“I never want to retire.”
My husband is someone who wants – and expects – to be busy and productive all of his life. He joined the Marines at seventeen and has never shied away from a hard day’s work since that day.
My uncle is in his late 60s and still working as a self employed handyman on a variety of different construction projects. My husband looks up to him and wants to be doing the same when he’s that age. Because he looks out 35-40 years into the future and sees himself still working, financial independence hasn’t been a specific goal of his.
He’s someone who has always lived within his means and been careful to have savings for the future, but the burning desire to drop his tools and walk away forever just isn’t there.
And honestly, it isn’t there for me either. I may have days that I’m bored/tired/frustrated with my job or the people I have to deal with, but I have no desire to quit. Veronika at Debts to Riches asksWould I choose this job over any job?And I can honestly say that yes, I would, and I have. A few years back, I had the opportunity to turn mythe second job that I lovedinto a full time career (that would have even paid more).
As much as I enjoyed my time as a park ranger, it didn’t give me the fulfillment and purspose I experience as someone involved in building affordable, sustainable communities in one of the most expensive areas of the country. I have chosen the career – and particular job – that affords me the greatest opportunity to affect climate change as well as make a huge difference in the lives of people who would otherwise be priced out of our beautiful city.
When others in the personal finance community talk about retiring early to pursue their passions, I already get to pursue mine with the work I do.
“I love my job but I wish I could work part time.”
Before I became a mom, I spent 45-50 hours a week at my job and didn’t feel terribly pressed for time. I was able to run or bike home within an hour and generally get things done that I wanted to. Though it probably helps that I’ve never watched much TV. Honestly, working fewer hours wasn’t even on my radar.
This completely changed once I had my son, and it only took six months to realize that I needed tocut back my hours, at least until he was in school, or at least that’s what I expected at the time. Now that I’ve been part time for a year and a half, though, I realize that I have no desire to ramp my hours back up in the future.
Much like my coworkers who went from a 2 hour each way commute to living on the property, I didn’t realize how much time I was missing until I suddenly had it back. I was so used to working and going to school for so many hours (and then working two full time jobs during the transition to my current job), that “just” working 45-50 hours a week felt like a mini retirement itself.
Once I got a taste for less than that though, I realized how much happier and balanced my life became. Even once my son becomes more self sufficient, I don’t want to go back to full time or more. It will just mean I will have time for the other things I want to do in life.
However, wanting to work less certainly does not mean that I want to quit altogether. I find joy and purpose in my career, and I want to continue doing so for as long as I am able. But just because I don’t want to quit, it doesn’t mean that I don’t care about financial independence.
FIRE doesn’t have to be about early retirement.
Financial independence for me is about retiring from the obligation of having a job in order tojust pay the bills and survive. Once I don’t HAVE to go to work for the sake of an income, it becomes a CHOICE I make every day, that the work I’m doing is important and worthwhile. Like Liz at Frugalwoods says,I have the job I’d write for my dream biography.
And just in case I ever change my mind, I can always quit.
