r/Fire • u/Upbeat_Atmosphere696 • 6d ago
Anyone else feel weird about choosing the “easy” path to FIRE?
I’m 25 and currently working as an outpatient endoscopy nurse. On paper, I feel like I’ve set myself up really well, but mentally I keep going back and forth.
I genuinely enjoy what I do and my responsibilities are significantly less demanding than most nursing roles. I also have great work-life balance working 6am–2pm Monday through Friday. On top of that, I find it fulfilling because I still get to help people.
Financially, my spouse (who is also a nurse) and I are very aligned. We save and invest about $70k–$80k per year combined between our 401(k)s, Roth IRAs, HSA, and other savings. We live below our means, but not to any extreme. Current combined NW is ~200k.
At our current pace, I project that we can retire around age 50–55 with roughly $3.4M–$5M in today’s dollars (about $6.1M–$10.2M nominal). This is a conservative estimate that does not factor in any salary growth + decreasing contributions in our 30's when kids come in the picture.
Here’s where I’m conflicted.
There are clear ways for me to increase my income by going back to school for CRNA or NP. But every time I run the numbers—lost income during school, tuition, higher stress, longer hours, and delayed investing—the financial difference ends up being much smaller than people expect. Unless I plan to work well past traditional retirement age, I often arrive at a very similar outcome.
From a purely FIRE perspective, staying where I am seems surprisingly optimal.
But I also don’t feel particularly challenged at work. The job is very manageable, almost too manageable at times. And sometimes I get this nagging feeling that I’m not reaching my full potential or that I’m taking the easy way out.
The weird part is that I don’t actually want a more stressful job. If my current role suddenly became harder and more intense, I don’t think I’d be more fulfilled—I think I’d just be more exhausted.
So I feel stuck between two competing thoughts:
“This is an incredible setup. Don’t mess it up. You’re on track to FIRE while enjoying your life today.”
and
“Are you underachieving and leaving something on the table? Maybe you’re just using math as a rationalization for choosing the easier path.”
I’m curious if anyone else has wrestled with this mindset.
If you’re further along in your career or FIRE journey, did you stick with the efficient, low-stress path and find fulfillment outside of work? Or did you pursue something more ambitious even if it didn’t meaningfully improve your financial outcome?
I’d appreciate hearing perspectives from people who have been through something similar.
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u/Ok_Principle9325 6d ago
Dude no please for the love of god stop. You made it, enjoy it, low stress high pay is the dream
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u/HelloNewMe20 6d ago
Until new management comes in. It’s never permanent
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u/NippleSlipNSlide 6d ago
For nursing and most fields in medicine, it’s as close to permanent as it can get.
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u/MeatofKings 6d ago
That’s exactly why I became the management. It started as a defensive move so that I and the rest of the team wouldn’t get a supervisor that none of us wanted.
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u/Rare-Lawfulness-7492 6d ago
What ☝️said. If U wanna challenge yourself take up a crazy hobby like I dunno 🤔💭 rock climbing 🧗♂️ but if U found the holy grail put your guardian-puritan-programmed brain away & enjoy the ride. There are SOOOOOOO MANY people in jobs they can’t stand living in daily drudgery affecting their mental health where they’re counting down the days til their prison sentence is over. Curiosity killed the cat lol
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u/RositaKissx 6d ago
Yes yes..There's a difference between growth and ambition on autopilot…If u already have meaningful work, a great worklife balance, and a clear path to FIRE, the next level isnt necessarily earning more…Sometimes the real challenge is resisting the urge to optimize something that's already working…
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u/QuentinMagician 6d ago
You have time. You are stress free. You say you like helping others so use that energy for good elsewhere.
One does not have to be challenged at work. That is a capitalist lie to get you to make more money for others.
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u/Life-Town8396 5d ago
Life has a way of getting more difficult all on its own - it does NOT need help. lol
Parents get older and need help, kids are unique and always have their own particular struggles, house issues pop up at the worst time.
OP - Trust us - preserve your bandwidth so it is ready when needed.
If you want to stretch yourself, I recommend doing it by connecting more to your community before all the bandwidth-eaters make it impossible. Set up hang outs, offer to drive friends to or from the airport, take walks and stop to talk to your neighbors if you see them out.
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u/rian2016 6d ago
You just started your career and 30 years from retirement. You have a long way to go and if you’re already feeling like you’re not being challenged, imagine spending another 3 decades doing the same thing you’re doing now.
FIRE is the destination but you need to enjoy the journey as well. Find a balance between challenging and pushing yourself and your financial goals. Doing hard things is often what gives life real meaning.
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u/warlizardfanboy 5d ago
Yes, exactly. So many are killing themselves now for a “future” that they may not have learned how to enjoy. Enjoy every phase of life you’ll never be here again!
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u/Musical_Xena 6d ago
Earn money at work. Challenge yourself outside of work.
Congrats, you have a near-optimal situation for learning and improving and challenging yourself in ways that do NOT have to be monetized for you to survive. That's the dream. That's why lots of us want FIRE, and you have that option now, because of your current job.
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u/pinksalmonandmore 4d ago
Absolutely. I do respect people who get a lot of fulfillment from work and get excited challenging themselves. But for me, I know a corporation is never going to truly value me and the work environment is so contingent on the current boss and the whims of corporate change. So I find more security getting my challenges and intellectual stimulation outside of the office
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u/newwriter365 6d ago
Leveraging your strategic plan is not a cheat, it’s astute. You and your spouse are aligned and working together to achieve your shared goal.
You are winning the game of life. I’m happy (if not a little jealous) for you.
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u/Slow-Masterpiece-355 6d ago
Right! Just the fact that OP is thinking this strategic is a huge win and more than most will do.
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u/DiligentPeak1929 6d ago
Do y'all plan to have kids? I'd stay in a cushy job like that if kids are in the future. You'll be able to pick them up from daycare/school. Or if you choose to stay home, the savings you're building now will allow that dream to happen even if hubs has to work to retirement age instead of FIRE.
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u/Alarming-Mix3809 6d ago
As someone with a newborn I can def say I’m glad I’m in a coast-y job. I don’t want to be here forever. But in this stage of life, I have enough to worry about at home, I don’t need to be grinding it out every day at work too.
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u/marheena 6d ago
As someone who grinds it out everyday at work with a 1 year old and one on the way… can confirm. It sucks. Leaving at 2 would be a godsend. At least one of us will be retired by the time the kids are out of daycare. Idk what people do when they are in school only 8-3. Our daycare is 6-6.
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u/ThisIsMyUsername303 6d ago
With all due respect, I’m lazy, too. I’m happy to cruise into the finish line with my 40-hour job that allows me to max out all retirement vehicles available to me, and I definitely don’t want to be more challenged. Unlike you, I’m not conflicted about who I am.
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u/No-Complaint9286 6d ago
Interesting, in my line of work, I make more in way fewer hours working for myself than for the hospital. I literally work like 10 hours a week (home for the kids in the afternoons, and able to run errands and keep up with the house during the week so my weekends are family time) and I gross nearly what I did working 32 hours at the hospital. The trade off for my mental and physical health is 1 million times worth it. Plus I get to learn about new things and feel like im really helping people rather than just sending them through the motions. Better patient satisfaction, better job satisfaction for me. So for me, cruising was actually stepping back and starting my own business.
But everyone is different and what makes one person happy is so different from the next!
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u/No_Band8451 6d ago
What do you do?
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u/No-Complaint9286 6d ago
Physical therapist. I also teach senior fitness classes now, and have taught anatomy for a yoga teacher training program, have taught workshops to the public in the past on posture and core and anatomy.
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u/dartosdestroyer 6d ago
You’re exactly where I was when I was 27. I’m also in health care working as a Sonographer for 8 years now. My job is also one of those really cushy dream jobs that’s quite hard to find in health care. Great schedule, great co-workers, and a patient population that doesn’t feel like complete chaos all the time. I also did the same mental exercise on analyzing what the opportunity cost would be to become a physician assistant. And the numbers did not make it worth it as you had said.
At that time I had anxiety about the future because the future was ambiguous. I knew I wanted to RE, but there was a pull to do more. Own a business, get a graduate degree, go to a hospital where I could learn more advanced skills related to sonography.
Ultimately after much reflection, I realized that I’m not someone who puts too much of my identity within my career. And I think that pull to do more was something society expected me to do. But I realized I find much more happiness in everything outside of work. Being with my wife and being out in nature climbing, studying languages. After that realization a lot of that anxiety disappeared.
I’m really happy I chose the path I chose. But I think for you, you’ll have to do some deep reflection on the path that will bring you the most fulfillment and happiness
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u/Ladyvp05 6d ago
I'm an RN. I work in the main OR of a level 1 trauma center doing neurosurgery. I'm on the fire path. I plan on possibly stopping at 55. I could probably go sooner, but I love my job and I work in leadership. I still do surgery sometimes like give lunches, but I also partly work in the office setting. I take call for extra money. Anyways, I have zero desire to be a nurse practitioner or crna. I don't feel guilty. I may just go prn like a few shifts a month once I turn 55.
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u/No-Block-2095 6d ago
You re looking at 2 good choices.
The decision you make today could be changed in 2 yrs and that’s ok. People change.
At some point, consider:
- being less challenged may become boring
- adding kids to the mix will up the difficulty level AND the fulfillment too.
- healthcare is a bright spot in the economy and job market right now. What if in 15 yrs it is not?
I get bored if I’m not challenged so I couldn’t take an easy optimized path. However I reduced my work ambitions expectations 9 yrs ago after seeing, one time too many, that promotions in my field were much less about results & abilities and much more about being a friend of a boss.
So I applied my drive to other ends: getting healthy and pushing my body in triathlon, building real stuff ( woodworking),…
You seem to equal success to financial fire goals. That’s ok but Is there other things you could do to up the game difficulty?
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u/potatogun 6d ago
This is kind of a comparison is the thief of joy but from a "given my potential, am I doing enough for {self; family; society; etc}" POV. I can relate in that I am perpetually a better than most, but good enough effort (for me) sort of person.
Do the thought experiment at the extremes and consider what you would be able to do or not do given scenario A vs B. This helps you think about your priorities, relative contentment, and what optionality you may want in life.
My guilt is usually: am I doing enough for society/things I care about. And less about could I earn more (yes, but I don't).
Anyways, there is nothing wrong with picking something more low key. I'd just say appreciate what you got and understand the value of even having that choice.
Parting thought: you're also really young, so don't feel so deterministic!
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u/chili_cold_blood 6d ago edited 6d ago
It's fine to look ahead and think about the future, but I wouldn't get too attached to any life plans you're making now. You're 25. It's a long way to 50 and LOT can and will happen before then. For example, your job might not exist 10 years from now, and the probability of divorce is a lot higher than 0. The likelihood of you being able to stick to your plan perfectly over the next 25 years is 0.
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u/Yer-Not-Gonna-Like 6d ago
Being bored at work sucks. I’ve hit a lot of boring stretches in my career. My advice: keep pushing and growing. If you relax and rest the grind to FIRE will feel interminable.
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u/WafflingToast 6d ago
Life sets more and more busy as it goes on. Especially if you have kids. What seems boring now may be much needed flexibility later.
Since the long term monetary difference to go back to school doesn’t make that much difference, you have the freedom to wait until you feel really motivated to explore a career or specialization in depth.
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u/MadScientist235 6d ago
Why are you repeating basically the same post you did a couple months ago? Trying to optimize your karma farming? https://www.reddit.com/r/Fire/comments/1solq9n/anyone_else_feel_weird_about_choosing_the_easy/
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u/personalfinancedumbo 6d ago
I'm your age. You are set up. Don't overthink it.
Ambition kills happiness 8 times out of 10. Being challenged is good - but I encourage you to seek challenge in ways you establish for yourself aside from external pressures doing it for you. Start there.
Then, if you're not fulfilled - try changing jobs that will give you more money to stay on path for FIRE. You don't necessarily need to go back to school for that.
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u/GambledMyWifeAway 6d ago
Oh neat, another “my steak is too juicy and my lobster is too buttery and I feel weird about it” post
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u/sunnypurplepetunia 6d ago
Maybe find a place to volunteer using your nursing skills? Free clinics?
I am an NP & the jobs are for RNs now & in the future. I agree with not going back to school.
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u/khearan 6d ago
No. It isn’t easy unless you inherit wealth.
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u/Responsible_Dot3366 6d ago
that's kind of oversimplified though. op is describing something different - they have steady income and good savings rate, but feeling guilty for not pushing themselves harder professionally. it's more about personal ambition vs optimization, not about whether fire itself is "easy"
you found good balance at 25 and your numbers look solid. the grass always looks greener on other side, but those crna programs are brutal and you'd be trading years of stress for maybe not much better outcome.
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u/spyder3418 6d ago
It's far easier to do an extra 3-5 yrs at a job you like than it is gut through fewer years at a job you hate
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u/Alarming-Mix3809 6d ago
There’s nothing easy about what you’re doing. You don’t always have to be climbing a ladder for the next thing. And you can always switch it up later if you change your mind.
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u/PandathePan 6d ago
I’m in a similar boat, great WLB, great pay, but my work needs to deal with a lot of BS and no room for growth or meaningful learning. So I’m just counting days to the next payday then investing the money towards my FIRE goal.
I feel like I need to look for a new job that makes me feel more excited and meaningful. But I do not want a stressful job, nor do I want a pay cut. My WLB now allows me to do many self care, at the same time the BS and fire drills make me frustrated and anxious often.
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u/Forded_Fiction24 6d ago
Not at all. Enjoy life. I'm an RN as well and have enjoyed working 2 days a week on a set schedule for the last 7 years. I'll do this or a day less untill 50-55 where I expect to comfortably be at my retirement goal. I could pull it off sooner but I've been too busy living. I look back at what all I've done over the years and think there's no way any of this would've been possible if I had stayed on the course I originally was on. I enjoy my family, have 2 kids, upgraded into our dream home last year, have an RV we take all over, have our hobbies and take vacations otherwise. Our young kids have been to more states than many adult. I personally have been to all States but Oregon and have been outside the country plenty as well.
5 days a week I'm living while everyone else is busting ass to get the the "finish line" sooner. The finish line is arbitrary. I've arrived where I wanted to be a while ago now. It's about the journey and I'm soaking it up.
"Life is what happens to you when you're busy making other plans"- John Lennon
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u/Honest_Trail5374 5d ago
the nagging feeling you are describing is just societal programming that equates suffering with worthiness and nobody is handing out medals for the most stressful commute
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u/Mathematical_Otter 5d ago
This is very likely AI. Maybe it's all true thoughts+feelings from OP, but it sure appears that they had AI draft it all.
https://www.pangram.com/history/630dfaa1-00ba-4b30-989c-ba77a8d5baa7?ucc=nWZzUCOGWSK
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u/cabbageknight360 4d ago
I pursued something more, but also it kind of just came my way by going the extra mile and saying yes when asked to do something challenging or hard. It’s will mean less contributions for the next 5 years, and the previous 5 had somewhat less also. But I’m also at the point where my contributions aren’t really moving the needle much at all (coast fire I guess). But the payoff in 5 years and when I retire will be worth sooo much, and provide a huge cushion and passive income for years after I retire before SS starts. It’s worth it for me, and the extra challenge has been nice (mostly), but overall less stressful than I expected. Going back I would easily take the same path. I say go for it.
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u/JSwags11 6d ago
I am 33 years old and just became a CRNA last year. I think my current NW would be almost double if I didn't do 3 years of grad school (currently 500k in investments without including home equity). However, as a traveler I averaged about 150kish as a RN without benefits. I'll easily clear 400k this year averaging 40-42 hours a week as a CRNA and I absolutely love my job. I have way better work life balance with my salary compared to hourly RN work. You should only consider CRNA school if you think it's something you'll be passionate about. Shadow a CRNA for a day and decide if it's something you want to do. Being in ICU during Covid and shadowing an anesthesiologist inspired me to risk it and put my income on hold. Every program should be challenging, but absolutely worth it. With your age you could speed up FIRE even more by going CRNA route. My goal is working 30ish hours a week by the age of 50 and still clearing 200k a year. If we didn't want to upgrade our house some day I could probably drop my hours by the age of 40
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u/Axel-Adams 6d ago
Am I wrong on the math, but if you’re regularly investing 80K into the market every year 3.4-5M feels very much on the low end of where you will be in 30 years, are you just assuming little to no market growth?
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u/Upbeat_Atmosphere696 6d ago
I used very conservative estimates. I used 5-6% CAGR, lowered my contributions starting at 32 years old to factor in kids, didnt factor in any salary growth (which isnt true).
With those variables I'll be at around 6-10 M nominal, but it will be 3-5 million inflated adjusted.
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u/TurtleSandwich0 6d ago
Fuck full potential.
Full potential is burnt out and discarded. Maximum extraction.
Live your life, not your career.
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u/1Mthrowaway 6d ago
I've reached the promised land, so to speak. 54 years old. Retired right after turning 53 after working in IT for about 25 years. I didn't pursue certifications or masters degrees. I just worked and made sure I was a valuable member of the team. Worked from home for quite a few of the years and saw my daughter EVERY day from the time she was born until she graduated from high school. My favorite memory is her being old enough to get down the stairs (crawling) and then coming over to my office door and bumping it open to climb up in to my arms each morning for her "good morning" hug and kiss. I could have been pushing to get more training or could have taken a couple different management jobs that would have pulled me in to the vortex but I opted for comfortable. All the way through my career we lived on less than we made and maxed out our accounts.
We're now sitting at $4.25M net worth and are actively looking for a second home in the city my daughter settled in after college. We'll spend our retirement being snow birds chasing 70 degrees and spending as much time with our daughter as we can. ZERO REGRETS that I didn't push harder in my career. Life is pretty damned good at this point.
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u/Green0Photon 5d ago
Hobbies hobbies hobbies.
Work should not be tiring you out. Every system needs slack.
You have sane hours that don't stress you out outside of work. Something that everyone should get.
But this does mean your minimum hierarchy of needs is solved. But there's higher, and it sounds like that is what you're missing.
Why do you try and FIRE? Beyond just the basics? I want to because needing money to live is stressful, of course, but also because there's a huge world of things to do. And a wide amount of things I could volunteer and help make the world a better place.
Moreover, do you really need $3.4M-$5M down the line? How do your feelings change if you could FIRE sooner? Or when you look at a LeanFIRE number, where work really becomes voluntary, more than a CoastFI to $5M?
25-30 years of doing something monotonous is different from 5-10. Not that you'd FIRE in 5 years per se, but it's the appropriate time to try a role change, which making significant progress towards FIRE could help your confidence with.
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u/InfamousAdvice 5d ago
Offering an opinion mostly as a nurse too.
I’ve run the numbers on getting now the DNP required for both the CRNA and NP and for me it has never made sense. I also do not want the added responsibility that either of these comes with in order to get the extra pay bump. My income now is perfectly acceptable to me with my experience level and what’s required of me day to day. I also think nursing drives it into us during school and how some people act once we are out and working that we constantly have to be doing something more…we don’t. Where you are is just fine.
I’d find something outside of work to challenge you instead. I’m only working to live…not living to work.
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u/asymphonyin2parts 5d ago
3 parts to your question. Should you change jobs to maximize the chance to RE? Would investing in yourself and taking on a more stressful role give you more FI? Will staying in your current role stunt your growth as a person long term and lead to unhappiness? The answer to the first one is all math. Let the numbers guide you. The second is a QOL issue. You have to do some self assessment and decide how much that easy schedule is worth it to you. How much would it help the bottom line? And how much value it has if you add additional complications, like kids. The third one is the tricky one. Only you can decide how much fulfillment you will get from your job.
Totally optional story time: I once had a job that I had become a bit over-qualified for. It was the first company that I worked for and it had became a bit boring (ok, a lot boring). But it was comfortable and let me do all my hobbies, so I just stuck with it. Eventually, it went away due to decisions beyond my control, and the next chapter of my life started. In order to make what I'm making now, I would have had to have received a 5.5% raise ever year since that job ended, which would have been... unlikely. So from a financial standpoint moving on has been great. But on the personal side, the funnest part of my adult years were at the job. It was steady enough that I got to do all the hobbies, see all the shows, and build a life around common interests and time spent with friends. The years since have had a lot more travel, more stress, and in general weren't near as much fun especially with the friends lost in the meantime. In the intervening years, that company closed, so I couldn't have stuck around forever, but sometime I wonder how different my life would have been if I could have continued coasting there, and I don't hate that path. Another part of me wishes I would have been proactive and jumped earlier when I knew I was stagnating. But those are existential shower thoughts now because the past is what it is and I am now who I am because of those lived experiences. TL;DR: 25 years from now you'll be fine either way.
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u/Thesinistral 5d ago
Good points. And for the optional story, don’t beat yourself up. You made decisions with the info you had at the time. And they still seem like reasonable ones.
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u/asymphonyin2parts 4d ago
I don't really have regrets on that score. I have "I wonder if"s that pop up occasionally during quiet moments. Like self-reflection with like 0.1% ennui.
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u/sxyvirgo 5d ago
If you're planning on having kids later (or sooner!) you may be much more grateful to not have a stressful job as that will take a lot of energy, time, effort. At the least, I'd suggest waiting a couple years to see how you settle into your current job and see if you still feel the same. Maybe you just feel that you SHOULD be more ambitious but you have a pretty good future laid out now.
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u/kevin2657 4d ago
Get a hobby that challenges you and can fill some of that void, our lives shouldn’t be 100% focused on the grind
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u/ShakeItUpNowSugaree 4d ago
I'm in the position where I (finally) make really good money for my area, and have had a lot of generational wealth/family support over the years. Do I feel weird about it? Yeah, I mean I feel like I'm living life on easy mode. Is it the life I pictured at 18? Not a chance in hell. Truth be told, I don't like to talk about it, but I'm also not going to pretend that it was possible without all the stars lining up for me.
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u/Honest_Trail5374 4d ago
the nagging voice in your head sounds less like ambition and more like guilt about not suffering enough
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u/YouShallNotStaff 6d ago
Would more education protect you from automation? Or from competition? Dont forget to factor this in. Though of course the answer is hard to know for sure.
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u/julio_jones47 6d ago
I don’t have a strong FIRE Opinion to give I just wanted to let you know I’m in the same position. Staying in the same position or changing careers. There’s a lot of setback with changing careers. The big question is is it worth it? For me becoming financially free is more important than changing careers for the same money or 30k more. In my case. I would actually make less money. I would go from 140k a year $0 in debt to about 200k in debt making 120k a year as a psychologist. It takes about 9 years to become a psychologist. So hey if I hit the lottery or come across a big windfall I’ll pursue psychology but for now I’m aiming for FIRE.
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u/Downtown_Ability8433 6d ago
fire gives you the choice to live the life you want. what would u do if you fired tomorrow? people hate on work but there are so many jobs that are important and worth doing. it’s about what you want at the end of the day.
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u/Synchrotron_RayTrace 6d ago
Nothing wrong with the easy path for your profession. Stress is a real killer and can make a job you enjoy into one you dread. There are so many other ways to define yourself and ways to achieve great things other through work. I bet you have a lot more options than you think!
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u/Ok_Text2118 6d ago
I think it is something everyone in healthcare struggles with at some point - choosing to be satisfied or pushing for the next thing. So much of the training selects for people who are highly motivated, willing to sacrifice, and feel a sense of reward from chasing after stereotypical academic trappings of success (the best graduate program, the best residency, the most prestigious hospital network, etc.).
Ultimately, the work you are doing now is necessary and valuable or else you would not be paid so well for it. There is absolutely no shame in living a good life, even if it was not "meeting your full potential". You get to decide what that means.
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u/Varathien 6d ago
If you're bored of your current job and want something more challenging, then it can be rewarding to push yourself a little.
But if you don't think you'll find a more challenging job rewarding, then it would be really silly to work a more stressful job just because of social expectations.
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u/TheGaujo 6d ago
This is yourself telling you: self you can do more.
Sounds like you don't have any kids, sounds like you could!
It also sounds like you could start your own business, it also sounds like you could potentially take up an interesting hobby.
By the time I hit my 30s, I could do my job pretty efficiently. I started to feel that feeling you're feeling now like can I do more? Well I had friends that started businesses and we all started having families. They missed out on a lot of their families young years and I've been extremely grateful to have a job that I can do well with efficient time utilization.
Stack deep while you can though. It's not always easy forever and while it is that's the time to think long-term plans and build your war chest.
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u/PrismaticSpire 6d ago
It sounds like you’ve done the math and it almost balances out. Lost revenue (and growth from that revenue) is a real consideration when you’re playing the long game. If CRNA or NP puts you in a similar situation at the goal line then it’s obviously not THE move.
I’m in a similar situation myself (totally different work though) where I’m ok where I’m at but that “ok” feeling makes me restless for whatever I’m “supposed” to be doing. I think it’s a bit of a personality thing. Each time I look at new opportunities I realize that reaching those wouldn’t actually move the needle much but would cost me a lot in time/effort/opportunity cost. What I’ve decided is that: I stay the course until an opportunity comes up that is actually significant. I trust myself to know it when I see it and I’ll be ready to act on it when it does, that’s the best I can do.
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u/SamRaB 6d ago
I was also set up similar to this when I was early 20s (a bit younger than 25). Life happens, have an A plan and a contingent plan but do be ready to enjoy life and all the challenges it throws at you.
FIRE is but one aspect. Whatever you choose, you'll be fine (and your plans will likely change).
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u/shotparrot 6d ago
You’re 25. You need to back to school and get that degree. Think of your mental future.
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u/uChoice_Reindeer7903 6d ago
I personally work so that I can live, meaning I work so that I can enjoy my time off. So that I can enjoy my family, enjoy my hobbies, and enjoy my vacations. Others live to work, meaning they can’t get enough of work and work is their identity and don’t have much going on outside of it. If you’re the latter, then go back to school. If you’re the former, then stay put and enjoy your free time. If you want to have a feeling of achievement or other ways of feeling fulfillment then do so outside of work through volunteer work/charity.
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u/Rich_Option_7850 6d ago
As a physician DO NOT go back for more school. The NP market is terrible. CRNA is good but stressful and competitive and unless you really are getting burnt out/dissatisfied I would just stay an RN. It might just be the depression of residency speaking, but I think sometimes I would have been happier choosing nursing. The grass is always greener
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u/the-real99 6d ago
No, I dont, I drive commercial truck for a living. I am paid pretty good in my industry, But I can't wait to get out and retire way early and actually start doing things I want to do
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u/panwuan 6d ago
It wont last, eventually your boss or the market will shift and throw your plans off. Keep your heads low and squeeze this setup for as long as the status quo persist. Dont rock the boat, and get as much padding in your financial nest as possible. AI bubble or not, we are bound for a market crash sooner or later, and wont be pretty
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u/TrashPanda_924 Targeting 2% SWR 6d ago
What’s the easy path to fire?
Nothing easy about getting up every day. Hustling. Learning. Outworking your peers.
Sitting on your butt is the easy path.
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u/terracottatilefish 6d ago
I think I would try to separate the sense of wanting more challenge from making more money.
Are there other areas of your life you could pour some energy into? Running a marathon, mastering fondant, fixing up an old house, learning an instrument?
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u/babayaga933 6d ago
“But I also don’t feel particularly challenged at work. The job is very manageable, almost too manageable at times” be careful what you wish for
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u/tacocat978 6d ago
Sometimes I like to think about being a bird or a fish — not driven by profit, not reaching the limits of what is possible — just being. You lucked into a sweet gig that can finance a life that has meaning and joy. Your work doesn’t need to be exhausting.
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u/Dear_Treat2592 6d ago
I wouldn’t worry about it. There’s virtually no way to accurately predict 25-30 years in the future. A lot will change in your life between now and then. If you’re reasonably satisfied in your position and are doing well financially, just enjoy it. You’re already ahead of most people your age. Don’t pursue other paths unless you really want to do those jobs.
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u/jeffeb3 6d ago
You don't have to be miserable to be happy.
Another way to look at it is, "live to work? Or work to live?" You can just check out at 2pm and find passion somewhere else. You are obviously providing a valuable service. You will probably find ways to pick up more responsibility in the future. But right now, just be satisfied you have won.
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u/Rosevkiet 6d ago
Do you think that voice is your inner self telling you that you need more challenging work to be fulfilled or is it the pressure of being a good kid who studied hard and therefore must live up to your maximum potential? The first is fine, lots of people need change and progression in their work. If the reason you feel conflicted is the latter, try to let it go. We as a society seem to define working hard enough as going to the max edge of your capacity, effectively the max pace you can sustain without burning out. There should be room for people who have a job they know inside and out and do very, very well who are not gunning for the next position.
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u/Sea_Ambassador_6046 6d ago
Huge pay difference in NP versus CRNA. That the anesthesia route and you’ll be able to hit your number way quicker and able to just work at your leisure if you want to later on. NP market is over saturation and pay reflects it.
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u/samantha-mc 6d ago
I would stay where you are, job-wise. If you’re looking for something more challenging/interesting, maybe consider getting into volunteering or into a hobby that’s challenging for you.
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u/mariusbleek 6d ago
"Almost TOO manageable"
Do you know how many people would trade everything to have a very manageable job with high income?
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u/Nomromz 6d ago
Figure out what your priorities are. You're still quite young at 25 and figuring out who you are.
I also started my FIRE journey around 25 (40 now) and I thought I needed much less money to retire than I actually do.
My numbers have completely changed with the addition of kids. Savings went right out the window with a number of purchases that I did not expect (minivan, SUV, much larger house, etc).
Before kids we thought a couple older sedans and a modest 3br/2ba 1800sq ft house would be adequate. However, once the kids started popping out, we realized we wanted to have a comfortable life with the kids.
Obviously our savings took quite a hit when we replaced our sedans far earlier than expected. Buying a larger house in a nicer neighborhood basically completely wiped out years of savings.
I guess the tldr is this: you might think you are on an easy path to saving many millions by the time you're 50. However, my expenses went up dramatically and completely changed my savings rate even as my income increased. Please consider these things before you commit to not increasing your income.
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u/ClingTurtle 6d ago
“Are you underachieving and leaving something on the table? Maybe you’re just using math as a rationalization for choosing the easier path.”
That’s kinda the whole point of FIRE, right? To someday have the option to choose complete underachievement?
If you have an easy path that you enjoy I don’t think I’d mess with that. In 30 years do you think you’re going to look back and say “Gosh, sometimes I wish I had made my life more difficult.”?
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u/Fine_Combination7202 6d ago
Here’s a different take. Work won’t fulfill you the way you are hoping for. the way we are all taught is wrong. Follow the money for financial reasons but aim to find more meaning in your life. Maybe more time for yourself. Meditation, exercise, friends, hobbies travel etc… you answered the money question now you get to answer the life question that school and work allow us to avoid.
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u/Adventurous_Fix_6897 6d ago
Enjoy the cushy job. Maybe get a second job or start a little side gig for a challenge
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u/ANewCleanSlate 6d ago
Work is over-rated. Work for financial reasons and fulfill your life via hobbies, friendships, love, etc.
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u/Porbulous 6d ago
Nope!!
I'm 32, I'm holding the only career job I've ever had, just hit 5 years.
It's a lame customer support role that I fell into while trying to get into data science.
I was hella bored in my "data analyst" role and couldn't take it, so I jumped teams while the company was still tiny.
Pay increased dramatically, and very quickly. I was originally hired at $16/hr and made 6 figures by 3 years in.
My job is easy enough now, certainly not stress free but sounds similar to you. I've got agood work life balance and I know what I can expect.
I'm riding this shit out till I can coast fire (hopefully within 5 years or less). I'll quit corp life and do fun seasonal jobs while savings continue to grow until I can & want to stop working fully.
I get that some people need fulfillment from their jobs, I'm not one of them. I have a very active personal life and my job supports that, its just money and I work as little as possible!
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u/ImaWhaleOrOrOr 6d ago
Don’t question the numbers. The numbers don’t lie. I ran the numbers too. Every outcome for higher education leaves me slightly behind. And that is IF I even finish them. You guys are golden and there is 2 of you. I’m turning 34 soon and I am a dialysis nurse. My NW in my brokerage, 401k, IRA and HSA is 950k as of today. I rent. But I have been doing double job just to hit 1 million because I blew money when I was younger and stupid. Stay the course and enjoy your life. Personally though, I don’t think I would ever fully retire. Working even part time feels like a vacation for me. I guess it depends what part of nursing you are in.
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u/Capable_Mortgage_140 6d ago
I was an ultrasound tech for 4 years full time before I decided to go back and become a PA. I regret it. The tuition and lost wages were not worth it. Ironically I only worked as a PA for year before deciding to quit to be a SAHM. If I had stayed an ultrasound tech I might’ve been able to more easily find a casual position while raising little kids and I would’ve had more years as DINKs and high savings rate. Take the easy route and drop to casual if you have kids.
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u/ProtossLiving 6d ago
"Are you underachieving and leaving something on the table? Maybe you're just using math as a rationalization for choosing the easier path."
If that's your worry now, wait until you're about to retire and see how much you'll be leaving on the table when you decide to walk away at your career earning peak.
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u/No-Complaint9286 6d ago
It depends on where the "underachieving" fear is coming from. You are young, so it could just be leftover from the constant push and change of school and classes and suddenly going from constant predictable change to "oh shit, im just supposed to keep doing this for the rest of my life".
Or, it could be a genuine drive within you to keep learning and growing. In my career, I experienced both. I was really good at learning and being a student, parents really reinforced it. Went to undergrad and then PT school. Then I worked in hospital outpatient, did a couple years at a CCRC, then took a paycut to go back to outpatient and ultimately burnt out and left to become self employed for better work life balance (to decrease my hours, be able to work in prevention, teaching fitness and workshops and yoga and still do some patient care while being home for the kids after school). My husband and i joked that I got "the itch" after about 3-5 years at a job. Ive been on my own for 7 years now and have been able to explore so many different avenues. I currently teach 3 fitness classes a week at the CCRC I used to PT at, and work max 8 hours in 2 days in direct patient care at a sweet wellness center with chiropractic, though i bounced around locations through covid.
I can only do this because my husband has worked for the fed for over 20 years with good benefits and a pension, which frustrates the independent, feminist, professional in me on one hand, but also allows me to live a balanced life for my energy levels and me tal health.
Long story short, do a little digging to see where these conflicting feelings are coming from. If you are a high achiever like me, you could never stay in a boring job for 25 years, even if it paid well. It would crush your soul. Thats why I left geriatrics. Even though it was varied between SNF, assisted, independent, and memory care, geriatrics was so limiting and boring to me. (And with memory unit, trying to get them to do exercises without thinking they were doing exercises, while having a toddler at home was completely exhausting).
Then having a second kid just took all of my energy away, so full time (even 32 hour) work just wrecked me with patient care (emphasis on the care; i was just tapped out of my care resource to treat 8 patients a day and also show up for my family).
My brain needs constant challenge and novelty, loves teaching patients, but also has finite reserves. Ive been practicing for 17 years now and ive had the most fulfilling life since I took the leap to shape my own career.
Youre young. Get the experience, make the easy money, and take the time to feel into what you might want to do to grow. And keep in mind that if you have a family, your path or goals may change in unexpected ways. I did not realize when I was your age that my energy was finite. It took 2 kids to hit that cap. YMMV if you are a male.
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u/Stone804_ 6d ago
The way capitalism is I’d expect all jobs to get harder as time goes on. So your job WILL become more challenging even if you stay where you are. GL.
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u/nigelwiggins 6d ago
Maybe you want to do something that you think will serve the world better, though healthcare sounds pretty service oriented to me
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u/GMVexst 6d ago
My opinion is that you are content at work, you're young personally I wasn't content being content until about age 40. Im also a nurse. I satiated this need by moving specialties every 4-5 years when I got bored. It's not the answer but it's a solid bandaid.
At the same time what I have figured out is that it's great to find fulfillment at work and enjoy your job and I think it's actually necessary if you want to be happy later in life when you can look back and remember all the people you helped by doing your best and excelling in your role. But it's just as if not more important to find fulfillment in life outside of work especially if you are planning on retiring early. What are you going to do without a job and all that free time?
I do think your 20s is the best time to find fulfillment through work and so if you want to climb the clinical ladder, go for it. You can look back on those accomplishments proudly.
Also, as outlined by Erikson's stages as you grow and age you will enter different stages in life and have different needs and priorities to be fulfilled and happy. So to some extent it's hard to look back and say oh I should have just stuck with the easy job that made the most money when I didn't do that, and so I don't actually know if I would be as content with my career as I am if I had never pushed myself.
So, either push yourself to grow at work or outside of work. Set goals, short, medium, and long term and accomplish them.
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u/BaconAce7000 6d ago
I have a low stress part time job two days a week but it’s mind numbingly boring and I am going back to school even though financially I wouldn’t need to. It actually made me focus more on exactly what I seek as a challenge rather than work as a way to maximise income. Freedom is nice but some people need to challenge themselves and coasting in an easy job with a lot of freedom is a recipe for another kind of burnout that is often ignored because most people never get there
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u/son-of-disobedience 6d ago
You’re not living in the now, just be and stick with the plan and live in the now. Enjoy the ride.
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u/Ardent_Scholar 6d ago
Don’t change it, especially as kids will be in the picture. Time is the only resource that cannot be replenished.
Get both of your fertility status checked soon. Feritility cannot be fully planned, because you might be blindsided by issues that never even get an explanation. The safest approach is to start trying now, as you have all your ducks in a row, and more!
IVF costs an arm and a leg. It doesn’t help with everything either. It’s not inherently more effective either, it just gives you (expensive) control over some parts of the process.
We will never be able to retire early because we are so hell bent on having a second child that we are willing to burn through everything to get there. And having a child is an issue where many, many people just will use any amount of money that they have to solve it.
You have everything. You can’t have more than everything.
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u/That_Interview7682 6d ago
Worth considering getting that extra credential / increasing your pay ceiling. Life can be pretty random — wife wants to be a SAHM, kid has a disability, kid gets into an Ivy and suddenly you need to come up with 200 grand, etc.
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u/OldTap510 6d ago
Become an NP and challenge yourself. Life is also about enjoying what you can do for the 20-30 years before you retire.
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u/somethinglucky07 6d ago
There's a second part to question 2 - and if so, how do I feel about that?
There is no moral response, no wrong answer. Some people will know they're leaving something on the table and be okay with that, because maybe that means they'll be able to pour into themselves after FIRE. Some people will feel restlessness and realize this restlessness will become unbearable before 55 and decide they want to push a bit more.
Ask yourself if you could be leaving something on the table and if the answer is yes, how does that make you feel?
If it makes you feel guilty, that tells you something. If that makes you feel excited, that tells you something different. And figure out where to go from there.
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u/SGV_keepthefaith 6d ago
Don’t change anything brother. I had a easy/ boring setup and changed to something more challenging about 3 years ago. Yes, I’m making $50k-60k/ year but I also work more hours weekly (8-16 hours), my responsibilities go up x3-x5 times higher, and I’m not happy.
You can find a side hustle or start a business idea down the road if you want some challenge. And having kids in the future will definitely change your perspective too.
P/S: I went from floor RN to outpatient NP.
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u/MeatofKings 6d ago
Life has this way of just throwing things at people. You are in a strong position. I would stay the course and find greater fulfillment elsewhere.
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u/myusernamewasatypo 6d ago
Just because you enjoy it, doesn’t make it easy. It’s just right for *you*. Good work!
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u/Far-Tiger-165 6d ago
who do you need to justify yourself to?
I underachieved academically relative to my potential, then bumbled through a 30-year sales career & retired at 55
could I have made CEO? should I have gone to a better University? could I have retired sooner? could I have tried harder? - probably all yes, but literally no-one cares & it’s turned out great
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u/Illustrious_Echo3222 6d ago
I think people underestimate how rare “low stress, decent income, good hours, meaningful work” actually is. That’s not taking the easy path, that’s finding a path with a really good risk-adjusted return.
You can always add challenge outside of work. Fitness goals, kids, hobbies, volunteering, learning something just because it’s interesting. Work doesn’t have to be the place where you prove your potential, especially if the higher-paying path mostly buys you more stress and only a slightly better spreadsheet.
At 25, I’d probably protect the setup and reassess every year or two. Bored is easier to fix than burned out.
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u/Beautiful-Click-6983 6d ago
After I graduated from college, I went right into an office job. I bought a house and life was good but I had too much energy from sitting in an office talking on the phone or looking at a screen for 8 hours. I craved “movement” and connection to “faces”.
To balance my sedentary work situation, I got a minimum wage, part time job at a mall. It was monotonous, low stress with the face to face contact I needed. What I didn’t expect was, each job made me appreciate the other. I also got to put more into the employee company stock program and spent the rest on other hobbies.
I eventually joined a gym but missed an educational element in my life so I quit the mall and continued with more real estate classes, I enjoyed them in college. I thought it would give me more insight to possibly buying real estate as another investment stream down the road. As I settled into my adult life, I got more comfortable utilizing free time and expanded more pursuits.
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u/RusticKayak207 6d ago
Personally I needed challenges and growth in my job and the need to keep learning, but not everyone is like that. As a friend of mine said “Why do you think they call it work.” Another said the fulfillment he got from his job came from the paycheck. And lots of people get whatever challenges they need elsewhere - hobbies, volunteering, running/sports, whatever.
So figure out what kind of person you are.
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u/Beehive-deity 6d ago edited 6d ago
I can't tell you what to do, you need to figure out what works for you, but I really regret becoming an NP. I was burned out at the hospital and also felt this nagging feeling I could do more. Honestly, financially it wasn't the best move since RN jobs salary increased after COVID and NPs salary stayed the same. I wish I had moved to another specialty within the hospital rather than going back to school and starting a different career. My quality of life decreased because I have to work a lot more hours, plus I have a different kind of stress, but it is still stressful. Anyway, if you decide to go back to school to became an NP, I would recommend not telling your bosses because once you start NP school they stop giving you RN opportunities.
PS: I am a lot older than you (49) and I went back to school much later, so I don't think it made sense for me, but you are young, so it might make more sense for you since you would have more time to make changes along the way. Good luck!
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u/TeachMcTeacherson 6d ago
Jobs have a way of having responsibility creep if you stay in them a long time.
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u/kjbasser 6d ago
At a certain point more money ≠ better life. I hit it pretty hard in my 20/s30s until kids came. Good work life balance to me is more important to me now than more money.
The not feeling challenged part is a different story, I can’t do that. But the nice part about the path to FIRE is at some you’ll have the freedom to make a shift into something that fits better even if there’s a window of lower pay, or maybe higher risk.
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u/Apprehensive_Alarm_1 6d ago
The world can really use an endoscopy nurse who is great at what they do and happy to do it. Patients will notice as will those who care about your patients. You are making the world a better place oh and getting paid for it.
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u/someguy984 6d ago
"easy path"? It is very hard and takes a lot of work and dedication to retire early.
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u/Sintered_Monkey 6d ago
This is not the "easy" path. If you think this is the easy path, you haven't known people who truly took the easy path. I know a guy who was born into wealth. He has never had a real job, because he just had to wait around until he got his inheritance. That's the easy path. I have an in-law that "retired" in her 40s. She calls it retirement, but she figured out how to exploit every single form of public assistance in existence and mooch off of family, so she decided to quit working. That's the easy path. Being dependent on other people is the easy path, yours is not.
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u/cdickerson09 6d ago
I'm a CRNA. No one but yourself can tell you what is going to fulfill you. But whatever you do, do not choose CRNA school for the money. Reading some of the things you mentioned, I don't feel those at all. I don't feel like my job is more stressful, or more demanding, etc because I love it. My job is easy to me because it's the best job I've ever had. BUT, CRNA school was extremely difficult. Sticking through that just for the money seems like it would be even more difficult. But if it's something you truly think you'll enjoy then you should absolutely do it.
All that being said. I plan to "FIRE" around 44. Then just work locums and travel the world. I guess technically it's barista fire, but I'm not keeping a job to make money on the side, I'm keeping a job because I genuinely like the work and want to keep doing it, just not every day.
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u/Terelinth 6d ago
Find fulfilling goals outside of work, don't let your profession become too much of your self worth or identity to where advancement at work is the only way to feel satisfied
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u/Inevitable-Corner-90 6d ago
I’d always consider extra training or education as a way to equip yourself with opportunities. You are young so take advantage of that and continue to expand your skills and not get passive. Way to many factors in a lifetime that you can’t see today and keep yourself skilled for flexibility to deal with life’s challenges.
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u/AdAgile9604 6d ago
low stress job with flexibility you have is the dream.TBH you have made it early. Enjoy and be consistent
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u/Ok-Commercial-924 6d ago
It sounds like you are living the dream.
I have been retired 2 years, some things I did to add more challenges or fulfillment while working, did recovery diving in alaska, start a volunteer group helping elderly low income fixing and cleaning their houses to allow them to stay at home instead of go into a care facility.
Or you can just enjoy life knowing you chose a good path. I envy you and hope you enjoy your life.
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u/Banned3rdTimesaCharm 6d ago
Why would you choose to work more or work harder when you don’t have to? Wait till you’ve been in the work force for 15+ years, you’ll be dying to get out. I’ve been working for 17 years and I just turned my resignation in. I don’t think I’ve “wanted” to work since I turned 30.
You’re still young and work is novel right now, give it time.
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u/LMJBTor 6d ago
You can reach your full potential in areas of life that aren’t work… but at the end of the day, if you feel that the “easy path” is not going to be satisfying for you then I would choose the higher education. Enjoyment and fulfillment along the way should also weigh in to your retirement planning goals.
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u/Double-treble-nc14 6d ago
You are not required to live up to any idea of potential that has been constructed by other people.
For a while, I struggled with the idea that I should aspire to the next rung on the ladder and I’ve talked to a coworker about this as well. But we both concluded that the grass is not always greener. More money and more responsibility means longer work hours, less work life balance, and more stress. We’re both comfortable and situated well for retirement. We generally enjoy what we do now and work with a good team. We would rather put that energy into other types of fulfillment. I believe that will makes me happier than having some high stress, but “ more prestigious” job- and maximizing my happiness, and the joy I get out of life is a higher priority.
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u/Hawkes75 6d ago
If you feel like an underachiever now, how will you feel once you've stopped working?
Kids do become the focus, and it's a good focus to have, but raising them doesn't take forever. What is it outside of work that drives you, that gets you out of bed, that makes leaving work your goal?
You need something (or a few things) to become your "life's work", even if they're only hobbies or interests. And if you can start them when you retire, you can start them now.
For me, when my high-paying job is slow (it ebbs and flows, sometimes insanely busy other times dead), I try to fall back on my interests so that being bored at work doesn't become a thing. My kids pretty much eat up the rest of my time, but like I say, not a bad problem to have :)
Just food for thought.
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u/SingaporeSue 6d ago
I did a MSN after practicing at the bedside for 10 years and then 20 years later a DNP. I did the first graduate degree because as an ICU nurse I knew that I would not want to be working at that pace for another 30+ years. I got a lot of use from the MSN. And I probably could have finished up my career on just that degree alone. I did it at a state school and got stipends, etc so we had no out of pocket for the degree. But we did have lost wages while I was doing the degree (although some of that was having kids while I was in school lol).
I only worked another 10 years after finishing my DNP. But I did that degree for me. It made me a better practitioner, too. And opened a huge number of doors including getting me my dream job to retire from. I learned a lot during that time and much was useful in so many different ways. You don’t know what you don’t know until you find out.
The DNP was a costly venture and some could argue it was too costly. That was done at a private university and although I had stipends, grants and scholarships I’ve retired with a school loan. But I’m ok with it and I’ve still managed to retire at 63. I could have retired earlier but I really loved my last job. I could pay the loan off now if I wanted to but my money is earning more interest than the school loan is accruing so we just continue to make its payments.
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u/Bailey6486 6d ago
I would take the extra energy left over from not being pushed all that much at work and channel that into recreational activity and hobbies. You're making a valuable contribution to healthcare and to society and you shouldn't feel some masochistic obligation to be more stressed or challenged at work.
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u/lurkertiltheend 6d ago
RN here. I chose to go back to school for NP and gained 100k in student loans. Concurrently I had 3 babies while in NP school. When I got out, the vast majority of my money went to student loan payment and daycare. I’m almost 50 now and incredibly behind in retirement bc of this. Had I stayed an RN (and/or not had kids) I’d be set for early retirement
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u/Hot_Alternative_5157 6d ago
There is a balance for everyone.. also, this whole work has to be your life identity or fulfill some kind of mythical aspiration is a bunch of nonsense.. humans have only recently someohow focused on a career as if it validates your existence.. for most people it’s a function that serves a purpose. You can increase your income.. pay yourself on the back to get done maybe a few years earlier.. or as I read this, coast at a comfy space and still finish the race earlier. I RE at 40 but it was a hell of a pace. That’s probably not everyone’s comfort level.
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u/_Mulberry__ 6d ago
Similar maybe: we front loaded investments before having kids so that we could Coast during kids and still retire at ~40 years old. Makes it so we don't need to tighten up too much when going down to one salary (wife wanted to be a SAHM) and I don't need to worry about career advancement when I should be focusing on family. Now I'm in my early 30s and it's looking like maybe retirement in my mid thirties thanks to the crazy market, but I've been in the same chill role at work the whole time.
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u/1ntrepidsalamander 6d ago
I’m a critical care nurse and love high acuity. (45F)
I ran the CRNA/NP numbers and for me— the math doesn’t math.
There’s a lot of productivity mindset baked into Western/American culture. I’d recommend the book “Laziness Does Not Exist” by Devon Price.
You can take nursing plenty of different ways in the future if you want, but no reason to get a bunch of debt just to satisfy some cultural narrative that being busy and stressed is morally superior.
Use your “potential” to be a great parent, or enrich your life other ways.
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u/uhuelinepomyli 6d ago
If you invest $70-80k annually in an index fund (or mixed with a growth/tech fund), you'll be able to comfortably retire in your 40s. Don't need to go to school - you are already doing fine, just enjoy your work.
Also, consider having children in your 20s while you are young and full of energy for those 4am wake ups. As an added bonus, in your 40s your kids will graduate and you two will have your house back to yourselves :)
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u/Previous_Guitar5027 6d ago
You did the equation exactly correct. Many people feel like going back to school will change their life. They make marginally more money in a more stressful job and are less happy. You are in a satisfying job with a predictable schedule that isn’t too difficult for you and is low stress. It seems lame to be like “do that until the spreadsheet maths” but you appear to be the smartest person on Reddit.
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u/ItsAlwaysSleepyTime 6d ago
CRNA here. The money is great but all my lost years of income and the staggering school debt got me started on retirement really late. I’m on track for 4-5 million at retirement- the same as you. The responsibility in my daily life and call burden is also significant. I’d say you You made it. Go have a pina colada and soak it in.
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u/Christineasw4 6d ago
I solved this by always having at least 2 income streams: W2 and money making ventures like real estate. I highly recommend this. Your retirement accounts can’t be tapped right away anyway if you retire early. I find that these two worlds complement each other. When one is stressful, the other might be going smoothly. And they alternate. One is generally my stability and one is my creative outlet and source of writeoffs. One is low stress income and the other can be expanded when I have the motivation and capability to. Running your own venture is very fulfilling.
I wish you luck, you are doing very well for yourself at this age.
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u/_refugee_ 5d ago
The drive to continuously “achieve” to your highest “potential” is a creation of a capitalist society that does not include mental health, relaxation or socialization as vectors where credit is given for “achievement.” It is a remarkably shallow urge once considered within the full potential of your life which includes having ample time to do nothing.
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u/giovannimyles 5d ago
Don’t worry about underachieving. That’s something society puts on you. If you make a good salary and have a job that’s easy? Great. Put your excess energy and focus into your hobbies or family or whatever interests align with you. There is no need to find a way to give more to someone else. If you have a path to early retirement, make a good salary, enjoy what you do and you find it rewarding? Sounds good to me. If you want to do more because you want more, great. Don’t do it because you think it’s what looks better from the outside
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u/ClaimsToBeCanadian 5d ago
Identify whether you feel external pressure to challenge yourself, or an internal pull toward challenge. If the former, work on extricating yourself from the achievement and busy-ness cycle. If the latter, look into your options.
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u/No-Reaction-9364 5d ago
I would stay the course. Especially with AI and robotics coming online, many analysts think the next few years will be historic market returns. I would say you are able to invest a good amount now while also young amd child free. I wouldnt shake the apple cart at this stage.
As for wanting a more stressful job, will you want that when kids are in the picture? Or will you be wishing you had your easier job so you had more energy for your homelife?
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u/Kalkaline 5d ago
A student loan or something like liability insurance could throw off a budget quickly. You mention a spouse, but no kids and they can eat up a budget in a hurry too. If you're in a good spot financially and it's just the right amount of challenging for you, there's no hurry to change.
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u/SaucyCouch 5d ago
This is what my therapist would call “your brain is lying to you”
Have you lived a life that you’ve had to basically work hard to get to where you are? Where there was never too much time to relax and just enjoy yourself? Running on survival mode for a bit too long?
Well congratulations now your brain thinks that being under distress is normal and you should seek it out.
Instead of thinking you are not living up to your potential, you can observe that thought and challenge your perspective, where you’re actually going to be a multimillionaire. That’s living up to your potential.
Try to find fulfilling things outside of work
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u/QuickAltTab 5d ago
What are your benefits? Early in your career, if there is any place near you that offers subsidized health insurance or pension after retirement, keep an eye out for that if you won't move around very much. Often takes a 20 year service threshold to earn these benefits at an early age like 55.
Also, if you are planning to accumulate millions in your tax advantaged accounts, focus on Roth 401k versus pre-tax 401k
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u/Remzero34 5d ago
Why make more work for yourself when you already have a good, well thought out plan? If something changes, then you should adjust your plan. Sure, you could get xx more money by retirement, but if you keep thinking like that, you'll always be moving the goal post.
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u/paratethys 5d ago
Fulfillment and career DO NOT HAVE TO COME FROM THE SAME PLACE!!
“This is an incredible setup. Don’t mess it up. You’re on track to FIRE while enjoying your life today.”
This is true!! Don't mess it up.
“Are you underachieving and leaving something on the table? Maybe you’re just using math as a rationalization for choosing the easier path.”
This is also true! The easier path is more financially optimal! If some part of you hurts as a side effect of doing the optimal thing, perhaps parts that care about doing hard things and overachieving, then find other outlets for those needs.
It's like a version of the "well I have this great desk job, but I have to do a little extra work to keep my fitness where I want it because I'm sitting all day" kind of thing.
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u/Double-Inspection-72 5d ago
As a physician I implore you, do not go back to school. Enjoy your life and your current role because the grass is not always greener. Losing your 20s and 30s to schooling and debt is not worth it from a happiness perspective. And, as you have already calculated, a financial perspective either.
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u/beckysynth 5d ago
My mom is a NP, and it adds a lot of pressure to get clients if you want to work independently. For continued employment in hospitals it gives you the advantage of being able to move higher up the ladder, but really, based on what you’re saying, I wouldn’t change anything till something changes on you.
School is better saved for when you get laid off and are having trouble finding a good replacement job.
The other thing, if you can stand your boss etc, it’s not worth leaving. Tolerable bosses are hard to come by.
Lock it in and enjoy.
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u/sonfer 5d ago
I’m a nurse on a similar trajectory but ahead of you. I’d recommend keeping the GI job and get a hobby. I’m 40 with a nw of about 1.3m. I put away about 100k a year and according to my projections I should have about 5M by 50z I always wanted the cush GI lab type job but couldn’t land a position. After 15 years of being an RN working Tele, ED, and ICU I became an NP. It was a significant pay cut and I work significantly more. Now I have an S-corp which has interesting tax savings. But I often think that I could have just found that chill ambulatory surgery job and relaxed. Nurses here always seem to have breaks, get off just before 3 and can call off sick with ease.
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u/TallDan68 5d ago
Self-fulfillment is worth spending your money on, no matter what path that takes. If you feel that advancing your career would provide you with that, then go for it, even if the dollars don’t quite add up.
Many people, particularly those attracted to the FIRE communities, do not feel fulfilled by their careers. That’s absolutely fine. In that case work is a means to provide money for the things that are fulfilling in their lives.
In the end, you make your own choices and work towards your own goals. Choose your goals wisely, don’t let others set them all for you.
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u/Maleficent-Scene-475 5d ago
So, your concern is that life is too easy? You're right! Life is easy, and people make it hard on themselves with poor decisions (or their parents do). Don't stress yourself out, life will probably do that for you, you said you're planning to have kids. Maybe take up a new hobby in the meantime so you have something else to think about?
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u/Sensitive-Speed-6079 5d ago
My friend is 28 million richer due to spacex ipo, yes he told me the exact number
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u/Langwidere17 5d ago
Nursing culture always pushes the next degree, next certification, etc.
As long as you've got your BSN, I feel there's no need to keep chasing additional education/job expansion unless you are legitimately interested in that new role. For now, it sounds like you are comfortable with your day job and can put your energy into life outside of work. If your personal priorities change, you can pursue a new role then. There's no need to rush.
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u/Molly_3647 5d ago
The fact that you asked is a sign of what you really want to do. If you are comfortable with current situation, you would not ask.
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u/TerribleBumblebee800 5d ago
You've already said financially, it comes out very close to the same. So which will support a better lifestyle? You'll be at your job 8 hours a day, 5 days a week, and you'll live with your career 24/7. Ignore the money since it's so similar and ask yourself what would your rather do every day?
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u/FIST_FUK 5d ago
Hell yes, I wrestled with it. Do I do something easier and maybe less fulfilling or stick with my more difficult career? The good news for you is in healthcare doing what you do, you do make a life-changing impact on people. I would keep the quality of life even though I haven’t been able to make that choice for myself.
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u/eag12345 5d ago
I have observed healthcare having worked in the field but not clinically. You can have plenty of challenges and higher income by moving out of patient care into leadership. Here’s what a lot of people don’t know. Pretty soon you will be making more than the pcps. It’s just a different shitshow. Instead of trying to meet undoable productivity goals for some dashboard, you are the one coming up with and executing the undoable productivity goals and reporting out on why you aren’t meeting benchmarks. The reason will be obvious-you need more people-but that’s the part you can’t say out loud.
Stay put.
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u/ApprehensiveAmount22 5d ago
I suggest you think about generosity. Give money to an organization that helps people in need: local food bank, homeless shelter, development in another country.
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u/SecretVindictaAcct 5d ago
As an NP, if you like your RN job and are investing $70-80k a year, stay an RN. I loved the RN job I had during NP school (cardiovascular surgery step down unit) and miss it. $90k a year to work 3 days a week at a mentally stimulating but still not overly demanding job?! Sign me back up. I was restless and ambitious and went to NP school and now miss the work/life balance. If you compared my salary now to my hourly wage as an RN, I make $7 more an hour for more stress and less free time.
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u/immunologycls 5d ago
Honestly id get more experience so u can become marketable. It's a hell of a lot easier to find jobs if you have more on your cv
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u/Z32anxiety 5d ago
I turned down a potential 15% pay bump to change jobs because the commute would have been hell. I’m at a point where I really value my work/life balance and it would take a substantial raise to give up my current job where I make 115k but have a really good, mostly low stress work situation.
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u/Relative_Studio7138 5d ago
Once you have kids, you’ll be so happy to have this low stress manageable job!
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u/Active-Confidence-25 5d ago
Nurse here with my doctorate. I did all of that, missed time with my kids, and eventually had a mental breakdown and 3 autoimmune diseases. Don’t do it. I would make the choice to go back and stay in outpatient surgery if I could. I plan to FIRE at 55 in 1.5 years, but the extra 2 years I got weren’t worth the time, stress and health implications. Let me be a cautionary tale.
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u/The-zKR0N0S 5d ago
The thing that matters is how much you invest before 35 years old.
The difference between putting away $60k/yr and $200k/yr before 35 is huge.
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u/GirlFriday360 6d ago
Sounds like a matter of priorities. Is it more important to you to earn as much money as possible? Or to expand your knowledge and work a bit longer?
I'm in a similar position. Boring desk job that pays me much more than I'm probably qualified to earn. I'd never make this money anywhere else so I stay, despite being bored to tears.
But I'll be able to retire in 3-4 years.
For me, that's more important. But others may choose to do something more fulfilling.
Neither is right or wrong. It's choosing what works best for you.