are you FI or at least half way there and has your attitude changed toward work?

[maddythebeagle]

regarding being financially independent and job satisfaction. I have posted on a number of occassions that once I became FI that my attitude really changed about work. The boss wasn't an a$$hole anymore, the co-workers weren't so bad. The drudgery of work disappeared which was actually quite a revelation for me. So much so that rather than retiring early I am contemplating working on just for "fun" and satisfaction that the work provides.

- from masterblaster in another thread...and thought was worth a new thread...this has been touched on a bit in the past...

My attitude has changed with increasing net worth...I think maybe people cause their own cages and need to change the way they think...I have learned to let the small stuff not be a big deal...I think BMJ has also talked about not letting his work be center of his life, also....another good point.

of course, a toxic job is another matter

 

[brewer12345]

My response to increasing net worth is a bit different. I have become far less tolerant of BS and far more willing/able to take higher risk, higher reward jobs.

 

[azanon]

I'm not half way to FI, but i'm worrying less about the job anyway. Some risks are just too low to put any significant amount of energy worrying about.

 

[bongo2]

Someone I work with commented on Monday that I was surprisingly relaxed during a recent "crisis" at work. No question that the financial cushion helps.

A couple years ago I took an unpaid three months off. Someone else I work with mentioned that if they took even three weeks off the repo man would be at their door. Just the idea seemed to make them nervious.

 

[maddythebeagle]

Someone I work with commented on Monday that I was surprisingly relaxed during a recent "crisis" at work. No question that the financial cushion helps.

A couple years ago I took an unpaid three months off. Someone else I work with mentioned that if they took even three weeks off the repo man would be at their door. Just the idea seemed to make them nervious.

Interesting on yours and Brewer's comments...I always thought it was more about power and control for a lot of folks...esp. the driver types on this forum having side businesses and all of that investment income removes you from worrying about b.s. and land grabs and cant just sit back and take it in as entertainment. Some people just arent interested in playing the games…way for the INTJ to rise above it all

 

[peggy]

DH and I are about halfway to FI, and I find myself relaxing more about money issues as well -- especially since either his or my income can cover our basic expenses (mine with very little cushion, to be sure) and if either one of us lost our jobs, we can continue as we are.

 

[Sam]

Interesting topic.

Has there been a poll on this? Something like:

How far are you to FI?

I'm already there
90% there
.
.
10% there
What's FI?

 

[Zathras]

Being FI definately made work more enjoyable for me.
More than anything, I believe the realization that I was there because I wanted to be rather than HAD TO BE took a lot of pressure off.

 

[tryan]

Yup I stopped playing the corporate "games" after FI. Knew I didn't need to fight for another promotion, sooooo every Friday I would wear a Hawaiin luau shirt (had 3 different ). Would only shave prior to customer visits and/or travel. Work became alot more tolerable when it's on your terms.

 

[retire@40]

I'm past the half-way mark and the stress has decreased significantly.

When the general rule is to have 6 to 9 months of living expenses saved, and I have about 25 to 30 years of living expenses saved, it a comfortable feeling.

Money may not buy happiness, but it sure buys comfort.

 

[uncledrz]

Yes. But only felt the pressure off when actually became FI. Until then, even when close, still was working full time and under pressure. So my experience was a bit different from those who have gotten half way and felt a relief. I just didn't.

 

[Meadbh]

I'm still adjusting to having become FI within the past year due to an inheritance. I have basically continued to work as hard as ever, but only because I am enjoying my job. I have actually been more self confident in contract negotiations, knowing that if we could not reach agreement, I have a financial cushion. Amazingly, this has paid off in increased income! And I don't put up with BS any more.

 

[Spanky]

Re: are you FI or at least half way there and has your attitude changed toward w

Even though we are FI, we still feel stressed and worry about layoffs. Logic tells us that we should relax, do not tolerate BS, and take more risk. I will ponder on that for a while and change my attitiude accordingly.

 

[Goonie]

Re: are you FI or at least half way there and has your attitude changed toward w

Since I have become FI, and getting closer an closer to RE (5 months to go) w**k is a whole lot less stressful, I never even flinch when a so called crisis arises....let somebody else freak out for a change. (you know...delegated authority )

I will NOT put up with anyones BS...including those up the ladder....because frankly my dear, I don't give a d**n anymore!!! Life is too short to give a rat's a**!!! I see a nice sandy beach in my near future! 8) 8) 8)

For the 1st twenty years on the rock-pile, I worried time to time about layoffs. The last 10 I worried from time to time more about being "terminated" than layed off, because I would ocasionally speak a blunt piece of my mind to the purveyors of BS...which, of course they did tend to frown upon!!

Now, with only a VERY short time left....and a sign on my office door that reads "DILLIGAF"....and also one with the current # of days left to go....they just stay away from this "short-timer".....because they KNOW what my attitude is!!!

I still perform my duties with my usual expertise and excellence, which can be seen by my monthly reports and quality assurance and control test results.....I AM a stickler for excellence!!! That's probably the reason I'm tolerated at this point.

Our dept. is kind of like the M*A*S*H 4077th.....me?....think "Hawkeye".....most of the rest?....think "Frank 'ferret-face' Burns"!!!! I've been here only 'cause I've had to be!!! The others....they're just way too serious!!!

Yup I stopped playing the corporate "games" after FI. .......... every Friday I would wear a Hawaiin luau shirt (had 3 different ).

I'm with you all the way!!! 'Cept I have about 10 or 12 of them Hay-Why-Un Flowerdy shirts!!

 

[dm]

Its definatly made work easier for me. The stress is gone because what can they possibly do to me. Ive already told the boss that my timeframe for retirement is somewhere between now, or five years. It just depends on how things go at work. I'm supprized that they are still putting up with me.

Im basically still there just to jack up the net worth alittle more and because the wife needs to put in two more years to be eligible for health benefits.

 

[Arc]

About 1/2 way there and definitely feeling different about work - like some others, I worry less and feel free to take more risks. The worst case scenario is more acceptable than it ever has been - gets better every day. Have to say this forum has also helped - nice to see so many people making it happen.

 

[Mr._johngalt]

Re: are you FI or at least half way there and has your attitude changed toward w

Even though we are FI, we still feel stressed and worry about layoffs. Logic tells us that we should relax, do not tolerate BS, and take more risk. I will ponder on that for a while and change my attitiude accordingly.

Stress and worry will kill you Spanky. Remember, in the long run we're
all roadkill. That's always been a comfort to me.

JG

 

[Dawg52]

5 months to go but my last 4 is my busy season plus a new guy looking over my shoulder. I'm hoping with the knowledge that the end is near(work that is) that my final few weeks won't be too stressful.

 

[Outtahere]

Re: are you FI or at least half way there and has your attitude changed toward w

I am well on my way to FI and I can see how it's changed the way I deal with things here. Instead of keeping my mouth shut and not giving an opinion I let it fly, I'm not one to mince words so I say it straight up and of course that doesn't always sit well with everyone. Thankfully I've always been the type that tells it like it is and they've come to accept it and I feel like I can be more like the person I am instead of the "person" they want me to be.

Two of my partners also know I'm debt free and could pretty much walk today if I had to.

 

[HFWR]

Teflon technician...

 

[kumquat]

Re: are you FI or at least half way there and has your attitude changed toward w

I am fully FI but working. Semi-planning to ER in the spring. Since becoming FI, my attitude at work stinks. I keep thing 'why am I putting up with this?', then i wonder 'why are they putting up with me?'. The reason: expecting largest annual bonus of my working life in February.

 

[MooreBonds]

With my current net worth, about 50% there.

Add in 99.999% surety end-of-year compensation packages: 80-90% there, depending on what exact level of living I would want, and whom I end up marrying.

It's actually been a double-edged sword: I am more 'tolerable' of the bovine excrement, but at the same time, find myself anxiously awaiting that moment when I can say 'good bye' to everyone and do whatever the hell I want....

The biggest problem is that my boss (who, unfortunately for me, is also my father) pleaded and begged me to stay on-board to do a certain task on my current project(until about Jan-Feb 2007)...then, he started acting like I would stay until the project would be done (April 2008). If it weren't for his pleading, I'd have a new job by now, and would probably be happier/more interested in what I'm doing. The stress is still there, but simply knowing that it's a matter of time and I have a whole ton of time waiting for me in the near future helps abide by it just as much as the fact that I'm almost FIREd.

But, we'll see how it goes. I will - in all probability - stay until Feb/Mar 2008, at which point I'd anticipate being 90%+ FIREd (and hopefully will have found the woman that I will propose to).

 

[shorttimer]

Re: are you FI or at least half way there and has your attitude changed toward w

FI this spring, DH has to work three more years to get Health Insurance and he wants his full pension as well. I work contracting about three days a week where I used to work. I originally planned to quit but they begged me and gave me a plum assignment and are very nice to me. Love the money, they let me flex time and I can say whatever I want. I dress kinda like a bum now, forgot what stockings or dress shoes were, and they don't give me hard time. I do like padding the accounts a bit more. We would cutting it a little close if we both were out of work (early fifties).
DH is also very much more relaxed. If he can't make the last three years his pension will be significantly less, and we won't have the health insurance, but we could survive. He gets many weeks off a year so we are planning some nice vacations while waiting for full retirement.

 

[Nords]

My attitude has changed with increasing net worth.

Me too.

We used to have students report to our training command from other areas like San Diego and even Norfolk. As junior enlisted they wouldn't always have a government credit card (or indeed any credit card) and they wouldn't have enough experience to know to get advance per diem on their travel orders. They'd essentially show up in the classroom and say "The barracks is full and my hotel costs $130/night. I don't have any money for food, I don't have a rental car, and I need to have my orders changed to allow me a hotel. My boat just deployed for six months. What should I do?"

It used to mean that they'd miss the first three days of a three-week class while we shuttled back & forth between a personnel support detachment and a submarine support command, getting a barracks room, endorsing this and modifying that, getting advance per diem, blah blah blah. Publicize & educate as much as we could, it'd still happen twice a year and the submarine would not be happy if they spent thousands of travel dollars for their guy to fail the course.

After six years in training commands I was pretty sure it wouldn't get fixed by the training system, but FI gave us the means to invoke the 11th Law of the Navy. Next time a penniless student showed up I gave the chief ten $20 bills in an official envelope and told him to use the cash for the sailor to get what he needed (and to stay in class as much as possible) until the bureaucracy caught up with a travel advance. A couple weeks later I got the $200 back and it made a few more round trips over the next couple years.

The system worked fine until the chiefs started bragging to their shipmates in other departments about their "emergency travel fund" and everyone wanted to know how to do it.

FI also made it easier to sit through all the "Motivate yourself for your next career!" talks at our mandatory "retirement" training transition assistance planning.

Finally, I think FI helps you pay attention to what's more important to you-- the good things about work, or the distractors that keep work from being more enjoyable.

 

[dunc0029]

Re: are you FI or at least half way there and has your attitude changed toward w

I'm still relatively far away from FI at about 130k net worth, but I've had the opposite reaction as most of the people here. I actually kind of feel like ... I could be accomplishing something if only I wasn't still stuck working for a living. I'm getting more and more tempted to start my own business or something, than just wait another 8 years for my money to grow enough.

In other words, the closer I get, the more I know this is realistic and not a pipe-dream, and the harder it is to wait for. It's like a kid counting down the days until Christmas. I'm an INTJ and very independent, so I would love the freedom to work on and research what I want without it having to be financially viable or being at the mercy of a company to allow me the opportunity.