It’s really good to see you rocking out
And having fun,
Living like you just begun.
Accept your life and what it brings.
I hope tomorrow you’ll find better things.
I know tomorrow you’ll find better things.
Here’s wishing you the bluest sky,
and hoping something better comes tomorrow.
Hoping all the verses rhyme,
And the very best of choruses to
Follow all the drudge and sadness.
I know that better things are on the way.
The Kinks 1981
I want to retire, but I can’t yet, for a very unusual reason; I don’t have enough money. This is mainly because I traded Kash for Kids, which was the best decision of my life. But I might be able to by the time I’m 50. So the question is: Is it a good idea for a man to retire early?
The main argument I always hear is that you’ll be bored, that you can only clean your garage so many times. Although that may have been true decades ago, I don’t think that’s the case anymore. Life is just a lot more fun now. Virtually everything that I spend time doing either didn’t exist or is vastly better than in previous generations; TV, movies, sports, cars, exercise equipment, cell phones, computers, websites like Twitter and Facebook that suck me in, etc. Maybe I’ll do the impossible and get through my entire Netflix queue and be bored to tears, but I’ll take my chances.
How about the message an early retirement sends to your children? Considering that most of my behavior these days is directed toward setting a good example, this is one I take seriously. Kids are smart, and when they start asking mom why dad is spending so much time around the house, there can be two possible answers:
1) Daddy inherited a bunch of money and has never worked a day in his life;
or
2) Daddy worked hard to get good grades in school, got a good job, worked hard, and made enough money to be able to spend time at all your school plays.
If your answer is number two, I think your teenage son will understand.
Lastly, is retiring early a constructive way to spend your time? Will you start feeling that your life does not have the same purpose it did before? My gut instinct is to say I’ll worry about it then, as I daydream about not being exhausted all the time, reducing my stress level by 80%, getting ripped like I was in my late 20s, traveling all over the world, etc. But it is a concern.
The funny thing is, I really like my job. But I like my hobbies more. Ask yourself this: if you were not getting paid, how much time would you spend doing what you do at work? I’m guessing your answer would be the same as mine, nada.
At the end of the day, if given the chance, I’m guessing I will not want to retire forever. I’m all in for a few years, though. I’ll catch up on my sleep. And my Laker games. And my movies. I’ll get in as good shape as a middle-aged guy can. And then it’ll be time to work again.
Or maybe not.
Have a good night everyone.
JR
