5 ms·

It seems that in America, we attach too much of our identity and life's purpose to our occupation. It's no wonder that people have a hard time in retirement.

by tcbawo 5y ago

It seems that in America, we attach too much of our identity and life's purpose to our occupation. It's no wonder that people have a hard time in retirement. The embarrassment of retirement comes from some fear that one is no longer useful to society. I think the seeds of a happy retirement are planted much earlier. You have to cultivate interests and relationships outside of your career. I plan to approach retirement as a swap where my paid career becomes a hobby and hobbies become my full time occupation. A soft transition will hopefully make this easier and more fulfilling.

sys_64738 5y ago
There is an obsession with working until you die. Take no vacation either or minimally. As a European living in the USA I say No. I'll retire as soon as I can support myself permanently without needing to work. Can't wait for that day. In the meanwhile, I'll use all my vacation and never logon to work during it.
- skeeter2020 5y ago
  You're still playing the game then if it's "do something undesirable until I can finally do only what I want." You'd be much better to change the rules and just live without the delineation.
  - xboxnolifes 5y ago
    Sounds great until the little complication of needing money to live.
desktopninja 5y ago
Can't find the original story but having read it in my formative years, it just echoed "so true": https://bemorewithless.com/the-story-of-the-mexican-fisherman/
- SquibblesRedux 5y ago
  That's good until the fisherman breaks a leg and his family then goes hungry. The ideal lies somewhere between the extremes.
- perl4ever 5y ago
  I read the story of the fisherman on the wall in a Jimmy John's sandwich shop, not sure if it was the first time I'd seen it, but I associate it with them. I think if sheer irony could cause space-time to collapse into a black hole, that's the closest I've seen. This is the Jimmy Johns that was outed as making their employees sign non-competes. The Jimmy Johns majority owned by "Roark Capital Group". The Jimmy Johns that was warned by the FDA to stop selling spoiled produce with E. Coli in 2020. https://www.fda.gov/inspections-compliance-enforcement-and-criminal-investigations/warning-letters/jimmy-johns-franchise-llc-599962-02212020 https://www.fda.gov/inspections-compliance-enforcement-and-c... According to the FDA, they engaged in the classic response to a QA failure - they did a "one-time cleaning and sanitation at Iowa based Jimmy John’s restaurants" but "neither you nor your parent company proposed any corrective actions to prevent these, or other Jimmy John’s restaurants, from receiving adulterated produce". I used to like their sandwiches though. They donate millions to charity, as well, just like a humble fisherman.

by tcbawo 5y ago

sys_64738 5y ago

There is an obsession with working until you die. Take no vacation either or minimally. As a European living in the USA I say No. I'll retire as soon as I can support myself permanently without needing to work. Can't wait for that day. In the meanwhile, I'll use all my vacation and never logon to work during it.

skeeter2020 5y ago
You're still playing the game then if it's "do something undesirable until I can finally do only what I want." You'd be much better to change the rules and just live without the delineation.
- xboxnolifes 5y ago
  Sounds great until the little complication of needing money to live.

desktopninja 5y ago

Can't find the original story but having read it in my formative years, it just echoed "so true": https://bemorewithless.com/the-story-of-the-mexican-fisherman/

SquibblesRedux 5y ago
That's good until the fisherman breaks a leg and his family then goes hungry. The ideal lies somewhere between the extremes.
perl4ever 5y ago
I read the story of the fisherman on the wall in a Jimmy John's sandwich shop, not sure if it was the first time I'd seen it, but I associate it with them. I think if sheer irony could cause space-time to collapse into a black hole, that's the closest I've seen. This is the Jimmy Johns that was outed as making their employees sign non-competes. The Jimmy Johns majority owned by "Roark Capital Group". The Jimmy Johns that was warned by the FDA to stop selling spoiled produce with E. Coli in 2020. https://www.fda.gov/inspections-compliance-enforcement-and-criminal-investigations/warning-letters/jimmy-johns-franchise-llc-599962-02212020 https://www.fda.gov/inspections-compliance-enforcement-and-c... According to the FDA, they engaged in the classic response to a QA failure - they did a "one-time cleaning and sanitation at Iowa based Jimmy John’s restaurants" but "neither you nor your parent company proposed any corrective actions to prevent these, or other Jimmy John’s restaurants, from receiving adulterated produce". I used to like their sandwiches though. They donate millions to charity, as well, just like a humble fisherman.