Posted on by Jason

It’s Harder to Retire Than I Expected

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Do some find it hard to retire because they don’t know how to stop working? In today’s episode, Eric talks with Jason about the challenges he’s experienced after achieving FI, finding it hard to ramp down his business. Are we just wired to work hard or is there more to it? We discuss why Eric can’t stop working, how it affects his spouse, and what Jason has learned in his five years of RE.

Show Notes

Essential Background:

  • How Do I Know When I’m Ready to Retire? Most on the FIRE path focus on the financial elements because in essence, they’re the easiest part of the equation. But many people struggle with the emotional elements of the decision. We tackle it head-on here.
  • Eric’s path to 90% passive income is truly impressive. To learn what his approach was like and to benefit from the many lessons he learned, check out Passive Income = A Path to Financial Independence (Part 1) and Lessons Learned in 7 Years Earning Passive Income – A Path to FI (Part 2). You won’t want to miss the show notes for these given all the valuable content Eric has linked here.
  • For more on Eric’s career journey as well as Jason’s path, you won’t want to miss Two Careers, Two Paths to Financial Independence.
  • Retirement Is Nothing Like I Thought It Would Be – We all daydream about what retirement will be like, but will reality live up to expectations? In this episode, Eric and Jason were joined by Fritz Gilbert, who blogs at The Retirement Manifesto. Our discussion went well beyond the numbers, covering topics including finding your purpose, working “one more year”, determining your FIRE timing, and the keys to success in retirement.
  • One of the ways many early retirees stay busy is to take on some time of part-time “fun job”. But have you truly retired if you continue to do any work for money? In Financially Independent, Recreationally Employed (FIRE), Eric and Jason talk about their respective journeys, why the latter has a part-time job after retiring, the internet retirement police, and much more.
  • How would you feel if you worked hard to retire early and later realized you hated being retired? In Does Retirement = Happiness?, we address the reality that some people who achieve FIRE are disappointed, bored, or otherwise unhappy in retirement.
  • Did you see our recent episodes regarding Eric’s spouse, Laura’s, decision to retire from her career as a scientist? If not, you’ll definitely want to view:
  • The story begins with One Step Closer to FI/RE – Giving Notice. In this episode, Eric and Laura discuss their preparations as they near their FI number and Laura prepares to notify her employer that she’s leaving. Recorded in the fall of 2023, this behind-the-scenes discussion was prepared for publication the week Laura submitted her resignation notice.
  • Next we published Unexpected Reactions to My Early Retirement, Contempt, concern, surprise, envy, admiration, and support; just a few of the reactions Laura received when she announced she was retiring early, closing her biomedical research laboratory, and beginning a new phase of life beyond work. Some reactions were expected and some surprised her. In this episode, Eric and Laura unpack these interactions and chart their next steps as they prepare to leave work and step into early retirement.
  • What’s it really like to be 5 days away from early retirement? The last chapter (so far) in this story is Retiring (Early) in 5 Days. Am I Ready? Whether you’re questioning if early retirement is worth leaving a dream job, wrestling with your professional identity, or wondering how it feels when that last paycheck stops, Laura’s story offers inspiration and real-time insights about one of life’s biggest transitions.

Have you checked out the Two Sides of FI Discord server? If you’re not familiar, this is an instant messaging social network. Ours is meant to be a community for viewers of our show, as well as a space to discuss all things relation to FIRE. It’s totally open, free of charge, and is anonymous as you’d like. This makes it a safe space to talk about financial topics you might otherwise be sensitive about sharing. Come check it out and see if it fits your interests! There are both desktop and mobile apps available.

Did you know Jason resumed blogging? To be notified of his future posts, please consider subscribing here. He’s also archived his old blog, which documents the first two years after he retired from his career, which started even before Two Sides of FI began. Get more information on those archived posts here.

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