Part 12: The Most Important Part Of The Never Retire Puzzle
Some people have too high expectations.
Inflated expectations often spring from a sense of entitlement. Or having experienced a level of comfort during one point in their life that becomes the baseline that guides them for the rest of their lives. It’s also about what we put value on. And whether or not we care about status in a family, friend group or larger society.
Our expectations, not how much money we make and save, dictate the likelihood we’ll live a soft and easy semi-retired life and execute a Never Retire plan that’s efficient, always-evolving and successful.
As I wrote last year—
Most people can have a low cost of living. They’re simply unwilling to find the floor. There’s a sense of entitlement that I deserve certain things my parents had. And, if I can’t have them, life’s unfair. Or, even worse, if I have a tendency to not actually want this life, there’s something wrong with me.
What will others think!?
Most people can take what they do for work and create a life where they organize work and money around their life, not the other conventional way around. For one reason or another, they choose not to. It probably has a lot to do with the implied status reduction some people associate with a low cost of living.
What will others think!?
Every time you walk out of a room, you’re probably judged.
Judged on the basis of what kind of clothes you’re wearing, what type of car you drive, the size and location of the apartment you live in.
The B side to expectations—how much or whether or not you care about people judging you on this criteria—dictates the likelihood we’ll live a soft and easy semi-retired life and execute a Never Retire plan that’s efficient, always-evolving and successful.
If you had $500,000 left on your mortgage at a payment of $2,300/month, $2,000 in other expenses, $550,000 in savings and work that generates $5,000/month, what would you do?