> I don't really understand what people who retire so early do with themselves. Employment brings activity and social interaction. It is often challenging and k

> I don't really understand what people who retire so early do with themselves. Employment brings activity and social interaction. It is often challenging and keeps you sharp. When you retire what do you do? Take up painting? If you retire young a lot of your friends will still be working. It's really more about financial independence than retirement. You can do nothing for a few weeks, realize that you need some purpose, and then find a job/create a job/create a business/make a trek across Eurasia/anything within you financial means. I don't get why people are so hung up on the usual connotations of retirement. It's not like if you reach a point where you retire, you sign a contract to never do paid/unpaid work or exert any effort again ever.