Anyone broken free from professional life? Warning: rant

A friend gave my wife and I some advice, by asking the question "do you want to be the richest couple in the graveyard?"

Isn't that just something people say? Are so many people really doing jobs they detest day in day out - for the pension? That just seems so extreme.

But it's not binary, do a job you hate great pension vs love what you do zero pension. Many people feel tangibly happier if they are not constantly anxious about an impoverished old age.

I don't care about being richest, but I don't want to retire and not be able to pay bills or eat.

The ideal scenario is to have enough funds/pension to stop working and have a comfortable retirement without financial worry - and die with enough to cover funeral costs and nothing left over. It's hard to budget for life expectancy, but planning a pension isn't about wanting to die rich.

this was with respect to my wife working 16 hour days. we will get by when we are older, but are fortunate that we will have the space to be pretty self sufficient for food etc when we are older

i didn't say have no pension.

Nor did I!
(Not everything is an argument?)

do you even internets?

In the end, nobody gives a shit about you

@mooks ended this thread a page back.

If we're on an internet forum, can I call you out on improper use of I / we?

I was born with nothing and I'll die with nothing, all that I own is rented.
The only time I'll retire is when the lid is nailed shut on my coffin.
I worry not about a pension, I lived in a bin cupboard and survived.
I'd rather be a manakin stuck in one place than a puppet unable to pull my own strings.
I wasn't born with wings so I'll never fly, I've only got two hands and I'll use them until I die.
In a fucked up world you live a fucked up life, you have to pay for that.
Optimist pessimist realist dreams fears fact, born live die there is no escaping that.
Tomorrow won't bring you what you want, but if you really want it you can go out tomorrow and get it.
You can see the madness when you stand still on a busy street.
In a reality you can't escape in a life you have to live, you believe you are free but who are you trying to kid.

yes yes. Jaded cynic and all...but you really gotta try these new Doritos, they're fucking ace and will make you see sunshine flowing out of your cold hearted arse.

Officially resigned today, looking forward to traveling around the world the next year.. Feels so good.

Are there any books blogs etc on this topic anyone would recommend? Ideally not the standard self help wank

I did a sandwich course as a Quantity Surveyor 11 years ago, took me 5 years as was only at University one day a week, working in a QS office the rest of the time as a trainee. By year three I detested it and knew i couldn't deal with the lack of creativity and the mundane office day to day. Lucky a big fat recession came along and the company couldn't afford to keep me on (even at the £10K a year i was on) Redundancy at age 21 hit me like a brick, even from something I hated.

Took the money and went on a big 4 month trip thinking I would end up back Surveying. Luckily an ex-girlfriends family friend was looking for an apprentice screen printer whilst i was away and I made the choice to leave Glasgow when i got back to move to London town for the job. I loved it... physically challenging, creative and always something different.

Worked with that company for another 5 years. I was working my ass off to learn the trade and a year ago left there and started my own studio. I work one day a week in a London bike shop that gives me reddies for my rent and the rest of the time i am my own boss doing what i love.

Not a smug post, i would just definitely say if you dislike your job then you can stay there forever and be miserable, i was lucky to be pushed out and haven't looked back. I could be making a fair wedge more as a Surveyor but I get up every morning and cant wait to get into the studio... well worth the less money!

I took voluntary redundancy from BT when it was offered. I'd joined the graduate programme there and immediately regretted it. Office politics, lack of opportunities and a general corporate malaise that sent me into a bout of depression. At 22 I left the company to work for myself.

Never looked back.

Never will.

@Invent if you're still about - I'm a medical student just about to embark on a careeer in the NHS, with increasing trepidation (it's not what specialty I want to do, it's which one won't utterly chew me out). Anyway, I went to a conference for Drs interested in alternative careers called Diversify organised by Drs who 'diversified' from medicine to different degrees and it completely changed my outlook and optimism about the future - I can't recommend it enough.

I hear you on this - I'm on a last ditch attempt this summer to try and really enjoy cycling again and if i can't muster that then I'm out

I gotta ask my wife for pocket money at the moment, does that count?

I started my own similar thread earlier today and was quickly directed onto here. Spent the last hour reading all these stories and I must admit I'm glad to see that I'm not the only one....

I spent the last 10 years being a cunt in a suit working in the city. Been making good money and it allowed me to tick experience and buy amazing stuffs (including bikes!) but hitting 35 next year and I now think it's all BS and am throwing my life away being in that stupid job.

I have always thoughts that the job is what allows me to do what I like on the side but my interests have gradually narrowed over the years and basically all I want to do these days is ride or work on my bikes, go to the gym and do some gardening/diy around the house.

I have always wanted to work in a sports related job, sports has always been the thing I love more than anything else so 2 years ago I have done a part time course to become a personal trainer. I have coached a few people around but the GF and the house took over and I have put it on the side for now with the idea of taking the plunge next year and set myself up either independantly and as a sole trader or actually trying to set up my own personal training studio on a high street somewhere.

The thing that scares me the most is the fact that I have always been conditioned and trained to work for someone and investing all my savings into something that might not work is scary...

If I was going to do that, I'd almost certainly move somewhere far away form London where the cost of living was cheaper and the savings/equity I had accrued from working in London for 10 years could go further and fund my new lifestyle.

GOOD LUCK, KiD!

I've just handed in my notice on my office job. It's not what anyone would describe as "professional life", I've just been grinding out low level office and customer service jobs. I have tried to progress occasionally but it's never really come to anything and I've spent the past few years getting fed up of essentially doing the same stuff over and over. Increasing pressure on the public sector has just meant more stress, being pushed to do more and turn in longer hours for no more reward. To be honest, it's not the stress or reward that are the issues for me. However, losing time means not being able to spend the time doing stuff I enjoy or training for that stuff. It's just not how I want to live anymore and, despite valuing public service highly, I've lost my passion for doing it. I've definitely lost my passion for sitting in a dingy office, staring at a wall and shuffling information around in endless circles.

I don't really know what I'm going to do next. One of the problems of doing the same thing for 20+ years is that when you try applying to do something different, no one really wants to take you seriously. I guess I can understand that. Why risk a lack of capability and competence when even a bit of experience and the energy of youth is readily available without a 4 week notice period. I've decided that it's going to be either conservation based work or food production. There are volunteering opportunities out there where I can get experience and show commitment but mostly they occur during office hours.

So that's the plan really. Quit job. Get some work that will free up some weekdays to get some experience, get into doing something that doesn't involve sitting in an office day in, day out and hopefully will be able to get some enjoyment from

good luck

you will make it work

I've just handed in my notice on my office job.

Ohhhhh big news! Well done!