1]

I've experienced it both ways- hit my my "minimum comfortable" FI number while working for a toxic organization, and decided that the BS bucket not only wasn't going to get less full, but was rapidly reaching overflow, so I left. Thought I was retired at that point, but I missed some aspects of my profession, and when an interesting posiion presented itself, I took it. Have been here 5 years now, and during "high BS" times, knowing that I can leave has helped reduce the stress immeasuarbly.

Sometimes a change of latitude will help the change of attitude.

I think the attitude is definitely key. It hasn't been that long since I've reached my "minimum comfortable" FI number but an attitude change may help in addition to reducing my hours. I am currently trying to let things go that I have no control over (things that I would beat myself up over in the past).

As Tony Horton on my P90x workout DVD says "Do your best and forget the rest".

 

[chasesfish]

I've experienced it both ways- hit my my "minimum comfortable" FI number while working for a toxic organization, and decided that the BS bucket not only wasn't going to get less full, but was rapidly reaching overflow, so I left. Thought I was retired at that point, but I missed some aspects of my profession, and when an interesting posiion presented itself, I took it. Have been here 5 years now, and during "high BS" times, knowing that I can leave has helped reduce the stress immeasuarbly.

Sometimes a change of latitude will help the change of attitude.

That's a very good observation.

I love your screen name btw

 

[jollystomper]

I'd be interested if anyone on this board has reached FI and felt like the latter scenario or if that falls into the believing in Unicorns category.

I'm much closer to the latter. I always enjoyed most of my job and it overlaps with of of my main hobbies (technology). With all the feedback from calculators and financial planner indicating I'm FI, the BS component I have to deal with just doesn't matter as much. In case lots of relates to things to keep "running the race" to seek "visibility", promotions and raises. Since I do not need any of that I can mostly ignore the related B.S. In addition, should Megacorp choose to let me go, the severance would be the equivalent of 6-7 years of health insurance premiums, nothing I would complain about.