Outlandish Want: Retirement by Fifty

I always joke about retiring by age forty.  How nice would it be to not have to formally work at anything for the rest of your life?  Or any of your life, for that matter?

The thing is, I have a bunch of jobs and projects I want to do on my own time.  I have enough to keep me busy for two lifetimes, I think.  It’s too bad that feeding and sheltering myself (and now my family) has to take precedence over doing those various projects.

I could seriously be happy sleeping in until 9 or 10 every day, getting up, enjoying some relaxing music while I cleaned the house, exercised, worked on a few personal or church projects, made a fresh lunch and dinner, and played a game or went on a walk.

I could get used to travelling a few times a year, or even travelling most of the year if I could.  I love seeing new places and getting to know new cultures.

I could spend time volunteering, mentoring, running a side business, mastering a (low impact) sport, learning more musical instruments, or learning how to cook better.  I’m not at a loss for ideas of how to spend my time!  Really, I’m not!

The problem is… all of it takes money, and so I spend most of my life chained to a desk and a computer to work most of my life to support the rest of my life.

Why retire by 50?  Well, as an artist, I enjoy symmetry.  The first 25 years of my life were focused on education, and being the consummate planner that I am, I now plan to spend the next 25 years working, and the following 25 in retirement.  I’m thinking I’ll be gone by 75 or so…

Yeah… I’m the creepy dude planning his own demise.  I ask, why not?

Oh well, back to work…

7 thoughts on “Outlandish Want: Retirement by Fifty”

  1. Taylor’s dream too. I hope we both make it there but if we don’t well I think it will all work out.

  2. I will be 50 in five years and do not see retirement anywhere in my near future. Maybe by the time I am 75 i will be able to retire.

  3. I am past 50 and I don’t see retirement ever happening for me – I will probably die in front of my computer at work……

  4. I am retired, well sort of, but still work p/t…and I enjoy every minute of it…I tried doing nothing for 18 month’s and nearly went crazy, well, more crazy than I already was. Maybe it would have been different if my companion had not passed on. When one is alone, things do change. I am able to do some traveling, be with children, and enjoy life to a full measure. One thing you younger folks don’t realize is that when you grow older, aches and pains come into play and dreams of the golden years sometimes turns into night mares when you arrive there. But for me, life is good….yup…

  5. I totally agree with you. I can think of a million other ways to spend
    my time besides work. And after 75, I’m okay with going. Besides, by 75
    your body just starts turning to crud anyways, and I’d rather avoid all that
    mess and the huge hospital bills that come with it:). I like your plan my]
    friend. Its a good one.

  6. Wait I think you describe my life perfectly. (Besides the running myself ragged with kids part of it. ) I guess your dream is really to become a mom.

  7. You are describing June, July, and part of August for me. The first week is pure bliss, the second week after that you start planning what you will do for the next 2 months, then you spend the rest of your time on facebook or watching reruns of CSI.

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