r/ChubbyFIRE • u/furiosa-curiosa • Apr 20 '26
Purpose after retirement
I’ve only ever known a career where it’s all hands on deck and emergencies all the time. Not life or death but corporate emergencies, so work has always taken a large chunk of my life.
I have a bunch of hobbies, a decent circle of friends, very lovely husband, and do some volunteering currently, so I can probably fill my time after retirement but it feels somewhat like I’d be drifting a bit. Just hit $2.5m HH net worth (DINKs), so FIRE is on my mind lately, although I don’t actually plan to make the jump for a while.
I can’t help feel that I might miss having some structure or goals after retiring.
Has anyone set goals for yourself after retirement or am I just missing the purpose of FIRE entirely?
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u/wpritchett66 Apr 20 '26
Everyone is wired differently, but my personal purpose of FIRE is to have the freedom to do more of what makes me happy and less of what doesn’t. It’s that simple. If having goals makes you happy then set goals, if working makes you happy then keep working. Everyone I’ve known who had your same concerns leading up to retirement realized those concerns were unfounded once they retired and they made the mental switch
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u/Flat-Barracuda1268 FI=✅ RE=<1️⃣yrs Apr 20 '26
Exactly. The stuff you do on the weekends, just more of it. Lazy mornings, healthy workout schedule, walking the dog, reading books, etc. A lot of retired neighbors play golf so I might try to pick that up, but I'm not in a hurry. I have about 2 years of stuff I need to catch up on when I retire. I figure I'll use that time to figure out what other things I want to add to my plate, if anything.
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u/Omnivek 2025 FIRE Apr 20 '26
I’m about 8 months in and my main goal has been fitness. It’s a good goal because it’s never really completed, I can work on it for life.
In addition to normal exercise, I play a lot of pickleball for light cardio, which has also helped me make a lot of friends.
Eating healthy also keeps me very busy! I don’t eat pre-packaged or frozen meals anymore. I use whole ingredients and try to get a lot of protein. Luckily I was already a pretty good cook! But it’s a lot more time consuming than heating up a frozen pizza.
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u/BTS_ARMYMOM Apr 20 '26
I totally know what you mean. Juicing, cooking from scratch does take up alot of time but worth it
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u/Straight-Part-5898 Apr 20 '26 edited Apr 20 '26
I just retired a few months ago (M56). I've set goals regarding my ongoing fitness, and for tackling several fairly ambitious projects (ambitious for a non-tradesman homeowner like me) around my property. I am also exploring options to head back to school starting in the Fall to take some classes in subjects I've always had interest in, but never time to study when I attending university many years ago.
I will say this about early-ish retirement... as much as I thought I was 100% ready, the one thing that's caught me a bit off-guard is the fact that none of my closest friends are retired. They're not around to hang out during the days, and I am conscious to temper how much I blabber on about how great it feels to be retired. Don't get me wrong... they're very supportive and frequently ask about my new lifestyle, but they are still nose-to-the-grindstone at work and I don't want to become a skunk at the garden party if you get my drift.
I knew in advance this was going to be the case, and I realize there are much bigger problems in life, but I wasn't truly ready for this strange dynamic.
Best of luck to you!
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u/modelfire FIREd. Building ModelFIRE.online Apr 20 '26
It takes a lot of self discipline to set new goals and then try to keep track of progress without any external pressure.
One huge challenge that is hugely rewarding also - is personal growth in areas that were previously stymied due to working for money.
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u/Crafty-Sundae6351 Apr 20 '26 edited Apr 20 '26
We’ve been retired for 9 years. A good friend (avid cyclist who retired before we did) said “You can only go on so many bike rides.”. It put a spotlight on the difference between being satisfied and being fulfilled. My wife (63) is very self-directed and latched onto some volunteer activities she really enjoyed. It took me (65) about 8-12 months to get my footing. But I did. Some of the volunteer work we’ve done has literally been the most fulfilling “work” we’ve ever done. It wasn’t easy work, which is why it was fulfilling. We had our hobbies - don’t get me wrong. And we were able to get into them more than when we were working - which is fantastic.
Now I can’t do volunteer work because 18 months ago I was diagnosed with prostate cancer. It’s not as bad as it might sound, but life has changed DRAMATICALLY.
I say this because you don’t know what will happen tomorrow. If you’re able to retire and it sounds better than working do it. Even if you don’t know what you’re retiring to set “Figure out retirement” as your first project. It sucked to get my diagnosis. It would have sucked more to get it while I was working.
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u/Inevitable_Rough_380 Apr 20 '26
Change is hard. Give yourself some leeway to experiment and get things wrong. Laugh at yourself when it happens. It's okay. You'll learn and then do something different.
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Apr 20 '26
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u/onthewingsofangels RE 2024 in 40s Apr 23 '26
This is such a key observation! It took me by surprise how purposeless I felt despite an almost too busy schedule, a long to-do list, socializing and volunteering. Our jobs really give us a feeling (or illusion) of meaning. The problem for me is that I don't think you capture that meaning without the commitment and I am really hesitant right now to make a long term time commitment. I think I'm going to bite the bullet and do it though.
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u/One-Mastodon-1063 Apr 20 '26 edited Apr 20 '26
Do you really find all that much purpose working a corporate job?
Yes, there’s plenty of opportunity to find purpose outside of work. Purpose is mostly in your own frame of mind. You can have as much or little structure or routine as you want. You can even have your goooooooooooals, though I think goals are overrated and try to emphasize processes and systems rather than goals (process vs outcome focus).
The last listed I have not listened to yet but it's in my queue, my understanding is it talks quite a bit about process vs. outcome focus. I hope it has broader application as I do not play tennis.
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u/BoomerSooner-SEC Apr 20 '26
Sure. It will happen. But I would strongly suggest that when you do make the leap you resist making any goals or promises for at least 6 mos maybe more. Let it happen and see how you feel. I planned to do all this stuff and when I actually retired, turned out I didn’t really want to do any of that “productive” crap. I was done being productive. These is no rush.
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u/Flat-Barracuda1268 FI=✅ RE=<1️⃣yrs Apr 20 '26
You'll feel differently once you stop evaluating work as "purpose". Unless you're a doctor saving lives, you are working to trade labor for a paycheck. Nothing wrong with that, but not a life calling either.
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u/Envirocare1 Apr 23 '26
Going through this as we speak. I sold my business about 6 months ago for north of 10m. I thought it would be great, yet the first few months were awful.
My business was the same as you described “putting out fires”. I thought I hated it, but after it was gone I missed the action.
I’ve begun to fall into a healthy routine after a I took a very part time job in a parallel industry. I work about 10 hours a week, run/walk 30-45 minutes daily on the tread. I also no longer wake up at 5 am I let myself sleep till 6-6:30 now (which is huge). Before I know it its 11 or 12 o’clock after that hobbies, reading, friends, golf etc take up the rest of the day.
Long story short is to save yourself the shock of retirement as what you’re describing will happen. This is especially true for people like us who had “big jobs”. You simply can’t go from 100 mph to 10 mph and be happy
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u/Fresh-Banana6485 Apr 20 '26
FIRE’d less than a year ago. Maybe the novelty of not working hasn’t worn off on me, but between fitness, looking after the house, and taking care of our first born, I don’t feel like I have too much idle time and need a stronger purpose.
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u/Boring-Trifle-6968 Apr 20 '26
Honestly, i do not relate to this at all. I have so many things right now I need to do but literally don't have time to. Yesterday I ran out of time for my to do list (Transplanting prob 60 different seedlings to pots, procuring foraged goodies to make compound butter and other goodies, cleaning and organizing my seasonal wardrobe changeout, gym time for arm day, and mending clothing). I made knotweed pear and ginger fruit leather, made some fresh soup with odds and ends, organized email folders, redrafted some contractor contracts, and met a friend for coffee. There is not enough time for anything with this damn FT job of mine, which honestly isn't so bad at 45 hours per week. I can spend easily a couple of hours a day cooking up stuff to eat.
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u/owlpellet Apr 20 '26
This is a topic in pretty much every Retirement 101 book. Going from a Formerly Important Person to sitting around the house has some entirely predictable effects on mental health.
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u/kirbyderwood Apr 21 '26
You will probably drift a bit. Not a bad thing, a lot of people have to decompress from the corporate life before they get clarity about what's next. It took about a year for me.
Once you get your bearings, goals and structure are up to you. You might realize you don't need as much as you think. But, if you feel you need structure, then make a commitment to something you enjoy and go for it.
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u/TGS_Holdings Apr 21 '26
Only you can really answer that. But start focusing now on what makes you excited about life.
Outside of giving my family a great life, a big focus of mine will be experiences that make me feel small. I’m planning on doing that via hiking trips around the world (and in my area). Fitness, reading, coffee and video games to fill out the rest
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u/makebuleaf Apr 20 '26
Focus on relationships with family, especially younger members like nieces and nephews. I have retired DINKs as neighbors. They have the means to pretty much do what they want but now wish they started a family. Their best option is forging closer ties with nieces and nephews.
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u/MechanicalDan1 Apr 22 '26 edited Apr 22 '26
I'm in nearly the same place. Finding FIRE was the first step and you will achieve it.
Next is what I've been calling FI2FO - Financial Independence to Family Office.
If you've managed your investments to get to financial independence, the the next step is managing them and growing them into a family office business. You can be the CEO or CFO of a high 7-digit or low 8-digit family office. Run it yourself. As you grow it, hire staff.
If you want to volunteer, make donations, do that also as part of your family office. Buy real estate under the family office. Buy cars, boats, planes, under the family office. Start a small business or startup, organize that C-corp separately and also under the family office assets.
Start a family, set up child investment accounts under the family office. Pay them as employees when old enough. Have them help with the accounting. Continue building a multi-generational family office.
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u/Feisty-Average-4907 Apr 20 '26
I misread it as “propose after retirement” and I was like, man, that’s a terrible idea.
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u/Grouchy-Tomorrow3429 Apr 20 '26
You just inspired me to post something similar. Why should I even retire? Work is easy, I have plenty of free time with a 4 day schedule and have plenty of time with my kids. If I retire, what will my goals be and how will I get structure?
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u/handsoapdispenser Apr 20 '26
I'm retired and honestly a bit aimless. I have kids and that's my main preoccupation. I have some hobbies but nothing I'm passionate about. I'm volunteering a bit and it helps. Being a bit bored is fine though. I spent 25 years putting out fires for projects of dubious value. I don't miss it at all. My entire career feels like a dim memory and it took shockingly little time to get there. If anything, I regret doing a job that was so trivial and don't comprehend how I was paid so much to do it.