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As the saying goes , I work to live, not live to work. I dont really work hard at work, and to be honest, why work hard to make someone else rich. I'm salary so I get paid either way.
Nowadays, companies can get rid of you in heartbeat, so there's no reason to give them all your blood sweat and tears.
It's hubris to think that your work will outlive you in the way that you speak. Sure, if you design and build a building, that building can stand for over 100 years. That doesn't mean you will be appreciated or that your name will be remembered by your grandchildren or the generations to come. Even if your name gets noted in a book or something as the architect/builder, how are you going to control that someone actually cares? History books are full of the names that people don't care about.
I don't care if anyone knows that it was me that made the long term improvement. For me it is enough that I know.
I'm actually approaching the point I may be making such a decision. It looks like I'll be layed off at the end of next month (I've already stretched it since September) I'm about 60 can technically retire but am unsure if retirement and investments will be enough. I have an okay severence package but will need toi figure what I do from here. I'm already involved in local gov't and can see decisions I've help make that will guide the growth of the town for the next 20 years or so at least. I have several other 'hobbies' that I want to spend time on as well as a couple bigger projects that I wish I could do (When I wn the lottery :-)). Who knows I may be looking for a job in a couple months or I may be signing up as the local 'keep the eye on the local politicos' guy. But sit around doing nothing? can't see that happening.
I have seen many, many people "retire" and then just wither away to nothing. I watched one of my grandfathers do this. While not in the best of health, he retired from the factory at 62, took a lump sum, and never really did anything to occupy his time for the rest of his life. He spent most of his seventeen remaining years in the chair, and eventually, in and out of hospitals and nursing homes. One may retire from their formal job, but a fairly defined schedule and objectives to fulfill should not be lost. If one is financially comfortable in retirement, I think it is important to still contribute to society in some sort of volunteer way as you are financially and physically capable of doing so.
As for me, I'd rather get into something more intellectual. I'm a fairly cerebral person and can't find meaning in mundane, routine work. I get bored and bored can lead to negative behaviors. I'd also like to do something that has more of an effect on others personally. While I'm not so naive to think I can change the world, I have no doubt I have more to offer to society than what I've had to do so far.
I envy all of you who have jobs you truly enjoy and could see yourselves doing until you die. I had a job I loved and would have happily stayed with it for 20-30 more years and happily retired at around 70.
Today, my job is just so awful and the feelings of defeat and futility just permeate every minute of my life.
At this point, if my husband and I won the lottery, I would definitely quit my job. We would move and find a business that we could both enjoy doing for the rest of our lives. I don't think I could ever really be without a job, but I would love for it not to be something I had to do to "survive". I'd rather live to work than work to live.
I have an acquaintance (friend of a friend) who's dream in life is not work and just sit around all the time doing nothing.
Late 2012 her father died, leaving her $70k in life insurance. She quit her retail job, went on a 2 month "vacation" with her boyfriend, and now they've been sitting around doing nothing since. They both haven't worked for 2 years. I've been wondering how long that money can last...
I get too depressed when I'm not working. Like I got a 3 day weekend just now because I got a doctor's appointment. And already I want to get back to the office. Even if I won $10mil I would still be working.
Be honest, how many of you guys here whose life's goal is not to work and do nothing?
If I won $10mil, I would have to call it quits on that note. you can invest in real estate, a franchise or whatever. I would make that money work for me and I would keep myself busy and active and spend more time in the gym, enjoy life.
In order for me to not work, Id still have to have enough income to do things. If I had enough investments to cover all of my bills, I still wouldnt quit my job. Why? Because then Id have nothing to play with. Id go insane sitting at home all day. Id need income to go travel, a lot. Id need money to buy toys, like a boat or jet skis. Id need fun money. Its not all about "not working" its about "not working and instead playing."
I envy all of you who have jobs you truly enjoy and could see yourselves doing until you die. I had a job I loved and would have happily stayed with it for 20-30 more years and happily retired at around 70.
Today, my job is just so awful and the feelings of defeat and futility just permeate every minute of my life.
At this point, if my husband and I won the lottery, I would definitely quit my job. We would move and find a business that we could both enjoy doing for the rest of our lives. I don't think I could ever really be without a job, but I would love for it not to be something I had to do to "survive". I'd rather live to work than work to live.
I wouldn't say I love my job but I like what I do and feel I do it well and help make the group I support successful (I let others worry about the bigger Division, company, etc) Ther are times I have felt resigned that I would work until I dropped dead (like when the bottom dropped out of all the 401ks and investments) and I somewhat live in fear of that still happening or my investments not lasting. Ithink that is how my grandparents and parents who lived through the deppresion felt.
My Grandfather worked his entire life in the Steel mills and shipyards. Back in the 60's the Steelworkers union and Bethlehem Steel came to an agreement that everyone would get a one time 13 week vacation. It could not be postponed. When your time in the seniority rotation came you took 13 weeks off. When his time came he didn't want to take the time. for the first week he was miserable. then he started spending more time golfing, going to the local rec center woodshop,etc. He and grandmom traveled out to see my uncle out west. then the 13 weeks ended and he went back on rotating shifts. I think he put his retirement papers in within a month. I've always wondered what the percentage of older workers who did that was and if the real reason both sides agreed to the deal was that it showed the older workers that there was life outside the mill which reduced the number of senior people (good for company payroll) and opened up edvancement for younger workers (good for the union).
he had a very good retirement for probably 15 years or so until lung issues caught up with him the last couple years. It wa sthe type of retirement I hope to have but figured I never would.
People sometimes say I'm a sucker for playing the lottery. I tell them that on weeks things aren't going well I get the few dollars enjoyment out of it figuring what I'm going to do with the money if I win. Donate some to charity, create a business/foundation that will pay me to do some of the public spirited things I want to do, help build a new local library, the list changes ( and grows or shrinks depending on how big the pot is :-))
Hang in there hopefully the job gets better
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