I'm just wondering if anybody here actually liked their job when they were working. If so, why retire? I can see leaving a job you hate, but why not find something you like to do and stay with it? Just curious.

Setab

__________________
I told you I'd taunt you a second time.

I liked it when the pay was so good I could giggle and forget about working with morons just by looking at the spreadsheet I linked to the current stock price of my company.

When the quality of the idiots continued to increase (decrease?) while the stock price went down, it was a lot less enjoyable.

__________________
Be fearful when others are greedy, and greedy when others are fearful. Just another form of "buy low, sell high" for those who have trouble with things. This rule is not universal. Do not buy a 1973 Pinto because everyone else is afraid of it.

I like my job fine right now, but its a lot of hours and there are other things in life. I've also had plenty of jobs that started out good and then turned into siht. Plenty of reasons for moving on at some point in the future.

__________________
"All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others."

- George Orwell

Ezekiel 23:20

I'm kind of ambivalent about my job. Don't hate it, but don't love it. Honestly though, even if there was a job I loved, once I got to the FI part of the equation I'd still retire, simply because there are better things to do with my time than work at a job, no matter how rewarding it might be.

That's how I feel also. The job is a means to an end.....

__________________
I can only be nice to one person today! Today is not your day...tomorrow doesn't look good either.

Hi Setab,

I think what you say makes a lot of sense. The problem most people face is that jobs change and evolve over time . . . and so do they.

If your job was static, you would likely become bored and lose interest. If you gain greater responsibility, the job changes -- and it has to keep changing for you to avoid boredom. But not all of those changes are as satisfying as you would like. If you work in a large company, sometimes the changes have nothing to do with your growth, and sometimes they are not pleasant changes.

People's interests also change over time. Working with a group of people to achieve business goals may be very rewarding and satisfying at some point in life, and seem very unimportant relative to other interests at another point.

If you like your work and don't have other interests that the work is keeping you from, then continuing to work seems like a no-brainer. But you might still want to achieve financial independance in case the day ever comes when your job is no longer so rewarding or you find other interests that are more important to you.

After a nice holiday break, it's back to the "killing floor"...

Sometimes, I get a little bored, but going to work is never one of the solutions!

:P

__________________
Have Funds, Will Retire

...not doing anything of true substance...

I did! I call it "NOT WORKING!"

__________________
Be fearful when others are greedy, and greedy when others are fearful. Just another form of "buy low, sell high" for those who have trouble with things. This rule is not universal. Do not buy a 1973 Pinto because everyone else is afraid of it.

I hear you all, but I also read of all the time some of you spend managing your assets and portfolios. To me, that seems like "work." Although given my assets, that job would only be part time for me.

setab

__________________
I told you I'd taunt you a second time.

Setab,

I like my job in the sense that one likes a job, but..... its still a job* *I enjoy, far more, using my time for other things, like tennis, working out, pc games, travelling, watching sports, hiking, even sleeping! * When the day comes that I know with very strong confidence that i no longer need the money, I will quit my job and do these other things full time. *

With tax-advantaged saving vehichles like IRAs and 401(k)s, it just makes the most sense to me to sacrifice a bit today, for a lot more gain in the future in the form of FIRE. *I know i'm not promised tomorrow, but i'm thinking optimistically.

Azanon

Definitions:
job = a task that is generally unpleasant enough that one typically receives some form of compensation for doing said task.

Possible troll?

No troll intended. It just seems to me that some of you spend a lot of time managing money. To me, that would fit your definition of job. That kind of activity is just not my thing. I just don't want to trade one job for another, even though I would be glad to get rid of a job to do something I really want to do.

setab

__________________
I told you I'd taunt you a second time.

I spend a couple of hours a week thinking about it, and a couple of hours a year making changes.

Hardly onerous.

I spent more time in aggregate trying to figure out what piece of crap from a cafeteria machine I was going to eat at 7pm when I had to work late. It was usually the jimmy dean sausage biscuits by the way.

__________________
Be fearful when others are greedy, and greedy when others are fearful. Just another form of "buy low, sell high" for those who have trouble with things. This rule is not universal. Do not buy a 1973 Pinto because everyone else is afraid of it.

In my case, it happens to be my profession. However, if I decide that I don't want to be bothered managing my money, setting up an index/etf portfolio would take all of 30 minutes and would need about 15 minutes of my time every year to rebalance.

__________________
"All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others."

- George Orwell

Ezekiel 23:20

One man's work is another man's fun. Ask any gynecologist.

__________________
Numbers is hard

One man's work is another man's fun. Ask any gynecologist.Exactly! I'm just trying to decide whether I fit the "retire now" profile even if I don't want to spend a lot of time looking at portfolios, withdrawal percentages, etc. I know myself too well. I just wouldn't do it.

setab

__________________
I told you I'd taunt you a second time.

No.* :

__________________
Retired 3/31/2007@52
Investing style: Full time wuss.

first day of work after 3 weeks of vacation in which a few days were spent trading penny stocks. It was time consuming but also exciting.

The bottom line is that attitude detemines whether you like your work or job.

__________________
May we live in peace and harmony and be free from all human sufferings.

__________________
"All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others."

- George Orwell

Ezekiel 23:20

Yeah, but you've gotta look at the sick ones too.. :P

Dont get me started on Kathy Bates' gynie.

__________________
Be fearful when others are greedy, and greedy when others are fearful. Just another form of "buy low, sell high" for those who have trouble with things. This rule is not universal. Do not buy a 1973 Pinto because everyone else is afraid of it.