How long was your glide path? What advice can you share?

[Gumby]

At least those terms are referencing something, no matter how vague. The jargon I struggle with are things like, "growth mindset" and "synergy."

In a prior career I was in defense, and, as a grant writer, my communication was related to, "the operational readiness of the warfighter." Now I help write grants for a local non-profit and so my communication focuses on, "helping individuals reach their full potential." While I find the non-profit side of grant writing much more fulfilling, there's no escaping the jargon.

Just tell them that if they give money it will help immanentize the eschaton.

 

[Koolau]

Just tell them that if they give money it will help immanentize the eschaton.

I don't know. Some folks in the non-profit world might just know the ramifications of that particular jargon. Jargon should usually be like statistics - obfuscating as much as it elucidates but YMMV.

 

[Pellice]

My glide path was about two years. I and a friend called it "hiding in the tall grass." The institution was in some turmoil, instituting new systems for various large scale administration functions, getting a new president, unit reorganization, and physical moves. I figured that eliminated my fear that my small unit would get axed before they got these larger systems in place, although I was still stressed out until the last month (but that was mainly my own anxiousness). I kept my head down, cleaned up all the files, prepared guidance documents for the next person, went to the same retirement workshop 3 times, learning something new each time, did my health checkups, and finally glided out of the enclosure at about 3 pm that last day, breathing a great sigh of relief. In fact, I had a countdown clock that was named "Glide Path," lol!

The job was pretty much halved about a year later.

 

[HFWR]

Started about 1971…

 

[Koolau]

Started about 1971…

I think we have a winner!

But seriously, I kinda hope you're teasing us. It would be sad if you wanted out that early. I still recall enjoying my j*b and looking forward to doing it. It was later when Megacorp started meddling in our very effective local "community" and insisting that we do everything the "corporate" way, etc. that I thought about gliding on outta there. YMMV

 

[HFWR]

I think we have a winner!

But seriously, I kinda hope you're teasing us. It would be sad if you wanted out that early. I still recall enjoying my j*b and looking forward to doing it. It was later when Megacorp started meddling in our very effective local "community" and insisting that we do everything the "corporate" way, etc. that I thought about gliding on outta there. YMMV

Well, I was pumping gas for a buck twenty-five at the time.

 

[Markola]

Well OP - it seems to me you're basically there. You are FI - and are doing what you want. As long as you want to consult - consult - and when you don't - don't.

OP’s plan to consult part time for about 5 years is exactly what I find myself doing. At 58 and semi-retired, I was curious and gung-ho to “do something new” and consult for the first three years. I’m grateful that consulting has provided more opportunity than I’d hoped. However, now that I’ve experienced how flaky clients can be, at least in my field of nonprofit development, I think I’ve scratched the itch and want to wind it down over the next two years, if I can.

 

[Koolau]

Well, I was pumping gas for a buck twenty-five at the time.

Yeah, until '69 I was mowing lawns and being a "delivery boy" for $1.25 to $2.00. Yes, I wanted "out" but not "retirement." What I wanted was "better." Better w*rk, better money, better benefits, better w*rking conditions. I got all those things and more and really appreciated a fair amount of my w*rking life.

Once I no longer enjoyed the process, I found a way to FIRE.

 

[HFWR]

Yeah, until '69 I was mowing lawns and being a "delivery boy" for $1.25 to $2.00. Yes, I wanted "out" but not "retirement." What I wanted was "better." Better w*rk, better money, better benefits, better w*rking conditions. I got all those things and more and really appreciated a fair amount of my w*rking life.

Once I no longer enjoyed the process, I found a way to FIRE.

You’re taking this much too seriously.

Having said that, the rat race doesn’t hold much charm for me. Somehow debt-fueled, unlimited consumption of stuff doesn’t seem sustainable, or even healthy.

 

[CO-guy]

OP’s plan to consult part time for about 5 years is exactly what I find myself doing. At 58 and semi-retired, I was curious and gung-ho to “do something new” and consult for the first three years. I’m grateful that consulting has provided more opportunity than I’d hoped. However, now that I’ve experienced how flaky clients can be, at least in my field of nonprofit development, I think I’ve scratched the itch and want to wind it down over the next two years, if I can.

Thanks! It's reassuring to know that other folks are in a similar situation and a few years further down the road.

Before I quit the dumpster fire, I had a five-year exit plan, which ended up being six years before I finally departed. Now I'm over a year into my next five-year plan to wind down the consulting in order to more fully FIRE.

I stayed on half-time at the dumpster fire last year before growing tired of the general stench. It was great to have benefits for the year, and during the past year-plus I further refined the projects I take on as a consultant. Specializing in the most lucrative types of projects has allowed me to trim my consulting from 30-40h/wk in the past to 20-25h/wk last year with no loss of income (actually a small increase). This year my goal is to average under 20h/wk (1000h for the year), and continue to wind things down further in future years. While the consulting income isn't needed for our FIRE plans, the projects are interesting, they take minimal effort, and, on an hourly basis, the pay is more than I've ever earned in my life.

 

[youbet]

How long was my glide path? Hmmmmmm....... Let's see........

The guard showed up outside my open door and knocked politely to get my attention. I looked up and noticed he was carrying a large cardboard box. He politely asked me to place my personal possessions in the box and he'd carry them to the building entrance for me. I did. He did. And, like that, I was gone. So I'd guess about a half hour.

That was just over 19 years ago and I've been gliding every since!

 

[Koolau]

How long was my glide path? Hmmmmmm....... Let's see........

The guard showed up outside my open door and knocked politely to get my attention. I looked up and noticed he was carrying a large cardboard box. He politely asked me to place my personal possessions in the box and he'd carry them to the building entrance for me. I did. He did. And, like that, I was gone. So I'd guess about a half hour.

That was just over 19 years ago and I've been gliding every since!

That's cold. REAL cold. Sorry it happened that way.