What to do when you don't want to do what you do?

Great thread guys. I'm getting to the age when this kind of planning becomes important. Paying off the house so you have a secure base is clearly important to most. ...working on that. Retirement income can be low if you live simply.

I've lived of most my life pursuing what I enjoy (there's always aspects of any work you don't enjoy! LOL). Then usually, if I'm not enjoying it anymore, I move on. It can be a bit nerve wracking not knowing what's next, but invariably it becomes clear and often whatever's next doesn't come into focus until I make the change, until I open the space in life for something new. I try to live this way without being too focussed on making money and 'planning' for retirement, but then I live fairly humbly and don't really covet a fancy life. I much prefer quality over quantity and I'm not into fashions.

Mr Jonesfam, it sounds like you enjoy what you do ...so no need to stop doing it until you're ready.

...But know that when you do, something you hadn't even envisaged will most likely come along to fill the space you create.... don't see it as retirement, but as a space for something new.

I reckon it's also ok to allow time to sit still, listen, think, allow your senses to tune into things in new ways. I find that going bush is always good for this; or reading / looking at things I haven't considered before. In fact allowing time to sit still and listen is just as important as being busy IMO.

I actually really enjoy that in-between space of not knowing what's next. Just allowing the space....

I think you need to talk to SWMBO about what she wants to do other than working in ‘Doomtown’.

Probably like most of us.

Good post.

Well, we are looking at buying a house in Cloncurry for the future.
Maybe sell the place in Ravenshoe.
Why?
I've never liked Ravenshoe, like our place & land but not really Ravenshoe or surounds. A bit "Conservative" or something not to mention it is 10.5 hours hard driving from Doomadgee.
Cloncurry, only 6 hours away, has most services & Mt Isa is 1.25 hours further on.
Oh! & the house is cheap.
So we are considering Cloncurry, I have to phone about the house tomorrow, & if we like it maybe that's the next step?
SWMBO wants somewhere we/she can escape/get away to that is not an arduous trip with a mob of kids on board & somewhere that doesn't need the upkeep Ravenshoe does.
We will see what happens over the next few weeks. In the meantime I have to sort/combine my 2 large Supers & deal with a few annoying personal issues.
I'm good at work, not so hot on the personal stuff.
I still don't see myself retiring anytime soon but SWMBO pointed out that I live to work, not work to live. She is probably right but I have always felt my job is my reason for being. She reckons I'm odd?
Jonesfam

Do neither - don't work to live, or live to work.

...I would take some time out. Do nothing for a bit. Make time to wander / live life with your partner. The right place will find you. Don't try to find the answer before you have asked the question (by creating space).

Quote:

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Originally Posted by jonesfam

I still don't see myself retiring anytime soon but SWMBO pointed out that I live to work, not work to live. She is probably right but I have always felt my job is my reason for being. She reckons I'm odd?
Jonesfam

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Not at all. An old fashioned attitude, and an honourable one. However you may be approaching the time in your life when your reason for being may be your family. Listen to the most important person in your life, and that person is not on this forum.

The subject sounds like where I am at right now, hate my job and need to move on but to what I have no idea.

sounds like a recipe for health issues,, mostly upstairs health issues.. [bighmmm]

What ever you do decide to do 'Mr Jones', ( we haven't been introduced [smilebigeye]) just make sure you take your computer with you as I really do enjoy reading your off beat posts & they bring a smile to my ugly mush when I read them.


Best wishes with what decision you & 'er indoors make. What ever it will be, I reckon it will be the right one for you.[smilebigeye]

I'm with you Jonesfam.

I worked 45yrs before I retired....they were 45 structured years and involved planning all the time.

I can understand and sense your feelings about where you are and the only reasons I haven't bolted out to a place like yours (i really love Emerald and would move there tomorrow) is the fact that I chose to share my life and that sharing involves considering at least 50% of what she likes, so when she retires from the job she loves it might be Kirra Beach or Coolangatta area.

I could happily live there, my wife would love it, and isn't that so important with a possible 20-30 yrs to live.

Definitely combine your two supers, but look carefully at the fees they charge, as retail funds charge a lot more than industry funds.
Get a financial planner to do a transition to retirement plan. This will take into account how much you can pack into super before you stop working, how much tax-free income (10% of your balance you can draw annually tax-free) and how to arrange your finances to maximise the pension you can draw. If your wife is younger you may need to transfer most of your super to her so you get more pension.
Definitely be debt-free.
Surveys show after retirement with no debts to pay many people have a similar disposable income to before retiring when they were servicing a mortgage.
About 10 years after retiring most peoples' spending tapers down significantly when they stop travelling much and slow down.
You may be surprised what a good lifestyle is made possible by having a proper financial plan. Your super fund should offer a financial planning for retirement service. We paid to get a proper plan done and it has benefited us big time. For example, we have saved about $8000 a year in tax no longer paid. And we're not rich at all, very average in fact.
Do a proper retirement plan for you both.