The best scenario would be a layoff package. I don't want any other negative trigger to make it happen.
Exactly. Even this week, it now looks likely I'll be able to wangle getting laid off in a couple of months.
Sometimes fate drops the opportunity in your lap.
That's why FI should be seen as a double-edged sword: You race to FI for a freedom that you never had. The challenge, the meaningfulness behind the sacrifice. The journey, for the most part, is worth it without question.
But then you get to the destination, and eventually, a little while past the initial shock at being there well before 67.5, or 60, or 50... You have "won the game" a lot sooner than even yourself thought possible!
But you are still at work, so you start to dial it in. You're distracted. And grumpy. And short with people who still care. You find that the paycheck that used to motivate you no longer gets you out of bed in the morning. You keep up the routine, but none of it makes sense like it did when you were secretly stachin'.
Then you have to make the ultimate choice (unless, of course, it is made for you) - do you figure out your best life with work, or do you make the plunge into ER and tell everyone how awesome it is to not have to work.
I have thought about it many years now. Each year, it is a different path the the same conclusion. When we were barely FI and wanted kids, my wife became 'ER' / SAHP. Then we used FI to pursue some expat opportunities, knowing we had an ER escape hatch. Now, kids are older and we don't want to be expats, so ER would be my answer to having to go expat again in the next 6 years.
Fully luxury FI now, I was running a half marathon and realized I was getting complacent. Thinking about ER again, I didn't really know where I should go with my life. I didn't have to do anything impressive in the run other than finish, but that's really not good enough when you cross the finish line. I enjoyed the run and my legs were fine, but my time sucked. Sure, it was a good race, it was enjoyable, but I wasn't really happy. I signed up for another half almost imidiately and ran it for time. At mile 10, I began to suck wind, but I knew I could get a better time than I did a few weeks ago. Shaved almost 10 minutes off my half marathon time and it felt fantastic!
Bottom line, as long as you don't get complacent, do whatever you find pushes yourself the hardest once you're FI. For me, it's having to work hard at work and play hard in the margins.