Define Retirement Success

[Andre1969]

By choice, not knowing what day of the week it is.

That's always been a fantasy of mine, as well. I can remember, as a kid, on summer vacation, being so care-free that I'd forget what day of the week it was. And, I miss it.


However, I recently had the chance to re-live it, to a degree...when the government went on furlough. There was a few times that I forgot what day of the week it was. However, this time it wasn't a happy, care-free feeling. Instead, it felt more like every day was a Sunday, because I knew it was destined to end soon. And, because of it being forced, rather than by choice, it felt more like being unemployed, than "free".


It was nice, though, being able to go to the store, and run other errands during the day, when other people were at work, so I could get stuff done quicker. I also had more time to exercise, so health-wise it was good. And, I got out on some good, long walks and hikes, which were nice and refreshing.


That being said, I'm NOT looking forward to a repeat on February 15!

 

[ckelly78z]

While I am still working, the thing that drives me crazy is being away from the farm for 9 hours every day, especially when the weather is good...lots of projects to get completed, and no time to do them, also not being able to access my 401K.

 

[sheldon cornped]

Being able to draft a calendar such as:
Mon - Nothing
Tues- Nothing
Wed Nothing
Thu - Nothing
Fri - Nothing
Sat and Sun - Rest

 

[RobbieB]

Successfully retired.

You don't go back to work, ever.

 

[JoeWras]

Being able to draft a calendar such as:
Mon - Nothing
Tues- Nothing
Wed Nothing
Thu - Nothing
Fri - Nothing
Sat and Sun - Rest

I actually get some very slight anxiety about weekends, because if we have something planned, it is with our friends who w*rk, so I have to be on my toes and pay attention come Friday.

Kind of weird. But nothing like those Sunday night sweats.

 

[FlyFisher]

I'm not retired yet and can't wait, but there is one thing that makes me nervous about forgetting what day it is:


What if I pop into the commute lane thinking that it is the weekend but it's not?


Maybe I better just avoid the commuter lane when I retire.

 

[W2R]

Doing whatever you want to do, whenever you want to do it.

+1

This is so important to a successful retirement. If the retiree really knows what he/she wants to do, it this freedom can result in a happy, peaceful, contented, and fascinating life in retirement.

 

[W2R]

I'm not retired yet and can't wait, but there is one thing that makes me nervous about forgetting what day it is:

What if I pop into the commute lane thinking that it is the weekend but it's not?

Maybe I better just avoid the commuter lane when I retire.

I not only avoid the commuter lane - - until Monday I hadn't even driven on the Interstate since our hurricane evacuation in 2012, IIRC.

It's still there, just busier and more traffic, ugh.

 

[HI Bill]

For me:

Retiring at 53.
Diving the world for 20 years.
Slowing down around 73, but still diving.
Staying married throughout.
Enjoying my marriage.
Not running low on funds.
Not worrying about money.
Finding fulfillment in writing and publishing dive articles/photos.
Not leaving a large amount of $ on the table.
Maintaining flexibility, strength and health until at least 78.

Cheers!

 

[Eagle43]

Not having to do anything I don't really want to do - including answering questions such as "define retirement success".

+1

 

[aja8888]

For me:


Maintaining flexibility, strength and health until at least 78.

Cheers!

Don't plan stopping there as it's easy to go well past 78. Just work on it.

 

[audreyh1]

Not needing to go back to work and not even thinking that maybe you should go back to work because your retirement stash is too small.

 

[Independent]

Retirement success is:

1) Not having to do things I don't like doing or deal with people I don't want to deal with, in order to earn money.

2) Having time to do things I enjoy doing, but couldn't do because I was spending time earning money.

3) Not worrying that I'll run out of money and regret not working longer.

We all have our own preferences for (2). I expect the OP was looking for examples. Here's one of mine -- at 71, I enjoy simply getting up in the morning and knowing that I don't have to be anywhere according to somebody's schedule.

Other things, like "love of family and friends", aren't specific to retirement. They could be done while I'm working or retired.

 

[Independent]

I can't resist another example. Soon after I retired, I spent an afternoon removing an overgrown arborvitae. It was getting late, I wasn't getting done, and I was hurrying. Then it occurred to me "I'm retired, I'm not going to work tomorrow. I don't have to hurry, I've got all day tomorrow, or the next day ..." My blood pressure dropped 10 points. That was an amazing transformation in my world.

 

[Dtail]

Not having to work.
Playing sports at 10am during the week.
Being healthy.

 

[Amethyst]

These are aspects of a good life; not limited to retirement.

I'd put HEALTH at the top of any list; and I'd add: plenty of interesting hobbies and things to do.

Enough in assets to feel safe in your time horizon
Freedom to do and go anything/anywhere you want
Have the love and closeness of family
Health, and healthcare under your own control
A plan for the later years
You own "possible" bucket list
Social comfort, as you wish it to be
Your dream home base
Physical objects, house, car, belongings that avoid "want"
..................................................................................................

Based on the above responses, and obvious disinterest, I am asking Moderators to delete this thread.

 

[Retire52]

I like this Bob Dylan quote, “A man is a*success*if he gets up in the morning and gets to bed at night, and in between he does what he wants to do.”

 

[albireo13]

In between, you fend off the Megacorp sphincters with a machete. If you are lucky, you live another day.

 

[Ronstar]

I can't resist another example. Soon after I retired, I spent an afternoon removing an overgrown arborvitae. It was getting late, I wasn't getting done, and I was hurrying. Then it occurred to me "I'm retired, I'm not going to work tomorrow. I don't have to hurry, I've got all day tomorrow, or the next day ..." My blood pressure dropped 10 points. That was an amazing transformation in my world.

Similar to my grandmother back in the 80’s. Her front yard was about 50’ x 25’. Back yard was about the same. She would cut the front yard grass one day and cut the back yard the next day. I asked why she didn’t cut the whole thing on the same day. She said she was retired and didn’t have much to do, so she split it up into 2 days.

 

[Focus]

Being ruled by your own body clock and no one else's. Sufficient sleep, night after night, because if something wakes you up, you can go back to bed and get the remaining shut-eye in.

I realized after I retired that I had been sleep-deprived almost my entire career.

 

[LARS]

Learning how to truly relax about EVERYTHING!

 

[scrabbler1]

I was working only 2 days a week prior to fully retiring 10 years ago, so I was already enjoying some of the benefits of retirement. Being able to extend those benefits from 5 days a week to 7 days was nice. Some of the things I enjoyed by not working any more were:


(1) No more morning alarm clock.
(2) No more commute on those damned trains EVER!
(3) No more having to start cooking new food after coming home from work.
(4) Being able to do my regular errands at 10:30 AM on weekdays when stores are not busy.
(5) Being able to go out and do stuff on weeknights because I am not worn out after work and the awful commute.
(6) After developing some health issues 4 years ago, I was able to devote all of my time and effort to getting myself well again without work competing for my time.
(7) Being able to do some volunteer work during the day on weekdays.

 

[Bir48die]

I was working only 2 days a week prior to fully retiring 10 years ago, so I was already enjoying some of the benefits of retirement. Being able to extend those benefits from 5 days a week to 7 days was nice. Some of the things I enjoyed by not working any more were:


(1) No more morning alarm clock.
(2) No more commute on those damned trains EVER!
(3) No more having to start cooking new food after coming home from work.
(4) Being able to do my regular errands at 10:30 AM on weekdays when stores are not busy.
(5) Being able to go out and do stuff on weeknights because I am not worn out after work and the awful commute.
(6) After developing some health issues 4 years ago, I was able to devote all of my time and effort to getting myself well again without work competing for my time.
(7) Being able to do some volunteer work during the day on weekdays.

Couldn’t have said it better

 

[imoldernu]

Couldn’t have said it better

Yeah... especially about the train... That was the last nag I finally got rid of...

 

[scrabbler1]

....and I forgot one big thing (mentioned by some others here):


(8) I can nap EVERY afternoon!