Are you waiting to Retire Taking the Most Dangerous Risk?
“The Most Dangerous risk of all – The risk of spending your life not doing what you want on the bet you can buy yourself the freedom to do it later”.
That was the tagline on a digital poster that my early retired friend had sent me. It really stuck with me. The quote came from a book called The Monk and the Riddle: The Art of Creating a Life While Making a Living. By Randy Komisar. The book is a guide for breaking away from work that isn’t your passion, and moving on to work that you are meant to do that has greater meaning.
“If your life were to end suddenly and unexpectedly tomorrow, would you be able to say you’ve been doing what you truly care about today?”
Many of the quotes from the book do resonate with me. They can truly be motivational about early retirement. Retire from work or a career that is no longer floating your boat to do what you are passionate about. If you have been reading from this Leisure Freak site, that is exactly what I preach. I constantly rant about retiring early and often and why it’s such an awesome lifestyle to live.
Why having the financial freedom to retire early to pursue leisure and happiness, including whatever opportunities you may be interested in and passionate about is a life well lived. Why would anyone spend any more of their lives in sacrifice just to make a living? You may retire from something but true retirement happiness is all about what you retire to. Life is short. It would be a waste of life spending your precious time in a position that no longer aligns with your talents, spirit and passion. Especially once you have reached financial freedom through savings and/or pension eligibility.
“The most dangerous risk of all is the risk of spending your life not doing what you want on the bet that you can buy yourself the freedom to do it later”.
Most people take this risk every day of their lives. They take this risk while in their careers by avoiding the risk of lost comfort, seniority and security. What everyone should fear most is the risk of never experiencing anything else.
I was one of these people. I stayed well beyond my passion for my career in order to secure a retirement package. A package that in the end was far less than initially promised. Fortunately it was only a decade of my life during the last 10 tears of my career. It was bearable because it was all part of a plan. I still feel it was worth the sacrifice.
I do not advocate everyone who feels that they are not in a place where they feel it aligns with their passions should just quit and walk away. It takes planning and knowing what your real happiness is and what your passionately lived life is going to be.
When do you know that you are Waiting to Retire Taking the Most Dangerous Risk?
You know when. Its when you have reached a point of financial freedom and you hear that little voice in your head. It’s when you have the nagging feeling that you are meant to do something else. Doing something that is rewarding and with greater meaning. Hearing that voice say that it’s time to focus your time on your true passions and live being in your zone.
“The Deferred Life Plan also dictates that we divorce who we are and what we care about from what we do in that first step…we hope and suppose that when we get [to the second step], we will be able to resurrect our passions on our own terms. If we get there.”
This quote had me really take a look at how I got to my early retirement. I am certainly guilty of living the deferred life plan. I did what I had to in Step 1 so that if I made it I could then live a life that I wanted to in Step 2. It is the plan that everyone knows and if you have a plan it does work. However we do risk leaving the planet before reaching our goal and freedom. I am very proud that I was able to follow the plan and not spend another day longer postponing my earned freedom. Living with purpose, happiness, and a passion focused life. My passion has been successfully resurrected. Once the little voice was heard, I made the leap and have never regretted it for a minute.
Value Time over Money
“Marrying our values and passions to the energy we invest in work…increases the significance of each moment. Consider your budget of time in terms of how much you are willing to allocate to acquiring things versus how much you are willing to devote to people, relationships, family, health, personal growth, and the other essential components of a high-quality life.”
This quote from the book is totally aligned with my Leisure Freak Retire Early and Often philosophy. My valuing time over money. Living a more fulfilling life spending my time doing things that are rewarding. Doing what I am truly interested in and passionate about.
Happiness isn’t about buying and owning stuff. Happiness is found as mentioned in the quote: People, relationships, family, health, and personal growth. I will also add the following. Happiness is also having the financial freedom and courage to pursue your dreams and passions.
Are you waiting to retire taking the most dangerous risk or have you made the leap to live a passionate and happiness focused life?