Those days where pursuit of FI never felt so good

[Asgard01]

I've just had one of those days at work. A day where despite staying late, working without breaks, achieving lots. You are still subject to lack of respect, nasty politics, us versus them Attitudes and a general take all you can without any giving from management. I rarely get days and weeks like this but it's been difficult the last week or more. Things have been getting worse and going back to how things used to be which brought me close to leaving.

I would prefer to find a better job than just race towards FI and I am considering retooling with a couple certifications before summer to then look for work elsewhere. I have five years at this work place now and think it's time to move on for many many reasons. Despite all of this - going through a bad spell has made me even more thrilled and calm precisely because I have this goal of FI and a large stash to provide FU money as it were. I have never been more motivated to continue to pursue the goal of FI.

Do any of you have such days where the pursuit of FI never felt so sweet.

Chris

[Gone Fishing]

Oh yeah.  I was cleaning out e-mails for my pending ER and found one to a co-worker and friend referring to digging my tunnel (Shawshank reference) from 2011! 

[mozar]

Every day man.

[Basenji]

Oh yeah.  I was cleaning out e-mails for my pending ER and found one to a co-worker and friend referring to digging my tunnel (Shawshank reference) from 2011!

So what poster do you have over the hole in your cell? The kitty hanging from a branch? MMM on a bicycle?

[Asgard01]

That's a great analogy, especially if you are completely silent on the subject of FI. Everyone else is completely unaware of the tunnel you are creating.

[meyling]

Every time I hear stories like this it makes me glad that I work at a company where people actually respect each other and the management trusts everyone they hire to get the job done. Still wouldn't want to work here forever, of course.

[HenryDavid]

I work in a decent organization and have an enviable job.
Still a job though. They all have their problems.
One co-worker abruptly quit last year, and it was shocking to hear the people who said "if I had the guts I'd do the same thing."
People I thought were loving their work.

So every day feels good when you  know you are working a plan, living in a way that makes the plan work, and following your own path.

And not just blindly sticking it out because you "don't have the guts to do the same thing."

[MustachianKentuckian]

Love the analogy of digging the tunnel!

[Lanthiriel]

I've just had one of those days at work. A day where despite staying late, working without breaks, achieving lots. You are still subject to lack of respect, nasty politics, us versus them Attitudes and a general take all you can without any giving from management.

This has been me since the beginning of the year with no end in sight. I actually broke down and applied for a couple of jobs, but they couldn't match my current salary and benefits. It's ironic that given my industry, I'm paid more in a support role here than I would be moving to a different industry but to a job with more autonomy. I have an app that tells me how many days I have until retirement: 5061. Ugh.

[BFGirl]

Yeah.  I can deal with a lot more knowing that I have FU money and can walk out if need be.  Had one of those days yesterday.

[toodleoo]

I've just had one of those days at work. A day where despite staying late, working without breaks, achieving lots. You are still subject to lack of respect, nasty politics, us versus them Attitudes and a general take all you can without any giving from management.

This has been me since the beginning of the year with no end in sight. I actually broke down and applied for a couple of jobs, but they couldn't match my current salary and benefits. It's ironic that given my industry, I'm paid more in a support role here than I would be moving to a different industry but to a job with more autonomy. I have an app that tells me how many days I have until retirement: 5061. Ugh.

6101 here. *sigh*

[h82goslw]

I've just had one of those days at work. A day where despite staying late, working without breaks, achieving lots. You are still subject to lack of respect, nasty politics, us versus them Attitudes and a general take all you can without any giving from management.

This has been me since the beginning of the year with no end in sight. I actually broke down and applied for a couple of jobs, but they couldn't match my current salary and benefits. It's ironic that given my industry, I'm paid more in a support role here than I would be moving to a different industry but to a job with more autonomy. I have an app that tells me how many days I have until retirement: 5061. Ugh.

6101 here. *sigh*

Holy crap....are you guys seriously counting down 5-6000 days?  Life is way too short to be wishing your days away for that long.  I really hope things get better for you both if work is that bad.  I am so thankful I love my job. 

[Lanthiriel]

I've just had one of those days at work. A day where despite staying late, working without breaks, achieving lots. You are still subject to lack of respect, nasty politics, us versus them Attitudes and a general take all you can without any giving from management.

This has been me since the beginning of the year with no end in sight. I actually broke down and applied for a couple of jobs, but they couldn't match my current salary and benefits. It's ironic that given my industry, I'm paid more in a support role here than I would be moving to a different industry but to a job with more autonomy. I have an app that tells me how many days I have until retirement: 5061. Ugh.

6101 here. *sigh*

Holy crap....are you guys seriously counting down 5-6000 days?  Life is way too short to be wishing your days away for that long.  I really hope things get better for you both if work is that bad.  I am so thankful I love my job.

It's pretty cyclical for me. Q1 is always the worst, and I fired someone in January from my department of 3 because they couldn't keep up. I tried to get rid of them over the summer when we're slower, but HR kept getting in my way. So instead of being able to get rid of that person and bring someone on board when the workload is more manageable, I'm doing 50% more work AND trying to hire. In winter. In Alaska. I feel like I need to go watch some "it gets better" videos.

[toodleoo]

I've just had one of those days at work. A day where despite staying late, working without breaks, achieving lots. You are still subject to lack of respect, nasty politics, us versus them Attitudes and a general take all you can without any giving from management.

This has been me since the beginning of the year with no end in sight. I actually broke down and applied for a couple of jobs, but they couldn't match my current salary and benefits. It's ironic that given my industry, I'm paid more in a support role here than I would be moving to a different industry but to a job with more autonomy. I have an app that tells me how many days I have until retirement: 5061. Ugh.

6101 here. *sigh*

Holy crap....are you guys seriously counting down 5-6000 days?  Life is way too short to be wishing your days away for that long.  I really hope things get better for you both if work is that bad.  I am so thankful I love my job.

I'm hopeful it won't actually be that long. In part, it motivates me to find other areas of my life where I can optimize and save more money. That date is kind of a worst case scenario.

[arebelspy]

I've just had one of those days at work. A day where despite staying late, working without breaks, achieving lots. You are still subject to lack of respect, nasty politics, us versus them Attitudes and a general take all you can without any giving from management.

This has been me since the beginning of the year with no end in sight. I actually broke down and applied for a couple of jobs, but they couldn't match my current salary and benefits. It's ironic that given my industry, I'm paid more in a support role here than I would be moving to a different industry but to a job with more autonomy. I have an app that tells me how many days I have until retirement: 5061. Ugh.

6101 here. *sigh*

Holy crap....are you guys seriously counting down 5-6000 days?  Life is way too short to be wishing your days away for that long.  I really hope things get better for you both if work is that bad.  I am so thankful I love my job.

+1.

Also, wow, that's more than double the total amount of time I worked (counting all days, not just working days, I'm assuming).  That's a long time.

[Gone Fishing]

Oh yeah.  I was cleaning out e-mails for my pending ER and found one to a co-worker and friend referring to digging my tunnel (Shawshank reference) from 2011!

So what poster do you have over the hole in your cell? The kitty hanging from a branch? MMM on a bicycle?

Just a nice little bucolic scene with a pond to fish in and some wild game to hunt... 

[spokey doke]

I have to go outside and dump another pocket full of dirt and rocks...

[arebelspy]

I had to google bucolic.  Nice word!

[Gone Fishing]

I have to go outside and dump another pocket full of dirt and rocks...

I'm so going to use this!

[Gone Fishing]

I had to google bucolic.  Nice word!

Thanks! The first time I heard it, I had to look it up as well!

This'd probably do:

https://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.summitpost.org/images/original/891098.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.summitpost.org/bucolic-scene/891098&h=3456&w=4972&tbnid=ZPUunAqbwPWBBM:&docid=hlBR2A3thvldnM&ei=psjNVp3lLMnGmQHD0bTAAg&tbm=isch&ved=0ahUKEwid0MiX2JDLAhVJYyYKHcMoDSgQMwhDKB4wHg

[Cap_Scarlet]

I've just had one of those days at work. A day where despite staying late, working without breaks, achieving lots. You are still subject to lack of respect, nasty politics, us versus them Attitudes and a general take all you can without any giving from management.

Have you given that feedback?

Honest, objective feedback is the only way organizations change and grow and your managers may simply not be aware of your feelings.

[Northwestie]

Frankly, no.  I never have days like this.  I love my work and the whole FIRE thing is really a small amendment to my life and not my being. In almost 40 years of working I've had one job where I felt it was a bad fit - and quit after 3 months.

I worker with whip-smart people who also love their jobs, we work as a team, we work on projects that serve a public good - and we get to work outside often.  I feel pretty lucky an though I have piles of hobbies, I will miss work when I do leave in a few years.

[Gone Fishing]

Frankly, no.  I never have days like this.  I love my work and the whole FIRE thing is really a small amendment to my life and not my being. In almost 40 years of working I've had one job where I felt it was a bad fit - and quit after 3 months.

I worker with whip-smart people who also love their jobs, we work as a team, we work on projects that serve a public good - and we get to work outside often.  I feel pretty lucky an though I have piles of hobbies, I will miss work when I do leave in a few years.

Dang, what do you do for a living?

[Northwestie]

Frankly, no.  I never have days like this.  I love my work and the whole FIRE thing is really a small amendment to my life and not my being. In almost 40 years of working I've had one job where I felt it was a bad fit - and quit after 3 months.

I worker with whip-smart people who also love their jobs, we work as a team, we work on projects that serve a public good - and we get to work outside often.  I feel pretty lucky an though I have piles of hobbies, I will miss work when I do leave in a few years.

Dang, what do you do for a living?

Ecologist for a small consulting group.  Lots of natural resource surveys, land planning, dam removal, wetland/stream/estuarine restoration projects.  Some travel in PNW and AK.  Avoid big bears when possible.  Work in kayaks, helicopters, planes; lots of bushwacking, snorkeling, ski-in, helicopter drops and hike out, etc.  Current salary $140k plus bonus.  Had to put in time at very low paying 100% field positions to get experience.

[Gone Fishing]

Frankly, no.  I never have days like this.  I love my work and the whole FIRE thing is really a small amendment to my life and not my being. In almost 40 years of working I've had one job where I felt it was a bad fit - and quit after 3 months.

I worker with whip-smart people who also love their jobs, we work as a team, we work on projects that serve a public good - and we get to work outside often.  I feel pretty lucky an though I have piles of hobbies, I will miss work when I do leave in a few years.

Dang, what do you do for a living?

Ecologist for a small consulting group.  Lots of natural resource surveys, land planning, dam removal, wetland/stream/estuarine restoration projects.  Some travel in PNW and AK.  Avoid big bears when possible.  Work in kayaks, helicopters, planes; lots of bushwacking, snorkeling, ski-in, helicopter drops and hike out, etc.  Current salary $140k plus bonus.  Had to put in time at very low paying 100% field positions to get experience.

Nice!  If I had it to do all over again and didn't mind working a little longer, I'd probably go for something with the Forestry or Park Service where I could be outside in a natural setting on a regular basis.

[Vertical Mode]

Frankly, no.  I never have days like this.  I love my work and the whole FIRE thing is really a small amendment to my life and not my being. In almost 40 years of working I've had one job where I felt it was a bad fit - and quit after 3 months.

I worker with whip-smart people who also love their jobs, we work as a team, we work on projects that serve a public good - and we get to work outside often.  I feel pretty lucky an though I have piles of hobbies, I will miss work when I do leave in a few years.

Dang, what do you do for a living?

Ecologist for a small consulting group.  Lots of natural resource surveys, land planning, dam removal, wetland/stream/estuarine restoration projects.  Some travel in PNW and AK.  Avoid big bears when possible.  Work in kayaks, helicopters, planes; lots of bushwacking, snorkeling, ski-in, helicopter drops and hike out, etc.  Current salary $140k plus bonus.  Had to put in time at very low paying 100% field positions to get experience.

...and here I thought MY job was sorta cool. That sounds absolutely amazing! That might affect my FIRE calculus, too.

How does one get into a niche like that? What sort of educational background does one need, and are there positions like this generally available for qualified applicants?

[Northwestie]

Frankly, no.  I never have days like this.  I love my work and the whole FIRE thing is really a small amendment to my life and not my being. In almost 40 years of working I've had one job where I felt it was a bad fit - and quit after 3 months.

I worker with whip-smart people who also love their jobs, we work as a team, we work on projects that serve a public good - and we get to work outside often.  I feel pretty lucky an though I have piles of hobbies, I will miss work when I do leave in a few years.

Dang, what do you do for a living?

Ecologist for a small consulting group.  Lots of natural resource surveys, land planning, dam removal, wetland/stream/estuarine restoration projects.  Some travel in PNW and AK.  Avoid big bears when possible.  Work in kayaks, helicopters, planes; lots of bushwacking, snorkeling, ski-in, helicopter drops and hike out, etc.  Current salary $140k plus bonus.  Had to put in time at very low paying 100% field positions to get experience.

...and here I thought MY job was sorta cool. That sounds absolutely amazing! That might affect my FIRE calculus, too.

How does one get into a niche like that? What sort of educational background does one need, and are there positions like this generally available for qualified applicants?

BS Natural Resource Mgmt (fish, forestry, wildlife) MS Wildlife Ecology.   Some folks choose the security of government jobs - I did it for 3 years but found it boring with very little opportunity for creativity or movement. AND 20% of the people did 80% of the work.   Especially fresh out of school you are not going to get rich.  Seriously - with an MS my siblings who didn't go to college were making better money than me for a while.  But if you can hack the low pay and often time outside in boats or forests in bad weather (beats the cube farm!!) you can get some diverse experience in cool places that will pay off.  And get paid to use your brain.