Living a life of your own standards
Saturday, August 29, 2009 at 10:58AM So, today is my birthday. I'm 25 now. In one way you could say that I have 40 "productive" years left before retirement. 40 years to work, save money for pension and dream about the things I want to do when I finally get free, and have both the time and the money. I think that's a load of crap.
Me and Fred enjoying beers after a 10km Great Wall hike.
I don't really believe in retirement as an institution. Most people are happy to sit quietly on the ride that has been decided for them. They accept that the only way to live their lives is the norm of the society, which goes something like birth-childhood-studies-work-retirement-death. But who said that this is the way it should go?
If I remember correctly, the modern pension systems were born after industrial revolution to ensure that factory workers can support themselves after they become too old to continue working. This, first of all, means that the pension institution is relatively young, and the birth-childhood-studies-work-retirement-death pattern is not a norm in the history of humanity. However, I don't see people challenging it. I don't see people trying to improve it or rethink what would be a better way to celebrate human existence and to enjoy the limited time we can spend on this planet.
It's almost as if after you've spent your whole life making money for others, that you're allowed to enjoy the fruits of your labor and truly focus on your own interests and passions. How can it be, that the society expects this from you, and if you want to break the pattern and actually pursue your dreams younger, you will be frowned upon, thought as an eccentric or in worst case purely crazy.
As for me, I want to break the pattern. I need to do it. I don't know how, but figuring out ways to escape the 9-to-5 is on the back of my head constantly. It is one of the main motivators for me to go and study entrepreneurship in Helsinki School of Economics this fall. And by escaping the 9-to-5 I don't mean creating a life that would allow me to lie on the beach drinking margaritas until I grow old. That would become boring quickly. No, I mean getting control of my own life and doing the things I enjoy doing. If I could work on something related to e.g. photography and image manipulation - or snowboarding or motorcycles - I don't think I would even want to "retire," because that is something I already enjoy doing for free. The whole concept of retirement loses its value if you can figure out how to live your dream.
When retirement is not seen as freedom waiting at the end of a long narrow tunnel, you can start to think of ways to have the experiences you desire earlier in your life. Tim Ferriss talks about the concept of mini-retirement, which basically means taking an extended time such as few months or a year off-work to do whatever it is you want to do; travel the world, build a house, drive a motorcycle from Europe to Asia etc. Now, wouldn't it also be more enjoyable to have these experiences while you're still physically in good shape, instead of when you are over 65 and even playing checkers can make your heart pound in excitement.
So, what are your plans for life? Have you ever even thought that you don't have to live the life of birth-childhood-studies-work-retirement-death? It is just a pattern that has been very strongly imprinted on you by parents, teachers and society, but in no way can it be proclaimed as the "right" way to live a life.
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Reader Comments (7)
I can completely relate to that Sami. I've been pursuing my dream of my music being recognized widely for a long long time. In fact ever since high school. I went to college to study english just to make it easier for me to look for new opportunities for what I wouldn't even call a 'career' because making music and playing it to people live is far from work as we know it. I love doing this. I've heard a lot of shit from people that wouldn't see any results of my constant chase to be recognized as a music producer. But on the other hand the same people don't seem to be happy with their own jobs. I'm not saying they're projecting their hatered of their jobs on me, but I sure as hell know what faces they make when I get paid for what I love doing. I don't want to sound elitist or diss people with regular jobs, I'd just like to encourage everyone to pursue what they really want to do. And just do it, no matter the cost, because in the end it will pay off more than ever. I'll just put it like this:
I've been making music since high school. After years of making it, just recently things kicked off. I've been invited to play in Italy, I have a gig booked in Innsbruck and Berlin. I'm also booked to play in Kaliningrad. And I get paid to do that. And won't even mention playing in my country. Just yesterday I've had my first bigger release on Trident Music, which is one of the bigger house music labels. I'm still producing, labels ask me for my tracks, I get requests for making remixes, and other music related stuff (like music for hotel promos, I even once did a remix of Beethoven for a dance group). It's wonderful. And I'm not gonna give it up for some shitty 9 till 5 just cause everyone does it. Like I said before, if you continue to do what you love doing, you'll eventually get better if not the best at it, and that's when all the nay-sayers shut the fuck up.
Take care Sami, and enjoy your pursuit of happiness:)
Well, Sami, I think that there is this syndrome where men get really disillusioned with retirement because they feel that they have lost the purpose and focus that they had in their life when they were still working. I think it's much more rewarding to discover something to do which you love and then do that which you love until the day you die.
Well, that's the dream as it is for me. :)
"I don't think I would even want to "retire," because that is something I already enjoy doing for free. The whole concept of retirement loses its value if you can figure out how to live your dream."
In agreement.
And while I do work for myself and enjoy pretty good freedom and certainty I can't say that 9 to 5 truly equals 'working for someone else'.
The doing something you like mitigates the 9 to 5. Imagine a 9 to 5 job that's so much fun you simply choose to stay to 7-8 most nights.
Good post Sami and personally I have similar goals in my life. However, have you considered that many people actually want to have the life of 9-to-5 and enjoy it as it is. When you come home from the 9-to-5 job, you can actually have time for your children and even hobbies.
Yes, some people want to have a family and when you have one, I like to think it's not only what *I* want but also what the family needs. Perhaps your family is happier when you are not constantly worried about how to get the months income to support them and actually spend time with them instead. And while you have time for your family etc, you are still contributing to the society by paying your taxes and raising children. Who knows, this might to lead to your own happiness as well. Of course, if having a family is not one of your plans, you are more free to do whatever you like.
I'm strongly in favor of the idea that entrepreneurs are the driving force to develop the society and I don't think entrepreneurs or those that "want to do what they want" are considered eccentric so much anymore, but are rather very much respected. This being said, not everyone can be expected to start their own company and even if you have one, the 9-to-5ers are very much needed.
In the end, it's all about values and choices.
PS. A suggestion how to break the 9-to-5: after having studied what it is like to be an entrepreneur, start being one :)
Great, I have tried such speach many times. It is hard for most people to understand the concept.
Change a paradigm is always a burden, or not...
However think with me: if today I can work and provide myself fun by riding a rally bike. This makes me happy. Why should I worry about building a retirement plan if than I will not be able to compete as I do now? So, probably, and I hope so, when older, wiser and still fit; I will work for something that will make my brain work longer.
The actual concept of retirement is making people die sooner. The key to longevity is using your brain. Take a look at the statistic, most people die within 5 years of retirement. Work (even the not fun kind) mostly gives a direction to most people lives, and when this is taken way life goes along...
Do what you love and be in vocation forever.
rafael from Brazil,
Rafael, what you said reminded me of a news story I read few years back. It was about Japanese men who retire and consequently feel that they have completely lost the purpose for their lives, as they have been used to doing long days at work, that has been the main content of their lives. Retirement, on the other hand leads them to depression and self-destructive behavior. They simply do not know anymore what they want to do, and they have too much time in their hands.
I couldn't agree more!:)