[James]

Ready to Pull the Trigger, Quit my Job and jump into Retirement
I thought deeply this past week and decided to pull the trigger.

My financial needs are set. I keep delaying for things like upgrading furniture and some frivolous purchases I may not buy in retirement, e.g jazzy rims for my SUV.

As I’ve done with many things in life, marriage, kids, job changes, I walk to the cliff and jump(figuratively speaking).

I will do this for retirement. I don’t hate my job, but I really enjoy my freedom.

My health is still good, but I’m not going to run any marathons.

Traveled a lot for work, so that need is satiated. I live in the mountains close to a big city and there are plenty of opportunities to be active.

For those in my position where there’s not a direct impetus to jump into retirement.

What triggered you to make the move to quit your job and transition into retirement?

[Robert]

As I have said many times, there is no “one-size-fits-all” to FIRE….. or any part thereof. But your question does remind me of a conversation I had with a colleague in a different office three or four years ago- at the time I was not yet 60 and he was 70- and he was still in the workforce – which is not where I figured I was going to be when I was 70 years old.

I asked him “ How will I know when it’s time?”, and he responded by saying, “Robert, when it’s time, you’ll know.” Which… When you think about it is a pretty good answer. And I’ve seen some people not know when it’s time.

I’ve seen friends of mine crash in burn in their respective career fields; because they were burnt out and they did not realize when it was time to hang it up.

I’m not sure you’re there yet.

But you seem to display enough self-awareness to when you get there, you’ll know.

[Kelly]

I just couldn’t do it anymore. Hit my FI number at 50 and at 51 went to 15/hours a week at my engineering job knowing I wanted to coast until 55 so I could use Rule of 55 for my 401k IF I needed it.

My rental property portfolio covers all my expenses.

Left the corporate grind about a year and a half ago and do not miss it.

Even a little. Still a little scary to make jump but I know I could dial back my monthly budget of 10k if needed. For me being debt free helped a lot mentally.

Ive worked since I was 12 years old so it is a weird adjustment to wake up when you want and do whatever you want. My advice is have something to go to, maybe work a couple of days a week for a year and slowly transition.

Looking back, the corporate grind is a joke. Having to ask someone for time off and then having say “I guess that would be ok but make sure you have your work done and can be reached”.

I stopped asking for time off about 15 years ago and said “I’ll be gone these days.” Good luck with your decision.

I once heard the following: “what is the worst case if you don’t like retirement or you missed calculated a little, you go back to work.

That’s everyone else’s reality and only your worst case scenario.”

[Jason]

I’m on the cusp of a similar situation. I also live in the mountains near a major city – I’ll DM you, maybe we should swap stories.

[Author]

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