Retiring (Early) in 5 Days. Am I Ready?

What’s it really like to be 5 days away from early retirement? Join Laura, a 51-year-old scientist, as she discusses her final days running her research lab. From wrestling with the “Am I really ready?” question to unexpected tears at faculty meetings to cleaning out decades of research, she opens up about the reality of choosing early retirement at the peak of her career. This isn’t just another FIRE success story – it’s a candid look at what it really feels like to step away from a meaningful career when you’re financially independent but emotionally invested.

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, her story offers inspiration and real-time insights about one of life’s biggest transitions.

Don’t miss the show notes below for key background including other conversations featuring Laura!

Show Notes

Laura + I want to thank the Two Sides of FI community for all your comments, personal messages, and words of encouragement as we’ve been navigating this transition. Thank you for being a part of our journey!

Essential Background:

• Have you seen our other recent episodes with Laura? 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.
  • Laura also took part in a very popular two-part series, Talking with our Spouses About FIRE: 2 x Two Sides of FI. In Part 1, Eric + Jason talk with Laura + Lorri about getting onboard with FIRE, financial topics including budgeting and setting the FI number, as well as the emotional aspects of choosing the FIRE path. In Part 2, they discuss how they share financial responsibilities, the importance of finding friend networks, talking to their children about FIRE, and their hopes for their post-FI lives.
• Did you know that Laura and Eric recently achieved their FI goal? In Financial Independence at 50 (Finally!), Jason and Eric discuss the challenges of moving goalposts, the decision to keep running Eric’s business, 30×40 Design Workshop (on their own terms), and their plans for the future.
• For more on the rules and practices Eric and Laura followed in order to reach their financial goals, see Our 80/20 Rules for Early Retirement: How We Did It. In this episode, Eric and Jason talk about their personal “80/20 Rules” for retiring early. That is, the decisions they made along the journey that served as key pivot points towards ensuring their achievement of financial independence.
• A core element of Laura + Eric’s ability to achieve FI was Eric’s 30×40 Design Workshop business. If you haven’t seen our two-part series on the journey from zero to 90% income from passive sources, drop everything and check it 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). The link to Part 2 contains the show notes, which have a wealth of information provided by Eric. Don’t miss it!

• Links + Resources
• Eric’s business: 30X40 Design Workshop
• Jason’s blog: the next phase is now
• Eric’s YouTube Channel
• Our podcast