Have you noticed that the words "retirement" have never simply referred to a specific point in time; instead, they relate to how you define "living",
how you deal with "emptiness", and how you handle "yourself and the world".
Some people view retirement as an escape, some see it as a goal, some are anxious about "having nothing to do", while others enjoy "being idle".
But in the end, how you view retirement reveals your inner belief in life.
- If you are afraid of being bored, it shows that you are still seeking security through "roles".
- If you look forward to retirement every day, it means you are not content with your current life.
- If you no longer care about whether you retire or not, it indicates that you are living a more proactive version of yourself.
After all, life is not about working until the scheduled hours and then retiring; it's about living the way you want to live. If you want to live as if you are "retired", then it's not impossible to "mentally quit" right now.
01、Those who aspire to retire early actually want to escape a forced life script.
There is a group of people who say "I want to retire early", but in their hearts, what they truly desire is: "I don't want to be forced to live a life that doesn't belong to me anymore."
They have been in the workplace for so long that they have forgotten that apart from going to work, they also have other identities.
The KPIs of their leaders, the expressions on the faces of clients, and the exploitation by the company make them feel that the word "freedom" seems like a luxury.
Mechanical clock-in every day, being supervised and pressured, being evaluated, it feels like they have become NPCs of others.
So they are not unwilling to work, but they don't want to spend their lives on those "unimportant matters" anymore.
The imagination of these people about retirement is "finally not having to pretend". Not having to smile at team-building activities, not having to wear formal suits to face awkward social engagements, not having to sacrifice their passions for survival.
If you have been thinking about "Can I retire early?" very early on, it might not be because you are lazy, but because you are too clear-headed. You know that this current system was not designed for you.
02、People who will get bored after retirement In fact, it is regarding work as the meaning of life.
Another type of people, they really can't stop.
When you talk to them about retirement, they will wave their hands and say: "When I'm free, I tend to think about all kinds of things. It's better to be at work. There's something to do and a direction to follow."
Don't get it wrong. They are not "lovers of working", but they are deeply afraid of being "useless" and "weightless".
Such people are usually highly self-disciplined and have very high standards for themselves. Even after retirement, they will find something to do: dancing, writing, volunteering, conducting academic research... Because their sense of security comes from the state of "I am still contributing value".
What they fear is: losing the goal all of a sudden, not knowing who they are, losing the "identity label".
These people, not stopping, but are afraid of stopping because then they will start to face the "empty" self.
So what they say is "I haven't planned to retire yet", but in fact they haven't been ready to face a "pure self".
03、Those who view retirement as a reward. Often, deep down, one believes that life follows a "linear structure"
There is another group of people who view retirement as the "end point", as if their entire life has been a marathon race.
They endure the grievances at work and think, "Just keep pushing for a few more years."
They save money to buy a house, not for the comfort of living now, but for "a stable future". Their imagination of the future is all supported by the phrase "I'll be old then and everything will be fine".
They are believers in a linearly thinking life: "Suffer now, enjoy later. Accumulate now, be free later."
It sounds fine, but reality often leaves one feeling sad: After retiring with great effort, one's health starts to fail.
When the money is saved up, it turns out that the things one wanted to do have already been missed. When truly having the time to relax, one realizes that "I don't even know myself anymore".
The more you view retirement as a "reward", the more likely you will eventually realize that throughout your life, you didn't really live in the present for the sake of the future.
04、People who can retire at any time Usually, they have a high level of freedom in life.
The last type of people rarely worry about retirement. It's not because they are laid-back, but because they have already gained "the control of their lives".
They may not be particularly wealthy, but they have clear standards for "how to live". They don't view their careers as an identity, but rather as a means.
Their sense of value doesn't come from others' opinions, but from the rhythm within themselves.
Such people might retire at the age of 40, or they might still be engaged in activities they love at the age of 70.
Regardless of when it is, you will never feel that they are "anxious" or "regretful".
For example, "A 90-year-old girl's energetic day", "An 80-year-old boy's day of taking care of the family's daily life and chores"...
Perhaps they have long understood one thing: true freedom is not "I don't work", but "I can choose when and how to work." Retirement for them is not a giving-up, but a switch to a different mode of life.
They never leave "freedom" until the very end. Instead, they practice every day on how to live more like themselves.
So, which category do you belong to?
Don't regard "retirement" as a lifeline, nor should you consider it as a reward for your old age. You deserve to have the freedom to live a life that is not defined at any age.