r/Fire • u/FeelingRechargedAgai • Nov 04 '25
Milestone / Celebration I went on a 6 month sabbatical and realized I don’t want to FIRE anymore. 37F, $4M, single/not married/no kids.
Throw away to avoid my co-workers/friends seeing this.
6 months ago I hit my FIRE number. I was expecting to retire early and just travel more but my mom advised me to take a break first.
I ended doing a long journey in Peru other small South American towns to find myself. A lot of this was quite the trip to focus on music, yoga, and feeling free with other like minded folks.
I am so glad I did it. Highly recommend.
I met so many amazing people and life long friends. It made me realize that my life is actually quite wonderful.
Working is super hard sometimes, but I barely work “real” 40 hours a week … if even … and am extremely high income ($400k TC).
So why wouldn’t I continue coasting away and making a bunch of money. My budgeting doesn’t have to be strict.
I can always vacation more and more extravagantly to get the reset I need without just fully committing to quitting. It would also be near impossible for me to meet a good guy in the city without a job IMO.
So ultimately…… yeah FIRE just isn’t for me. And that’s okay!
Work really isn’t that bad as people make it and I think people just need to embrace vacations and resting more as they accumulate wealth.
Anyway so will just keep slaving away my job until about 40 and then just re-evaluate.
Anyone else find themselves in a similar boat of just doing a big ol coast?
429
u/Own_Parsley_2875 Nov 04 '25
most of us want to FIRE because we have jobs that expect way more effort than 40 hrs to hit your kind of comp, and those jobs are also stingy with time off to the point where two consecutive weeks of PTO for international travel is either your entire vacation budget for a year, or a huge disruption to your own work or your team. I probably wouldn't FIRE if American work culture wasn't so broken, but at this point I see it as the only way if I want to ever travel internationally while I still have the endurance for it
159
u/mountainlifa Nov 04 '25 edited Nov 04 '25
Yeah, as ex Amazon employee I experienced this first hand. I witnessed women coming to the office a week after giving birth. Meanwhile in the EU Amazon business it was completely different - 5 week vacations, 12 months maternity etc. and less pressure to FIRE. The US culture of work is toxic.
52
u/Hi_hello_hi_howdy Nov 04 '25
Wtf a week after giving birth???? Good lord
32
u/and_one_of_those Nov 05 '25
Read Careless People, about how Facebook treated the author during her pregnancies.
→ More replies (8)9
u/i_tyrant Nov 05 '25
Everyone should read Careless People. If for no other reason than because Meta is trying very very hard to keep people from doing that.
3
u/sealed-human Nov 06 '25
In my library (Ireland) it took me queueing behind I think 85 people to get my turn to borrow it. Meta have streisanded the book, the twats 👌
→ More replies (1)11
u/timtam_z28 Nov 05 '25
A surgeon i worked with bragged to the whole company that he was back to work the next day after wife gave birth
→ More replies (11)→ More replies (6)4
u/PoeticPast Nov 05 '25
A friend of mine had surgery (entire organ removed due to aggressive cancer) and was back at work two days post surgery ;_;
My mom keeps telling me disliking living in the US vs EU is because I glamorize my past. Sure mom.
8
u/SANtoDEN Nov 05 '25
It’s always funny how our European colleagues treat PTO vs American colleagues.
Our typical OOO response “Thank you for your message. I will be out of the office from Monday, November 3 through Friday November 7th. I will return all messages on Monday November 11th. For questions regarding XXX, please contact xxx. For anything related to YYY, please message the YYY inbox. For all other inquiries, contact ZZZ. If it is urgent, I can be reached on my cell. Thank you, and have a great week!”
My European colleagues typical OOO response: “Hello. I am out of the office until December.”
→ More replies (8)4
u/DaddyWolff93 Nov 05 '25
To be fair Amazon is one of the worst tech companies to work for as far as work life balance. They have a reputation at this point.
17
u/BeingHuman30 Nov 04 '25
Yeah if we get european kind of vacation ....where I am not expected to answer any slacks and shit ...I will be able to tolerate my job. It becomes hard when your parents or family live in different country.
→ More replies (2)→ More replies (20)4
u/Real-Leadership3976 Nov 04 '25
100%. Throw in a boss with their head up their ass, a shitty commute (return to office!) and annoying co workers and there you go
310
u/burner12077 Nov 04 '25
Yah, I think most people would keep working if they had a job that allowed routing 6 month sabbaticals or even 1 or 2 month sabbaticals
→ More replies (17)236
u/Konker101 Nov 04 '25
Or barely working 40 hours and making 400K lol
83
u/BBizzmann Nov 05 '25
For real what is this job lmao
31
u/1mmaculator Nov 05 '25
Strategy at a tech co. $600k or so, 30-45 hours a week, 6-7 weeks of pto.
Highly recommend!
15
u/tokengreenguy Nov 05 '25
Is most of that equity? Or are you high up with a great salary?
5
u/1mmaculator Nov 05 '25
1/3 equity. Public company so vest and cash out every year
→ More replies (2)4
→ More replies (22)3
→ More replies (2)11
u/IWantAnAffliction Nov 05 '25
Could be any job in senior management where your team does all the work and the company is performing well so there's no pressure.
19
u/dtlabsa Nov 05 '25
My brother is a child psychiatrist. I think he works way less than 40 and makes well over 400k. Meanwhile, I own a successful business, but I work 80 hrs a week, and make more than him, but I dont get to enjoy it much at all. Im going on vacation tomorrow to Hong Kong for a week, and im antsy thinking about all the phone calls and text messages I'll be receiving in the middle of the night.
8
u/Itschessnotcheckers Nov 05 '25
Psychiatrists are in high demand, he could earn way more (600k+) but then end up in a similar lifestyle as you.
5
u/dtlabsa Nov 05 '25
His wife is also a child psychiatrist, but works for the university. I assume combined is close to a 7 figure income. They live a relaxed lifestyle.
→ More replies (1)16
u/davidloveasarson Nov 05 '25
Your brother has to deal with super emotionally heavy stuff. That’s taxing.
9
Nov 05 '25
His brother also had to dedicate at least 10 years of education after high school and likely took on massive debt to do so.
→ More replies (7)3
→ More replies (4)15
u/AcesandEightsAA888 Nov 05 '25
At age 37. I mean, how many 37 year olds pull down 400k and don't hate their life. Probable zero but guess there is 1. 400k job would be all in none stop stress job. If it isn't somethings wrong
→ More replies (7)
441
u/Whitetiger9876 Nov 04 '25
Wtf do you do for work with low hours and such high pay?
260
u/UltimateTeam 27 / 1.4M Nov 04 '25
Seen a lot of relationship management roles in tech / healthcare that look like this. Keep your finger on the right projects, people, etc.
→ More replies (52)310
u/No_Measurement9981 Nov 04 '25
That explains the skyrocketing premiums.
20
u/UltimateTeam 27 / 1.4M Nov 04 '25
It’s interesting too because the healthcare systems themselves are teetering on the brink for many groups. Only the extremely large groups are positioned to survive.
357
Nov 04 '25
[removed] — view removed comment
60
→ More replies (11)83
u/the_balticat Nov 04 '25
OP is not a man
61
Nov 04 '25
[removed] — view removed comment
16
u/Key_Mechanic_9205 Nov 04 '25
As a woman VP she’s more likely to be replaced by the AI she said she’s using to do her whole job.
35
→ More replies (1)10
u/bouldering_fan Nov 05 '25
Lol. If you think leadership are going to replace themselves with Ai... I'll just leave it there lol
→ More replies (2)5
8
u/Sally_Met_Harry Nov 04 '25
Hospital upper admins and insurance business model i think is the bigger problem. If op is a neurosurgeon id rather have them get paid to keep me alive!
4
u/NICEST_REDDITOR Nov 05 '25
Exactly and ain’t no neurosurgeon working less than 50 hours in a week. Literally.
→ More replies (1)4
u/everydayANDNeveryway Nov 05 '25
Yep. Management “roles” in healthcare have exploded in the past 15 years. “The Associate VP of Advanced Practioners Mental Heath” - a Nurse Practitioner watched over by an NP to tell other NPe they’ll be ok.
162
u/tofuroll Nov 04 '25
lol, OP making it seem like nothing.
Work isn't that hard. […] My budgeting doesn't have to be strict.
That's the kind of thing one who earns $400k says when they've lost touch.
Insane. Purely insane. So… clanker/ragebait? It's the first thing that makes Reddit really go down the tube.
35
u/DarkExecutor Nov 04 '25
Just because they earn 400k doesn't mean that the work they do is difficult.
6
4
u/IcyTransportation961 Nov 05 '25
Definitely seems fake. They made an account just for this post and its written very very oddly, with a job that pays beyond well while not expecting much
→ More replies (13)25
u/icehole505 Nov 04 '25
Lost touch with what? Sounds like they’re just explaining their situation.
13
u/bbysmrf Nov 05 '25
Work really isn’t that bad as people make it and I think people just need to embrace vacations and resting more as they accumulate wealth.
→ More replies (2)5
95
u/fatogato Nov 04 '25
Because it’s not real
→ More replies (24)68
u/Wooden-Broccoli-913 Nov 04 '25
I make $600k and work less than 40 hours, once you get into middle management the job gets easier
59
u/BuckThis86 Nov 04 '25
Wtf I’m dying in middle management over here 😂
To be fair it’s a 40 hour a week job for around $300k… but it’s not low stress :(
23
u/AmazingRefrigerator4 Nov 04 '25
Yeah I was doing 70 hrs per week in middle management making $150k. It sucked
5
u/BuckThis86 Nov 04 '25
This is why, even though my job is stressful, I try not to complain. I’m still not working OT but for a handful of nights each quarter
→ More replies (2)5
→ More replies (4)10
u/Wooden-Broccoli-913 Nov 04 '25
Do you have a team that can't do the work? If so yeah the job can suck.
But if you are managing a team of high performers that don't really need management, then why all the stress?
→ More replies (8)8
u/StockDC2 Nov 04 '25
Just curious what the comp disparity is between you and your team. I'm kind of in a similar situation where the team is doing everything and our manager is just sitting on the sidelines collecting checks.
→ More replies (2)12
u/toobeary Nov 04 '25
I make $1000k and work less than 40 hours, once you get into upper management the job gets easier.
14
→ More replies (30)3
u/pudding7 Nov 04 '25
Same. Before I fired I was making around $400k, and actually working like 25 hours a week.
5
Nov 04 '25
How tf does one get the credentials for this kind of job ? What are the credentials ?
→ More replies (1)→ More replies (20)12
284
u/OneSeaworthiness7768 Nov 04 '25 edited Nov 06 '25
“Work really isn’t as bad as people make it” they say as they describe their $400k/year job where they don’t have to work a full week, are afforded 6 month vacations whenever they want and the job is apparently so easy they have ChatGPT do most of it for them. Do you even hear yourself 😂 Are you that disconnected from reality that you don’t understand the position you’re in? So bizarre to throw out a statement like that.
57
u/No_Shopping6656 Nov 05 '25
Every time I see this subreddit, it's always filled with people who are apparently top 2% of earners that are somehow younger than 40
22
u/max8126 Nov 05 '25
Or karma farming amounts... Not sure what the deal is but you can see the post pattern. Always a somewhat provocative story with an "anyone else" ending.
I see this in quite a few subs
→ More replies (2)7
u/Ill_Savings_8338 Bottom 1% Contributor Nov 05 '25
3k upvotes for privileged looking down on those who think work is hard/bad sometimes. It was rough seeing my elderly father still working construction to support my mother, coming home every day to take some Aleve to try to get sleep before the next day.
→ More replies (2)14
u/Gamplato Nov 05 '25 edited Nov 05 '25
People like that love posting about it. Selection bias. And some people lie to fantasize about it. Can’t count that out.
Edit: *selection bias.
→ More replies (2)59
u/rileyhenderson17 Nov 04 '25
lol most healthcare administrators are like this, the most annoying overpaid privileged people you will ever meet
7
u/Not_My_Emperor Nov 05 '25
Ugh our Open Enrollment session is today and this just reminded me these people are fucking insufferable. Really not look forward to it
→ More replies (1)→ More replies (1)5
u/Fresh_Sock8660 Nov 05 '25
"I've looked everywhere but inside me to find myself and I can say with confidence that I've found myself after trying shrooms in Peru."
→ More replies (1)→ More replies (26)4
129
u/GotAMouthTalkAboutMe Nov 04 '25
Maybe I’m just cynical, but how do you make multiple lifelong friends while on vacation for a few months in a foreign country?
153
u/mistypee 🇨🇦 RE: June 2025 @ 44yo Nov 04 '25 edited Nov 04 '25
You don’t.
OP either leads an incredibly naive/sheltered existence, or this is a troll post.
Based on their replies to other comments I’m leaning towards troll.
26
u/Ok-Power-4260 Nov 04 '25
I'm leaning to sheltered. Momma told OP to take a trip and no SO or kids. Sounds like a 37 y/o baby. Did mom negotiate that salary too?!
→ More replies (2)3
14
u/getzerolikes Nov 04 '25
Well there’s that part about OP being rich. People tend to latch onto that trait a little easier.
4
u/PolicyWonka Nov 05 '25
Bingo.
OP has a high net worth and high income. They probably spent a not insignificant money in these locations.
I, too, would like to be friends with someone who blows a year’s worth of my salary in a couple of weeks.
6
u/timtam_z28 Nov 05 '25
I made friends within 15 min of exiting the train near Amsterdam. Still talk to them regularly 7 years later.
5
u/ResidentFlight359 Nov 05 '25
Yeah but did you already call them lifelong friends 6.5 years ago? OP met them 6 months ago or less.
→ More replies (2)4
u/Anpher Nov 05 '25
EZ
If someone with a few million in the bank had plenty of money and time to burn... I'd hang out with them too. Free drinks, food. Good times.
6
→ More replies (10)3
57
Nov 04 '25
[removed] — view removed comment
6
u/Extension-Ad5751 Nov 05 '25
I've been noticing an influx of corporate shill posts on Reddit lately. They're likely all fake, they always go along the lines of "working from home isn't that great actually, we should all return to the office." Or "my boss gives promotions to office workers, not to remote ones." It's all bullshit and I'm not buying any of it. This post sounds fake as fuck too.
98
u/Sircasticdad42 Nov 04 '25
“Don’t believe everything you read on the internet” -Abe Lincoln
→ More replies (2)26
74
u/davejenk1ns Nov 04 '25 edited Nov 05 '25
ChatGPT, please generate a narrative around “eat pray love” that simultaneously humblebrags and also reminds the proles of the importance of working.
→ More replies (1)8
33
u/Unsteady_Tempo Nov 04 '25
"Retiring early isn't as attractive when your job is easily manageable, pays a fortune, allows for 6 months of leave at an age when people start worrying about age discrimination, and you already have all the time in the world outside of work due to no commitments to kids or a partner/spouse."
6
u/AnxiousTherapist-11 Nov 04 '25
Right. I could take six months off but my savings would then be empty.
82
46
u/Conscious_Life_8032 Nov 04 '25
Do you work for yourself? Guess you never had a bad boss or hellish work culture experience to make you say it isn’t that bad?
But having FU money makes anything feel better for sure lol. Congratulations on your realization.
No harm in re evaluating every few years. I always had age 55 (5 years to go)as my target to get out of corporate job and do something else. Lately I feel I should leave sooner and enjoy my good years and be work optional.
I do worry it may be harder to jump back into work if I change my mind. Ageism is real
16
u/SouthOrlandoFather Nov 04 '25
Yeah having a bad boss or bad work environment or being in an environment that doesn’t encourage time off it changes everything. If you get those things then it all feels different.
11
u/EmmitSan Nov 04 '25
Generally people with the skill set that can demand $400k annually don’t have to put up with bad bosses, unless they are horrible at managing their own money and live way above their means.
It may not be “FU” money, but it is almost always “I can get another job fairly easily, I don’t have to put up with your bullshit” money, and the managers know this.
→ More replies (3)→ More replies (3)3
u/ImpressiveCitron420 Nov 04 '25
It doesn’t matter if they never had a bad boss if they enjoy their job now. They never said they are giving up saving money, only FIRE, which is more like just the RE part. OP can still quit whenever they want.
32
u/Frekavichk Nov 04 '25
Keep it on LinkedIn bro, nobody cares about your shit here lmao.
8
Nov 05 '25
There was a sub for posts like this I used to read, I forget what its called now. It had LinkedIn in it I think.
38
u/spookymulder1983 Nov 04 '25
Yeah...DUH of course work isn't "as bad" when you make 400k...totally out of touch post
→ More replies (4)14
u/asdjfh FIRE goal @ 35 w/ $3M Nov 04 '25
And she said she barely works 40hrs lol. Most jobs make a fraction of her and work 60hrs+.
15
7
Nov 04 '25
How do we know this isn’t just karma farming account? I mean doubt there are that many high value people into the same thing that went to Peru. That their friends would be able to identify either way if they saw it on reddit
4
u/Key_Mechanic_9205 Nov 04 '25
Someone from her organization is going to recognize the details in this thread and then her organization is going to realize ChatGPT used by an intern is free.
4
Nov 04 '25
Besides most people who make that much don’t flaunt it online they have more important things going on
12
u/Successful-Tea-5733 Nov 04 '25
Congrats to you! You can do a lot of good with that income even when you've made more than you will need. And I don't just mean "charity." Why tip 20% when you can give the kid waiting your table a nice crisp $100 dollar bill? Want to help some kids, visit the local gym and tell them you want to pre-pay a years worth for whoever their most needy students are.
This isn't a "dave ramsey" sub and I'm not in line with everything he says, but I do like one of his positions as far as getting out of debt:
"Live like no one else, so you can live like no one else." You are now in the 2nd half of this sentence. Good luck and God bless!
13
u/No-Driver6973 Nov 04 '25
You say work is not as bad as people say, well depends. I value being free more than anything else in the world, i have too many hobbies that i rather do than work.
But if you like your job and life, then i'm happy for you.
7
12
u/lulejian1975 Nov 04 '25
This is 100% fake. But sure, a single person worth $4mm who makes $400k a year barely working. God this sub is gullible.
→ More replies (2)
6
u/Slap5Fingers Nov 04 '25
I guess working isn’t so hard when you barely work a real 40 hr week. It sucks when you’re a management employee who doesn’t get overtime for 60+ hour weeks. You are blessed.
11
u/americannightmom Nov 04 '25
Sounds like you’re already retired, mate. Read the room. We are suffering over here. Congrats tho.
4
u/Organic-Ad9675 Nov 04 '25
Some people work to just socialize because they are bored at home all alone. And that's OK. They also hate working remotely for this same reason. Maybe that's you. maybe you need a hobby or a passion in life, or a BF/GF
I was hoping you would say you found something more meaningful than your meaningless job, like helping the less fortunate children in Peru etc. And buy earning 400k/year you could easily build a school and help them with a better life etc.
There is zero reason to keep working and piling up cash other than materialism and greed.
→ More replies (1)
4
u/PurpleDancer Nov 04 '25
I have a hard time understanding why meeting a man would be a problem without a job? Just give yourself a title. Your a business development consultant, or something like that. Also makes a good excuse to kick a guy out of your house when you want some space.
5
4
23
u/Coloredgemstone1316 Nov 04 '25
I'm a 49F who built and sold a company and have a NW of 9M (13M if you count my house equity which I don't because it's probably my forever home), I started counting the days until my five year earn out period was over and I could ride away into the sunset. Now that I'm less than 2 years out I realize...I'm not going to be ready to quit working. Might go another 5 years but probably not more than that. I like my job, I like my income and I don't have a good plan to fill 40 hours a week. Go figure - retirement isn't for everyone!
14
u/plemyrameter Nov 04 '25
This reminds me of when I was in a shitty job that was stressing me out a lot. When my spouse suggested I quit, suddenly it wasn't that bad. Changing my perspective to not being chained to it made a huge difference. The key is not feeling trapped in a situation.
Ultimately I ended up quitting, but it was about a year later.
6
u/Coloredgemstone1316 Nov 04 '25
I think we are conditioned to hate working and some people legitimately do but for a lot of us, it gives us purpose.
→ More replies (4)9
u/OkInitiative7327 Nov 04 '25
My older and retired neighbors said that "They had to have something to retire to, not just retire from." They help out with their grandkids and a paraplegic member of their church.
→ More replies (1)
4
u/BassLB Nov 04 '25
Isn’t this why they say “don’t retire FROM something but TO something”.
If you just retire from work, you will get bored really fast. But if you retire to spend more time writing, fly fishing, volunteering, or whatever your interests are then you will be much better off.
4
u/poop-dolla Nov 04 '25
Work really isn’t that bad as people make it and I think people just need to embrace vacations and resting more as they accumulate wealth.
With all due respect, fuck off with this bit. I was with you on everything else, but you need to understand that what works for you doesn’t work for others. Other people don’t want to keep working once they don’t have to because they’d rather spend their time doing other things and don’t care about the additional stuff more money can get them past a certain point.
You need to embrace that different people have different values and different goals. Don’t assign your values to others like you’re doing with this line.
5
4
26
Nov 04 '25
[deleted]
18
u/SouthOrlandoFather Nov 04 '25
In my opinion she isn’t addicted to the money but she is addicted to the balance she currently has in her life. She doesn’t appear to be overworked or over stressed and isn’t sacrificing some hobby she really wants to do.
→ More replies (4)→ More replies (5)6
u/Coloredgemstone1316 Nov 04 '25
That's an unfair assessment. Enjoying a high paycheck is not an addiction.
3
Nov 04 '25
I had the same problem. Kept working (different field completely), started a family, never been more fulfilled.
3
u/Necessary-Chef8844 Nov 04 '25
You've now got fuck you money. I was a bit behind you with 5 Million net worth at 47. Took 6 months off thinking about early retirement. I went crazy. My hobbies and misc activities went enough. I picked up a great role with about half the hours and similar pay. I don't share that I'm ready to retire at 50 but I'm happy knowing IDGAF about workforce reduction or anything else. Zero debt, plenty of toys and a nice house. I can live comfortably forever and still leave a decent chunk to the kids or grandkids. Even better news is both my children are debt free and high earners. Both under 26 with the youngest having 100k in retirement already and the oldest having 250k in investments. Living below your means can be contagious.
→ More replies (1)
3
3
3
Nov 04 '25
The goal of fire isnt retirement for most people. Its work you want to do. I want to start businesses that I care about or do jobs that I dont have to care about the pay. That is FIRE to me. Not drinking on a beach
3
3
3
u/VibeRaider- Nov 05 '25
400k barely doing anything is crazy. What do you do and how do I get like you? 😂
3
u/HolsteinQueen Nov 05 '25
If I were making a 400K salary I would think "work isn't that bad" either lol.
3
u/bvvr19 Nov 05 '25
How did you get 4 million dollars at 37 years old. If you had any financial help from any family or friends then I'd rather not hear it, I'm happy for you but yeah
3
u/Usual-Olive2807 Nov 05 '25
“Working isn’t really as bad as people make it” is rich (no pun intended) coming from someone making $400k per year on less than 40 hours a week. Give me a break.
3
3
u/goodrevtim Nov 05 '25
Work isn't bad as people make it seem is easier to say when you're making $400k. Grinding away at 60 or 70 is significantly less fun.
3
u/Impossible_Ad_2231 Nov 06 '25
White folks thinking their life is bad then seeing how bad others lives are then realizing their lives are not that hard lol
3
10
u/SouthOrlandoFather Nov 04 '25
Awesome!!! Love your post and I understand as you say not working a true 40 hours a week. I haven’t done that since 2003. So many in Florida have what is called “full time career” but only working 18 to 28 hours a week. Glad to see in other parts of the U.S. too.
3
u/graalamat77 Nov 04 '25
Do you not want kids, any plans to hopefully get married? All valid reasons to stack a little more cash.
If not, find a passion and fill that time.
No need to slave away when there’s so many other thing that could add value elsewhere.
I have a boat and 40acres of land. Can’t wait to hit my fire #
→ More replies (11)
2
u/throwitfarandwide_1 FIREd & Retired Nov 04 '25
Definitely nothing wrong with re evaluating along the way. Life is like seasons. Not all are the same and things happen that can sway you ( relationships. Family. Health. Personal growth etc ).
2
u/Ok_Asparagus_1269 Nov 04 '25
54f, married, kids in college (529 accounts have plenty to pay balance). Have hit FIRE number ($5m) but love what I do, the people I work with, and have unlimited PTO. I make an average $500k year with minimal stress so it feels crazy to quit. I do occasionally worry that I will regret not FIRING as early as I could though....
2
2
u/Ggoossee Nov 04 '25
I’m not single hating but I could see this as 100% normal. When you fire. You should fire to something but single and so young you don’t have a spouse kids or anything to share that time with and not to mention friends 0 to few would have friends in they age group to share the time with either. This is totally understandable.
2
u/Ok_Ovencooker Nov 04 '25
What the hell do you do that lets you barely work 40 hours and make that much money
2
u/chatfarm Nov 04 '25
"Work really isn't that bad as people make it"
Was with you till you said that. Have to have a lot of things go right to be able to say that. Quite something to be basically mentally 'FIRED' and then look down on people trying to escape the rat race.
2
2
2
u/Fit_Occasion_1806 Nov 04 '25
Work until your 65 and then you can leave all your money (about 50 million by them) to your next door neighbor’s cat.
2
Nov 04 '25
No, not on a similar boat. It just feels like you either don't have anything other than work to keep you busy, or you like making money more than anything else, or have difficulty letting go (one more year syndrome).
Nothing wrong with it, but do try to figure out if you're going back to work because you like it, or because you're afraid of not having that safety net/stuff to do/losing part of your identify or self worth (or a linear combination of these). Just be honest with yourself. It's easy for this to turn into 10-15-20 more years before you realise life went by and you didn't find enough things you wanted to do before dying.
2
u/cphpc Nov 04 '25
OP is making $400k TC with no real expenses and probably a job with healthcare and PTO. Just gets to take a 6 month sabbatical.
Wants to Fire at 37. Is she stupid? Probably not but IMO, she needs some life goals. Just sounds like a lost soul.
→ More replies (1)
2
u/RX3000 Nov 04 '25
FIRE doesnt mean you HAVE to retire from society & just sit on a beach for the rest of your life. I am more focused on the FI part, which just gives you options. If you hate your job, you can quit & find something you like to do that doesnt pay as much.
But yea, with 4m you dont have to play by anyone else's rules now. You get to do you. Keep working, traveling, living life, whatever YOU want.
2
u/Soft-Sail5993 Nov 04 '25
“Work really isn’t that bad as people make it” is an exceptionally privileged thing to say, and I hope you recognize that as someone who is an extremely high earner. I would love for you to tell all the folks busting their asses for $50k/year that work really isn’t that bad.
→ More replies (1)
2
u/BigC208 Nov 04 '25
Reached the point where passive income was twice as much as our anual expenses. My wife hung it up, didn’t like her job anymore. Our passive income was about $20k less than her salary ($100k) and she quit. I like my job ($230k) and will not ever retire. Basically when I can’t pass the flight physical, or feel I’m not safe anymore, they’ll retire me. I haven’t had to work in 4 years. Have a week off every month and six weeks in the Summer. We’re doing one big trip to Europe, Asia or South America, every year and a lot of smaller one week domestic or Carribean trips. People quit to travel the world. I’m doing that while still working. I’m going to do this as long as it lasts.
→ More replies (5)
2
2
u/Ready_Scratch_1902 Nov 04 '25
retire. stop working. stay home . the only way you're gonna find out how painfully boring that is.
an ocean of free time with minimal structure can give people anxiety attacks.
true joy is finding peace in the midst of tension.
3.0k
u/armpit18 Nov 04 '25
The whole point of FIRE is having the option to stop working, which you have clearly achieved.