For all those thinking about RE - take note: there is hope; if you take action - a journey of 1,000 miles starts with a single step.

I've been taking one step at a time.
Sold the house
Getting my finances together to earn income
I've done other smaller steps but there is one I did yesterday that made me make a commitment - I ordered a small travel trailer that I will pick up the first week in June. So, I now have a date of the end of May for stop working. And, I'm feeling good about it.


Robyn Davidson

The most difficult thing is the decision to act, the rest is merely tenacity. The fears are paper tigers. You can do anything you decide to do. You can act to change and control your life; and the procedure , the process is its own reward.

The two important things I did learn were that you are as powerful and strong as you allow yourself to be, and that the most difficult part of any endeavor is taking the first step, making the first decision.

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Sometimes death is not as tragic as not knowing how to live. This man knew how to live--and how to make others glad they were living. - Jack Benny at Nat King Cole's funeral

You are right. Took me quite awhile to serve notice in late January, but once I did that, I felt freedom immediately and a burden was lifted from my shoulders.

Currently getting everything ready to move once I finish my last day of work on Apr 28th.

I'm getting close to this point, but I can't quite do it yet! I know we have enough saved, but convincing myself that it's ok to resign from a good paying job is harder than I thought it would be.

Its tough but theres going to come a moment.

You'll know.

Dont think about it in terms of walking away from a good paying job. Think about it as walking towards the rest of your life.

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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.

That is key.* Otherwise you will never pull the trigger thinking about the pay. It took me a year to figure out I would never make a decision based on money. It had to be based on NOT giving up another year of my life.

Added: Every week or so, I sometimes wonder if I did the right thing electing to RE, but I know when I walk out that last day, it will have been the best decision I've made in a long, long time.

Or you can do it my way, which is easier: just avoid getting a good-paying job in the first place

The worst day screwing off is far better than the best day at work.


Well...not really...I had some pretty dang good days at work...and some boring ones screwing off. But the aggregated averages, when plotted on a 200 day moving average curve with a dollop of nasal milk sprayed on the diagram shows...

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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.

Dex;
Excellent Post....
What kind of trailer did you order ?
I have been reading up on the TrailManor brand.
I like the 2720sl.

CZAR 8,

Take a look at the link below and let me know what you think.

http://www.casitatraveltrailers.com/17-layout.html

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Sometimes death is not as tragic as not knowing how to live. This man knew how to live--and how to make others glad they were living. - Jack Benny at Nat King Cole's funeral

Congratulations Dex. My wife and I have moved onto our boat and are in the process of cleaning out our house so we can sell it. The process is somewhat nerve racking, are we doing the right thing?, will we regret it in 5 years? Do we have enough $? and all the self doubt but we keep firm in doing this. My favorite quote is from Mark Twain –

"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you
didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover."

Afloat

Yep you are 100% right. While the financial part of semi-retiring for me was relatively easy. The hard part was the psychological part. I think that part is harder because you can't actually touch "it". Meaning you can count your investments till the cows come home but you really can't measure your emotions on a scale and say when I reach 8 out of 10 I'll jump ship.
I can say that after the stomach churning came the calm and the enjoyment from beating that "paper tiger". Now I'm planning on using my new scuba card once a month.

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You take the blue pill - the story ends, you wake up in your bed and believe whatever you want to believe. You take the red pill - you stay in Wonderland and I show you how deep the rabbit-hole goes.

That's what's becoming more and more impotant to me, and making me willing to take more risk: "...NOT giving up another year of my life." That's the real finite resource.

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"Comprehensive health insurance is an idea whose time has come in America." President Richard M. Nixon, February 6, 1974

DANG CFB,

You've just destroyed all of my fantasies. Guess I'll have to think up a new goal

MB

Well, its tough to put up 10 hours of sleep, 2 hours playing halo and a couple of hours shopping against a CEO telling you he thinks you made three billion dollars for the company last year...

On the other hand, playing all day with your kid even though its a wednesday beats the crap out of having the chairman yell at you on the phone that if your department doesnt fix something by the end of the day he's going to fire you...

On second thought, back to that first thing. I was wrong. My most boring day at home still was better than a great day at work.

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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.

Don't know how I missed this thread earlier.* I totally agree with what you all are saying.* I was also having a problem leaving a job that pays really well.* But then I convinced myself (and DH) that if it was all about making just a little bit more and feeling a little bit more secure, we'd work until we were 80 or dead, whichever came first.* And I'm pretty sure it wouldn't be the first option!

AltaRed - it looks like you and I are walking out at the same time, except that my last is Thursday, 4/27.* I don't know about you, but I'm finding it more annoying every day coming to work.* *

CJ

What type of boat do you have? Size and age etc.

SWR

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"Never Argue With a Fool, Onlookers May Not Be Able To Tell the Difference." - Mark Twain

From another member of the FIRE Class of '06. I've definitely felt the pangs of uncertainty, clearly I'm commiting to walking away from the best job I'm likely ever to achieve, given salary considerations and the challenging nature of the work, yet I know in my Gut that the last 7 years of prep, getting my head around the concept, and maximizing the opportunity as it presents are positively the best thing I'v ever done.

I'm so ready for Life: Part II. My count is 13 working days to go, leaving at the end of the month.

We're also considering the RV travel thing, we like Safari Trek's.

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It's about the music

Hey Johnny M, long time! Thirteen days to go? I am like so jealous.

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No more lawyer stuff, no more political stuff, so no more CYA

Johnny M, you need to post regularly to let us know how it goes: how it feels to walk away, how it feels to be RE, what those first days are like. Congrats, and best wishes!!

CJ

Uh, wouldn't that be kind of like not quitting in the first place...?