now that i am getting older, i see the error of my ways.

[smadsen]

You only lost seven years, at the beginning,....count your blessings. And congratulations, by the way on the ballet dancer.

[fintstone]

The Army is now offering a $50K enlistment bonus. Put that in a mutual fund at 18 and by the time you hit the 20 years/pension...you would be on easy street.

[svandamme]

you can work your but off to be retired sooner
not live to get that goal sorted out.. Sure. It's an option.

and then end up dead, cancer stricken or dumb luck accident and disabled at 50 wishing you had lived a little when you had the functioning body to do so.
What good is that early retirement then?

I've had my wild years, I've gone out with the gogo girls
Weekdays where I ran into a friend, and on a whim ended up 1000 km away in Monaco only to return the next week and yes, very much broke.
Clubbing binges, starting on a thursday and going to bed exhausted on the Tuesday ..BTDT
Sensible? perhaps not
But I have plenty of memories and stories

Hell Even if I end up in the gutter, drop dead tomorrow or The world comes to an end?
I'll have had my above average of fun in life.
Short of getting Alzheimer or turning senile at old age, they can't take that away .

To be honest, What the hell am I going to do at 55 and retired?? Not working means i'll be bored and need more retail therapy, which would mean having to work to pay off for silly purchases..

I may slow down a bit, but actual retirement to me sounds like death.

[recycled sixtie]

There is no cookie cutter solution to retirement. Some people are happy to retire at fifty and others may want to work until they die. It depends on how much you like working. I would think that if you contemplate retirement make sure you have enough money. One recent friend of mine said he wished he had retired sooner. He is okay financially.

[white85carrera]

I had a hard time trading significant hours of my waking life for money to spend on things to enjoy during the limited waking hours when I was not working -once I realized I did not need to.

I am lucky that I can give myself a raise and focus on something other than the next rung on a corporate ladder. I enjoyed my career and was good at it but it got to a point where I felt like I was prostituting, what is left of, my life for a bit of coin I would likely just leave to the kids.

I don't see any chance of boredom, if I am it would be due to my lack of drive or creativity. Track days, car projects, farm repairs, friends/family to visit, wood shop projects or out taking pictures all have been "on the list" that have taken a backseat to my career. No more.

My father retired early (56) and died within 18 months. that was sad but would have been sadder if he had not gotten to enjoy a bit of life after his career.

It is interesting that there is no training on how to retire, there is a reason for that I think. We all have to figure it out for ourselves.

[flatbutt]

I was "forced" into retirement at 62 due to disability. I used it as an opportunity to pursue interests that I didn't have time for previously.

I've given thought to what I could have, should have done differently if I was granted a do over. Obviously that would require that I be a different person for the do over and not the dumb arse Alpha Hotel that I was the first time around.

If I could retain some wisdom and go back in time I'd bust my butt in school, get an assignment to the Air Force academy and become an astro physicist, maybe get assigned to the Star Gate with Amanda Tapping.

[ted]

I retired at 50. My 15 year retirement anniversary is this April.
My friends were going to the beach in their 20s and I was going to work.
If you waste away your 20s you might be delaying your retirement.

[vash]

Originally Posted by ted

I retired at 50. My 15 year retirement anniversary is this April.
My friends were going to the beach in their 20s and I was going to work.
If you waste away your 20s you might be delaying your retirement.

yup...i know this NOW!

[vash]

Originally Posted by smadsen

You only lost seven years, at the beginning,....count your blessings. And congratulations, by the way on the ballet dancer.

yea. my wife did the math and she wants me to go 7 more years. funny how that worked out.

and "H", one of the ballet ladies reached out thru Linkedin. she is holding up beautifully! her daughter looks just like her. super happy for "H". she was very cool.

[Evans, Marv]

I've said this before, and will repeat it though it's something that applies through the life cycle. As you go through life after retirement, you can depend on things like preferences, interests, health, finances, motivation, hobbies, etc., etc. changing. That has to be taken into consideration and willingness to change and adapt to changes in yourself have to be in the mix. Going into retirement with the anticipation of ever beiing the same person with the same interests won't work out. Just like you changed as your younger self, you'll change after retirement too.

[ckelly78z]

Originally Posted by vash

yea. my wife did the math and she wants me to go 7 more years. funny how that worked out.

and "H", one of the ballet ladies reached out thru Linkedin. she is holding up beautifully! her daughter looks just like her. super happy for "H". she was very cool.

Good thing her daughter didn't look like you !....are you planning a meet/greet ?

[Instrument 41]

I will say to see my friends retiring makes me a bit jealous but full time retirement is not in my plan. I've been in this industry for 34 years and still love it. Helping clients, meeting new people and fostering work/ personal relationships that are 30 plus years old. I did start teaching at the junior college a few years back at night and found that I really enjoyed that. And after an expensive divorce, 8 houses in the last 15 years, the finances also have some say so i what I need to do. Very thankful that I really enjoy what I do, and if i croak at a customer site, the wife will get a very healthy check!