Markola
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
I had a MMM Phase ca 2013-14 when he was posting his best stuff and before he had a lot of money. MMM jumped the shark for me when he posted about “how to give away $100,000”. I suddenly couldn’t relate anymore, which happens, ironically, when the best of the ER bloggers, podcasters and authors succeed and, understandably, start writing about their new lifestyles. Fine, and hats off, but I related more to their pursuit years.
Then there’s the crowd of young wannabbees who are indeed pursuing but, usually, I’m much further ahead than them and so have less to learn. I still read some of that genre but spend more time here for tips from every day savers and investors, like me, living less-curated lives. The other and most radically positive change in the last few years for me was...wait for it...getting a different manager. Working for a happier person removed most of the dark cloud over my otherwise good-to-enjoyable career and my FIRE obsession dissipated after I set some more goals for myself and went about achieving them. Before, I was reporting to the CEO, someone who didn’t understand my work, which was frustrating. I found a manager in my field, even though I went from VP back to director to do so. Fine, let my manager deal with the ones above who don’t get what we do.
Most days, like the article opened with, I actually do feel fine and pretty joyful at work again, once I’m rolling through the day and as we accomplish big things as a team. Meanwhile, DW is taking a year off and gardening and sleeping late due to needing to get the hell away from an entirely toxic and inept new boss, and I will instantly do the same if my manager retires and I get a micromanager or something else changes to upset the apple cart. Either of us have the means and motivation to be outta there when things change for the worse. To us, that’s the joy and power of FI at this stage in our mid 50s- FLEXIBILITY provided by valuable skills, low debt and abundant FU money.
Then there’s the crowd of young wannabbees who are indeed pursuing but, usually, I’m much further ahead than them and so have less to learn. I still read some of that genre but spend more time here for tips from every day savers and investors, like me, living less-curated lives. The other and most radically positive change in the last few years for me was...wait for it...getting a different manager. Working for a happier person removed most of the dark cloud over my otherwise good-to-enjoyable career and my FIRE obsession dissipated after I set some more goals for myself and went about achieving them. Before, I was reporting to the CEO, someone who didn’t understand my work, which was frustrating. I found a manager in my field, even though I went from VP back to director to do so. Fine, let my manager deal with the ones above who don’t get what we do.
Most days, like the article opened with, I actually do feel fine and pretty joyful at work again, once I’m rolling through the day and as we accomplish big things as a team. Meanwhile, DW is taking a year off and gardening and sleeping late due to needing to get the hell away from an entirely toxic and inept new boss, and I will instantly do the same if my manager retires and I get a micromanager or something else changes to upset the apple cart. Either of us have the means and motivation to be outta there when things change for the worse. To us, that’s the joy and power of FI at this stage in our mid 50s- FLEXIBILITY provided by valuable skills, low debt and abundant FU money.
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Cut out all that waste Mr. Spendypants!.. and have a face-punch while you're at it!
