3 ms·

I retired a few years ago and I'm as busy as ever. It's like a prolonged weekend: there are far more things I'd like to do than time to do them. The best part,

I retired a few years ago and I'm as busy as ever. It's like a prolonged weekend: there are far more things I'd like to do than time to do them. The best part, however, is that I can suck at everything. When I had a job I felt a ton of responsibility to meet a high standard in everything I was paid to do, but now I can afford being an absolutely moronic beginner at everything I attempt, because ultimately it doesn't matter. It's liberating.

paulcole 3y ago
> When I had a job I felt a ton of responsibility to meet a high standard in everything I was paid to do Do you think you could’ve learned to not feel that? I feel fine doing an OK job as long as my OK is the standard my employer expects.
- david-gpu 3y ago
  That is a great question that gets to the root of it. I have a rather anxious response to work, probably because of how much was at stake earlier in my career. I was an immigrant with a flimsy work permit that meant if I lost my job I would have to move to another country, with the added stress of being the only income in our family with no real prospect of my wife being able to find a job that would cover our expenses either. We couldn't count on anybody else helping us out either. It was a lot of pressure, and my fear-driven response was to work as hard as possible and save as much as possible. I got lucky and ended up effectively retiring at the age of forty. Do I recommend it? No, it was a pretty miserable experience. But those were my circumstances and I did what I thought was best for us.
bloomingeek 3y ago
I too understand "suck mode". When I was working, a lot of focus was about my job and preparing for the work week. Now I have the time to concentrate on new ideas and projects at a faster pace, some of which get me out of my comfort zone, which I really enjoy. The stress I feel now is because I make it, not my former job. <It's like a prolonged weekend> I tell my friends it feels like I'm getting away with something!
ArekDymalski 3y ago
Thank you for this amazing, inspiring answer. However I need to disagree with the "it doesn't matter" part. Your creations, projects , endeavors whatever they are still do matter, especially as they might come out amazing in the end, because without the constant pressure to perform and adhere to various rules you can feel free to experiment, try unconventional approaches, being liberated like you have said.
- david-gpu 3y ago
  "It doesn't matter" in this context doesn't mean "It has no value", it means "There is nothing at stake". For example, I can afford to be a lousy jogger, because nothing bad is going to happen if I don't become faster. I couldn't afford to be a lousy engineer, because my family could end up homeless in a foreign country. That was the reality I lived at the beginning of my career.

paulcole 3y ago

> When I had a job I felt a ton of responsibility to meet a high standard in everything I was paid to do Do you think you could’ve learned to not feel that? I feel fine doing an OK job as long as my OK is the standard my employer expects.

david-gpu 3y ago
That is a great question that gets to the root of it. I have a rather anxious response to work, probably because of how much was at stake earlier in my career. I was an immigrant with a flimsy work permit that meant if I lost my job I would have to move to another country, with the added stress of being the only income in our family with no real prospect of my wife being able to find a job that would cover our expenses either. We couldn't count on anybody else helping us out either. It was a lot of pressure, and my fear-driven response was to work as hard as possible and save as much as possible. I got lucky and ended up effectively retiring at the age of forty. Do I recommend it? No, it was a pretty miserable experience. But those were my circumstances and I did what I thought was best for us.

bloomingeek 3y ago

I too understand "suck mode". When I was working, a lot of focus was about my job and preparing for the work week. Now I have the time to concentrate on new ideas and projects at a faster pace, some of which get me out of my comfort zone, which I really enjoy. The stress I feel now is because I make it, not my former job. <It's like a prolonged weekend> I tell my friends it feels like I'm getting away with something!

ArekDymalski 3y ago

Thank you for this amazing, inspiring answer. However I need to disagree with the "it doesn't matter" part. Your creations, projects , endeavors whatever they are still do matter, especially as they might come out amazing in the end, because without the constant pressure to perform and adhere to various rules you can feel free to experiment, try unconventional approaches, being liberated like you have said.

david-gpu 3y ago
"It doesn't matter" in this context doesn't mean "It has no value", it means "There is nothing at stake". For example, I can afford to be a lousy jogger, because nothing bad is going to happen if I don't become faster. I couldn't afford to be a lousy engineer, because my family could end up homeless in a foreign country. That was the reality I lived at the beginning of my career.