Most of us spending decades dreaming of retirement, making bucket lists of adventures, toys, and recreation as far as the mind’s eye can see. Retirement is so alluring that people strive to reach it early. Some even make it.
Retirement is about more than just the financial side. Early retirees in particular may face some uncomfortable truths about how they spend their time and treasure when the obligations and burdens of work no longer tug at them.
The boring early retirement truth is our retirement depends on much more than the portfolio numbers that we need to support it. Our numbers are obtained, invested, allocated, rebalanced, and for the most part do what they are supposed to do based on historical analysis.
We have to be willing to explore, test, and learn as we go. What looks fun and exciting while reading about others’ adventures or things we thought would make life wonderful may not be for us.
If we say we will be bored in retirement we are making a statement of belief. We’re not ready to ask whether we could possibly enjoy being retired or not. Nor willing to accept another’s experience or suggestions.
We do have some control and learning to accept that takes time. I find looking at my financial plan the way I was forced to do for long-term career success worked to ease my mind.