It reminded me of a conversation with someone in his 30s a few years back who wanted to make money and retire by 40. I asked him what he thinks he would do once you retire. He said I would travel with my wife, and then I asked how much. He said all the time. I said for how long? He could not able to answer that question. I told him what my father said to me several years back. We need a purpose to wake up in the morning, and travel can be a purpose, but we cannot do it for 20 years, so we need to find a few other things to occupy ourselves. Work gives most people a reason to wake up and do something even though we do not have complete control over our time.
I think we need to live some and have fun, including when we are young and have very little money. Working long hours for 20 years with only focus on saving money and thinking I will do most of the fun things after I retire is not a good way of living as we never know what life has stored for us once we retire.
However, everyone needs to decide what makes them happy; for some, the above lifestyle may be proper.
Also raises the point of if you work your whole life for something, and all you ever known is work, why do we think at 40 we will suddenly drop that and only want to travel? Work will be so engrained in your psychology at that point. Got to live a little as you said.
Interesting post!
It reminded me of a conversation with someone in his 30s a few years back who wanted to make money and retire by 40. I asked him what he thinks he would do once you retire. He said I would travel with my wife, and then I asked how much. He said all the time. I said for how long? He could not able to answer that question. I told him what my father said to me several years back. We need a purpose to wake up in the morning, and travel can be a purpose, but we cannot do it for 20 years, so we need to find a few other things to occupy ourselves. Work gives most people a reason to wake up and do something even though we do not have complete control over our time.
I think we need to live some and have fun, including when we are young and have very little money. Working long hours for 20 years with only focus on saving money and thinking I will do most of the fun things after I retire is not a good way of living as we never know what life has stored for us once we retire.
However, everyone needs to decide what makes them happy; for some, the above lifestyle may be proper.
Good stuff, certainly some wisdom in there.
Also raises the point of if you work your whole life for something, and all you ever known is work, why do we think at 40 we will suddenly drop that and only want to travel? Work will be so engrained in your psychology at that point. Got to live a little as you said.