Anyone change their mind about FIRE?

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  • Raddoc123
    Member
    • Jul 2016
    • 109

    Anyone change their mind about FIRE?

    I am mid career half way to my “number” with no debt, payed off house, good financial shape, kids getting closer to college.  I always thought I’d want to pull the plug ASAP and get out maybe early to mid 50s which is not too far away.  Saving hard, doing the boglehead 3 funder, and living below means.

    I’ve been kind of bored of late on my days off and non travel vacation weeks.  Perhaps my fault for not developing enough outside interests.  Before, I’d love my days off away from the stress and non stop work.  Now wondering if doing nothing most of the day is for me anymore.  Not having anywhere to go.  Just seems kind of deflating after all these years of dreaming to get away.

    Now thinking of going part time,  perhaps when I get to 3/4ths my number, or even now as partners income covers expenses but is not stable.  Seems like the money is not doing it for me anymore like when I was younger.   I’ve realized that it helps but doesn’t solve many problems or needed for things  I really enjoy like family time, walks in nature, etc.

    Seems working until I can’t may make me happier, as long as I’m not working as much as I am now?  Anyone else have similar kinds of feelings about their career and what have you done?
  • jhwkr542
    Member
    • Feb 2016
    • 1966

    #2
    For me, my job doubles as a social life, so while not close to financial independence myself, l don't have current plans to stop cold turkey when i do get there. If i didn't genuinely enjoy hanging out with my co workers, i might feel different. But I also enjoy the challenge of a tough case. My goal is FI, not RE. I'm interested to know if some parts of the job even improve with FI.

    Comment

    • CordMcNally
      Moderator
      • Jan 2017
      • 12852

      #3
      I'm still early in my career so I have a ways to go. For me, I think it is more like FIre. I care much more about being financially independent rather than necessarily retiring early. Maybe that's because EM allows those who want to work less to do that fairly easily. I think just being financially independent with the ability and option to retire when I want means the most to me.

      Comment

      • wideopenspaces
        Psychiatrist
        • Jan 2016
        • 2987

        #4
        I have never planned to retire early. But I recently took a full time job after working part time since finishing residency. The plan is to work full time for 5 years to really get us set financially and then for sure I'm going back to part time work. It really is the best, at least for me. I'm kinda wondering if I'll actually last working full time for 5 years. . . We shall see if the money is motivating enough to make it worth it.

        Comment

        • GasFIRE
          Physician
          • Jan 2018
          • 1903

          #5
          I am late career, have FIRE'd once and am now working part-time. I prefer my part-time life over FIRE, although TBH my FIRE time was more of an escape and decompression phase. Now that I've recovered, part-time work suits me well. If you need further encouragement, I recommend checking out this series from CrispyDoc:

          https://www.crispydoc.com/docs-who-cut-back/

          You may even recognize a few who post on this forum.

          Comment

          • snowcanyon
            Member
            • Oct 2018
            • 1331

            #6
            Nah, night shifts. Out ASAP. EM too stressful with too much liability.

            Comment

            • FIREshrink
              Member
              • Jan 2017
              • 3264

              #7
              I'll chime in. Always wanted to FIRE. If single could have done it by 40. As it was got there by 45. But kids' needs including school and sports dominate our calendar so even if I quit work entirely, I couldn't travel for weeks at a time which was really the FIRE dream. Taking an extra day off a week by itself is not enough to entice me - and I like my patients, my coworkers, the community, and my employer so I don't want another job even if they'd let me work less (my current employer would let me do that, too). Recently looked at a seven day on, 21 day off half-time job but when push came to shove I didn't want to leave the group I love. Work is like family to me. I do not know what finally pushes me to do something else but haven't found it yet. I'm thinking age fifty, which would be five years of this admin role and twenty years of practice but I said the same thing about forty-five.

              Comment

              • uteomfs
                Member
                • May 2019
                • 53

                #8
                I didn't change my mind about FIRE, but wife and kids crushed any hope of that. So yeah, I guess it has changed. I will just keep plugging along. That being said, I enjoy my job and thankful the only administration problems I deal with are the ones I cause.

                Comment

                • Panscan
                  Physician
                  • Mar 2017
                  • 3529

                  #9
                  maybe a good time to develop some hobbies. or delve deeper into medicine like the minutiae

                  Comment

                  • Lordosis
                    Family Physician
                    • Feb 2019
                    • 8853

                    #10
                    I am early career so lots can change. I would ideally be FI by 50. Then retire or slow down when it feels right. It will be my mid 50s by the time my youngest gets through college. That might be a good time to slow down.

                    Comment

                    • FIREshrink
                      Member
                      • Jan 2017
                      • 3264

                      #11
                      Agree once kids get through college from a financial standpoint nearly every LBYM doc will be beyond FI. Sadly however we will all be well into our fifties or older when that happens and will have repeated the eternal mistake of trading precious time for worthless money. Stupid. So courage is taking the plunge far before that. What would it be like to be home with teenagers more often BEFORE they head off to college? Becoming best friends with the adults they are becoming? Then, but only if you need the money, going back to full time AFTER they head off to school? For most of us I think we realize other priorities take precedence and we sail into the sunset. But obviously I'm all talk since I haven't pulled the trigger myself.

                      Comment

                      • Antares
                        Member
                        • Jan 2016
                        • 950

                        #12
                        Had kids late. I’m 60 and my youngest is in 11th grade. I would stop immediately if I could, but my plan is to move to a lower COL area when no need to work. I’m not going to do that until the kid is at least partly through college. But I agree with FIREshrink. Nothing is more precious than time, and the clock is ticking. Literally the only thing I want that I don’t have is my time.

                        Comment

                        • StarTrekDoc
                          Member
                          • Jan 2017
                          • 8456

                          #13
                          Fortunate to be FI at 45 with kids in high school.   Haven't slowed down and regular FT primary care.   Time to do afterschool evening events and excuses NOT to be parent involvement committees which are decidedly not in my DNA.

                          Slowing down has crossed my mind, but we elected to loosen the purse strings to allow nicer travel, dinners, staycations.   When kids to college, will drop a day probably to allow for more opportunities for 3 day and short outings to visits while allowing vacation time for expanded distance vacations.

                          No plans to stop working unless our admin really lights a fire

                          Comment

                          • ZZZ
                            Member
                            • Jun 2018
                            • 728

                            #14
                            "I’ve been kind of bored of late on my days off and non travel vacation weeks."

                            Wow. That's sad. I can find nearly infinite ways to enjoy my time. Make some friends, set some personal fitness goals, read the classics...you're fortunate to have free time and resources, don't waste it.

                            Comment

                            • Lordosis
                              Family Physician
                              • Feb 2019
                              • 8853

                              #15
                              If I think about my teenage years I don't think I would have been any happier if my parents were not working. I was in school and sports. They were able to come to most things. Also I was a stupid teen and didn't care if they came anyways. They worked some weekends, evenings,and holidays but I don't remember being annoyed by it. In fact I remember it was nice to have a day to yourself in the house.

                              Comment

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