Author Topic: Is this crazy? Want to revamp.  (Read 3709 times)

sparky28

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Is this crazy? Want to revamp.
« on: February 16, 2016, 01:54:43 PM »
Background:
25, $180k NW ($150k 401k, HSA, IRA, taxable/$30k cash), working corporate job.
~$75k Salary, 60% Savings Rate.
FI in possibly 8 years at this pace.

I've been working at this place for 3 years, and feel on the cusp of hitting another level of workload and responsibility, with matching salary bump to follow within a year or two. This could accelerate my FI by another year or so, so I could hit that mark around age 31 or so. All in all, a good position to be in.

By all metrics, I'm doing well, but I'm feeling... unsatisfied. I'm at the point where I've saved enough that I'm dangerous. The $30k is staring me in the face, threatening me to spend it, and I'm afraid to blink.

Over the last year, my satisfaction has dropped dramatically, and my "FU" mentality has kicked in. That's not good, as I'm not at the FU stage. This hasn't been seen by my coworkers yet, but it's poison in my mind - I get the "Sunday Dreads" almost every night thinking about the work ahead of me. The work drains me, so I don't have '"time" to pursue my other passions at night. Long weekends can invigorate me a tad, but there aren't enough of those in the year. I've tried  many times to balance both work and my hobbies (money-making or otherwise), and I just.. can't.

I'm considering leaving this job (which I'm good at, have received accolades for, and is extremely stable) to jump into... nothing. It's terrifying - I've spent my entire life working for a job like this, and I'm pushing back so soon.

Here's my thoughts of how to revamp:
$5k - Website development. Build out a skill set, with the focus of starting up a passive income (initial goal: $100/month to build experience)
$15k - 6 months of slow travel, taking a month here and there. Thinking Thailand, Iceland, New Zealand, some of the PCT?
$10k - Subsistence for 6 months in the US (city - TBD) to start working on my own business. Either a continuation of the webdev route, Excel consultancy/tutoring (spreadsheets are my homeboy) or something totally different.

OR

Buy a cheap-o house somewhere where the numbers work (not near me, I'm in a HCOL) and get some rental income. I'm 100% new to real estate, so that seems like quite the jump to make, especially to do at a distance.

A year from now, I should be: $150k +/- market mvmts, knowledge of web marketing, some cool travel experiences, new location to live in. And a gap in my resume that doesn't look great to companies with a rusty skill-set for the only industry I know (and probably a fear of the 8-5 cubicle).

How do I decide what to do?

Parizade

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Re: Is this crazy? Want to revamp.
« Reply #1 on: February 16, 2016, 01:58:26 PM »
I have no advice for you, but I'm following because I'm feeling the same way.

ShoulderThingThatGoesUp

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Re: Is this crazy? Want to revamp.
« Reply #2 on: February 16, 2016, 02:13:18 PM »
Before this change in mindset, what were you saving $30k up for?

Bicycle_B

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Re: Is this crazy? Want to revamp.
« Reply #3 on: February 16, 2016, 02:26:02 PM »
Explore as much as possible about different jobs before abandoning one where you have gotten such a good start.

Sure, your growing dissatisfaction should be considered... but there are a lot of power options short of going to Thailand and coming back with a big "I don't care about your stinking job" label in the middle your resume when you know you're not at FI.

Someone wise once told me if I didn't like my job, I should look for one I did like.  We were in an 8,000 person organization with numerous job titles and he was sure I could find one I liked somewhere in the big haystack.  My next job was in the same organization and became of my favorite jobs ever.

If you haven't seriously completed the exercises in What Color Is Your Parachute, get a recent copy of that book and do the exercises.  While you're still employed, you have massive leverage to find a fantastic new position.  Use the stability you have a launching pad.

In your life, 8 years is short assuming you are lucky enough to live a normal lifespan.  My thought would be explore the job market thoroughly and keep progressing towards FI. You can find a way to do this without hating your days M-F for 8 years. 

PS.  A world-class musician I once knew said she had learned to look forward to periods of boredom because it was right after that when she broke through to a new level in her current practice.  How can you vary what you're doing in a way that you and employers both like?  Different approach, style, location, mindset; different role; different purpose (planning to go solo as practitioner might mean recording methods and connections instead of just being bored by them); the possibilities are endless.  Be strong, it will make your flight that much better.

I'm much older and not yet at FI because I have quit work several times prior to getting to FI, so consider me a cautionary tale.

zephyr911

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Re: Is this crazy? Want to revamp.
« Reply #4 on: February 16, 2016, 02:53:13 PM »
I'm much older and not yet at FI because I have quit work several times prior to getting to FI, so consider me a cautionary tale.
+1

I did it once in my 20s and once in my 30s, and each time I hit bottom financially before crawling back in the worse way possible. I will be almost 40 when I retire. If I had simply formed a plan and stuck to it, I probably would have been retired years ago. Instead, I let my dissatisfaction blind me to my options, and used it as an excuse to indulge myself in ways that kept me from saving money. Don't be like me. ;)

sparky28

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Re: Is this crazy? Want to revamp.
« Reply #5 on: February 16, 2016, 03:59:37 PM »
Before this change in mindset, what were you saving $30k up for?

It was mainly a reshuffle of my assets at the beginning of the year. I was holding a few individual stocks only for fear of the cap-gains tax hit, which was silly backwards thinking. Because I typically automate my savings, I normally don't have a stack of cash on hand. The liquidity has got me thinking about other options than VTSAX I can use this money for.

Sure, your growing dissatisfaction should be considered... but there are a lot of power options short of going to Thailand and coming back with a big "I don't care about your stinking job" label in the middle your resume when you know you're not at FI.

Very true. I'm considering starting up my own business after the travel, but that still doesn't leave me with as strong as a fallback option as staying consistently employed. I don't have a 'dream job' in mind yet. Maybe teaching, with a twist towards a more [technical subject, but also creating something tangible which also allows me to hike. Thanks for the advice, I'll look into my parachute color.

I'm much older and not yet at FI because I have quit work several times prior to getting to FI, so consider me a cautionary tale.
+1

I did it once in my 20s and once in my 30s, and each time I hit bottom financially before crawling back in the worse way possible. I will be almost 40 when I retire. If I had simply formed a plan and stuck to it, I probably would have been retired years ago. Instead, I let my dissatisfaction blind me to my options, and used it as an excuse to indulge myself in ways that kept me from saving money. Don't be like me. ;)

Thanks for the advice. I'm planning on really allocating 6 months or so to not working, with the other 6+ months in starting up my own gig. That way, I can avoid both hitting financial bottom and the gap on my resume won't be as much of a concern. How else did you ignore the job dissatisfaction?
« Last Edit: February 17, 2016, 11:14:47 AM by sparky28 »

zephyr911

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Re: Is this crazy? Want to revamp.
« Reply #6 on: February 17, 2016, 01:43:21 PM »
Thanks for the advice. I'm planning on really allocating 6 months or so to not working, with the other 6+ months in starting up my own gig. That way, I can avoid both hitting financial bottom and the gap on my resume won't be as much of a concern. How else did you ignore the job dissatisfaction?
Mostly, I f'ing grew up and developed coping skills. lol

But really, what helped the most was using every day's pay, and all my spare energy, to get me closer to leaving. Not just socking away money in retirement funds but getting licensed in real estate and buying rentals, looking back every now and then to realize how much I'd learned and how much more capable I am, that always helped.

I'm actually happier in my job after 5+ years than I've ever been, and the irony runs deep. I was miserable in my 2nd and 3rd years. and my burnout caused the entire thought process that led to saving more, investing more, adding a side hustle, and generally developing the leverage to GTFO. During the next 2 years, I developed such a sense of freedom that I no longer feel trapped, miserable, and desperate, and I also developed better relationships with co-workers that make the days more fun.

Sometime within the next year I'll be able to mathematically confirm that the FT job is unnecessary, and then? I honestly don't know. I'll either hit some proximate trigger like a leadership change that worsens the environment, or I'll get inspired by something and I'll finally punch out.

BTDretire

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Re: Is this crazy? Want to revamp.
« Reply #7 on: February 17, 2016, 03:44:51 PM »
I don't read this as, I hate my job, I'm miserable, I need out.
I read it more as, I have a little money now, I can do what I want.
Well, you don't have that much money and you can't do what you want!
  If you have a decent income and room to move up, start taking more
pleasure in those parts of the job that do fulfill you.
 Also find something outside of work to fulfill yourself.
Remember, the grass is always greener on the other side,
until you get to the other side.

 

Wow, a phone plan for fifteen bucks!