Author Topic: Requesting wake up slap  (Read 4776 times)

nancyhartwig

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Requesting wake up slap
« on: December 17, 2014, 10:45:40 AM »
While in graduate school (engineering, of course), I read "Your Money Or Your Life" and one comment resonated with me.   The author stated that after reaching FI, the harder part may just be quitting the energy-sucking-job and creating the life you should live.  I knew that would be me .... and it is.  If anyone else has experienced this and found a way to work through this fear, I would love to hear your story.

MrFrugalChicago

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Re: Requesting wake up slap
« Reply #1 on: December 17, 2014, 10:47:37 AM »
You have money for FI but afraid to quit?

Can you go down to half time or find a 1/2 consulting job in your field? You could test the waters for a year. Did the less work make you more or less happy?  If you were saving 50%.. a 50% paycut would let you live at the same lifestyle and keep your stash building from compound interest.

Thegoblinchief

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Re: Requesting wake up slap
« Reply #2 on: December 17, 2014, 11:24:15 AM »
What are your hobbies? Do more of them. Problem solved.

nereo

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Re: Requesting wake up slap
« Reply #3 on: December 17, 2014, 11:34:56 AM »
I think the 'solution' is to have a reason not to work which is compelling enough for you to pull the plug. 
Hobbies (theGoblinChief's suggestion) are a great way of wanting to do something other than work.  Wanting to spend time with your kids is another.  Travel, your health, the desire to do charity or work in an unrelated and underpaying field are still more reasons.
'
Going down to 1/2 time (like MrFrugalChicago suggested) is a nice method for transitioning.

ultimately you need to find something that you value more than going to your job every day, and that gives you a sense of self-worth that your job is likely giving you now.

TerriM

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Re: Requesting wake up slap
« Reply #4 on: December 17, 2014, 12:27:44 PM »
What are you afraid of?

I think the question is whether you love what you're doing..... You don't have to leave a job you love.  FI is about being able to leave a job you hate.  if you love what you're doing more than anything else, then keep doing it.

TheMoneyBadger

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Re: Requesting wake up slap
« Reply #5 on: December 17, 2014, 12:33:26 PM »
I've experienced it - in fact I'm in the middle of it.  After telling my boss I was going to leave after the end of the year to spend time time with my family, my employer came back with an offer of part-time work.  They've promised to find a "job I'll love" come January and I'm hanging around long enough to find out if it is, in fact, something I'll love.  If it's not, I'll be pulling the plug.  If it is, I'll keep doing it awhile and see if I love that job more than I'd love doing something else.

One of the big things that gave me the courage to tell my boss I was leaving was the realization that I wasn't choosing between two distinct choices.  I had created a false dichotomy between work and retirement.  I was thinking about it being "all-in" for either path.  I realized that I can leave my job and, if I want to, rejoin the working masses in a year or two.  I can choose to work part-time for money or for that matter to just volunteer my time.  If I do, it won't be because I need the money, it'll be because I want to do the work.  I'd probably take a big pay cut but who cares, I'd be working because I wanted to. 

Good luck with your decision!

deborah

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Re: Requesting wake up slap
« Reply #6 on: December 17, 2014, 01:04:00 PM »
Before I "officially" retired, I took one year off. You might be able to do the same.

h2ogal

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Re: Requesting wake up slap
« Reply #7 on: December 17, 2014, 04:42:00 PM »
I think I also will struggle with going from Worker-Bee to Fi-ReTiree.   It's scary to think about how to spend your time and also scary to not have a paycheck safety net (unless your net worth is super-high and your investments very secure).   

My plan is to transition to Part-Time at least 10 years before fully retiring.  Several reasons: 
1. Begin the transition off the treadmill a bit sooner with a gradual work-less approach. 
2. Have time to transition to retirement, make new friends and develop new interests while still keeping part of the old life and contacts intact.
3. Allow nest egg to continue grow while you live off part time income - defer taking SS or tapping into 401K until you reach full retirement age.

Part Time can mean 3 days a week or it can mean taking a 6 month temp contract once in a while.


DoNorth

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Re: Requesting wake up slap
« Reply #9 on: December 18, 2014, 09:09:37 AM »
"delicious freedom" are the two words from the book that resonated with me.

 

Wow, a phone plan for fifteen bucks!