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We’ve been raised and taught to finish school, get a job, and then retire happy. But what if that’s not the best goal to have in life? What if retirement isn’t the best plan there is anymore? We have Nate Woodbury on this episode talking about retirement and why it’s a bad idea, so tune in to learn more about it.
Retirement is a bad idea. Can you believe that I just said that? Yes? We’re going to find out why. Alright, you just blew our minds with your crazy statement. Retirement is a bad idea. I’m guessing… No, I’m not even gonna guess. Start explaining yourself. Because we all think that retirement is like the goal. We want to stop working and go and live you know drink smoothies on the beach. I would say we all but I would say that’s the general, traditional idea is you work. Like work, work, work, work and then boom you retire and it’s just yeah it’s all my ties on the beach, right. So the the main problem I have with that whole plan is well there’s a lot. There’s going to be more. There’s a lot but the main one – the first one. The first okay, is everyone that I know that is really looking forward to retirement hates their job and that’s a big one of the biggest reasons why they want to retire. It’s a good point. So they’re dedicating up to 40 years of their life, doing something that they don’t like. That’s like 8 hours every single day. They’re doing that for 40 years. I’d say more than 40 at this point, right? 45, 50, I mean if you’re retiring at 65, right. I mean – yeah. You start at 18 or something and to finally be able to do what you want with your life and by that time you’re old and out of shape and wrinkly, unhealthy. You know you don’t able to do some of the fun stuff.
So it’s like yeah, retirement is good for that rare person that actually has enough saved. I worked in finance for a long time and saw there like 401k’s, those type things. People aren’t really able to retire off them that’s why there’s there’s wonderful greeters at Walmart and – that’s a good point. Anyway, I’m going to drop a plug for a book “The 4-Hour Workweek”. Oh yes you’ve mentioned about that. About the mini retirements sure you listened to it I have listened to it many many times – but never read it. I have not read it. He is… I don’t read that much audiobook but I know I’m not a critic. I’m just saying I’m a critic of people who use them to replace reading that’s why I always ask. Were you jogging? Were you driving or are you just sitting around listening to a book when you could actually have it? Most people only do all these times I ever sit there and do nothing is when I’m actually trying to fall asleep. I’ll use an audio book to put me to sleep. See now and I all I’m saying is I know we’re off topic but by actually holding up a book and the movement of your eyes and and all of that that’s going to make you way more tired than hearing the author drone on and although it does put her to sleep too. I’m just saying I just don’t want to see reading go away. I’m a big fan. Anyway – so he’s starting a foundation. Keep reading a life. That’s what I’m never going to retire I’ll be in my 90’s and I won’t be doing anything… I do read a lot on the screen, computer screen. Texts, email, I read them all the time. But then before you move on. Let me just chime in here too. Absolutely have never planned on retiring. Now that may be a function of who I am and what I am. I’m a performer and entertainer, a speaker, trainer. I don’t feel like I have… I don’t feel like I’m ever working enough in my field. We’re always waiting for the next thing and trying to get the next gig and so I can’t even imagine at 60 or 65 being done. A- there’s still work for me to do as a 70 or 75 year old voice narrator guy or as a speaker or trainer. But also I would be so unbelievably bored if I weren’t still working and by working, I mean a pleasant blend of retirement and work. I think there’s a lot to being with your family, being with your grandkids. Retiring, sipping my ties verging my ties on the beach or whatever. But also having something that keeps you going. That gets you up each day that it may be his work based or at least is doing something. Part of my bias comes from the mentality I have about being an employee. I’m just not built to be an employee where if I’m just a cog in someone’s machine, mm-hmm – you know a cog on the wheel in somebody’s machine and I’m just showing up. I’m not creating anything. The business owner, they’re the ones that get it create and decide where the company goes and I’m just there to do my to do my time, it’s like I’m not in that as an employee in that role, I’m not really purpose driven and I would want to retire from that. But I’ve had so many years as an entrepreneur, where I get to create and I get to choose the direction I want to go. I don’t want to stop. This so this is what this is right this is what I’m enjoying and I’m fulfilling my purpose. I’m creating and I’m really excited about my accomplishments. I’m really looking forward to the future. Now, I just a couple weeks ago came back from an amazing vacation. Oh. It was awesome. It was good. We were at a cabin on a reservoir waterfront. Totally able to recharge. I totally want to go back. I could see myself like taking a good vacation like that every quarter – right. That’d be that would be amazing and you’re young and you’re able to enjoy it right now doing it while… You know what I mean. You’ve got children who play and a wife who’s active.
So I mean to your point. If you’re to save up all that, “I will do that when we’re older and retired”. Chances are, there’s going to be things that get in the way of that. So enjoy it now while you can. And truly, it’s almost an unfair thing to say retirement is a bad idea because those that are watching that are working for the man, that are a cog. They go, “yeah, but Nate, you are an entrepreneur. You do run your own business. So you have that freedom.” What do you say to them you know what I mean? And I guess that’s the question is the message today, quit your job and start your own business? My message today is if you’re miserable – got it now. If you’re miserable, is that really what you want? That let me bring another point. That’s good. Yes it is. If you I’m an employee, I don’t get to choose my coworkers. Generally that’s true. Just spending more time with people that I don’t choose than I am even with my family, with my wife and kids. Yeah. But to them, does that make sense? Yeah, no I get it. You’re basically you’re painting a picture of really a common work environment in which people spend 75% of their waking lives with non family members and beyond that,they’re people that they didn’t get to pick or hire or hand select because there’s some charming and amazing and fun and lovable. And if they’re in a job also where they feel like this isn’t my dream job I didn’t grow up wanting to be this but I’m in it because I’m indebted and I need money then retirement does look like heaven. You can’t wait to retire from that. So these are just my strong opinions. Yeah. That’s how I want to roll. Yeah – I do not think it’s a sin to be an employee. I think you can be an employee and actually make it to heaven. That’s the ultimate goal. So you’re not a sinner if you’re an employee. I’m glad you made that clear. Yeah, in case you’re like… But for me, it’s like I really do feel like I would be doing something wrong. I’d be letting myself down if I were an employee. I really feel that way. No that’s cool. I think this is a great a great topic. great discussion because what you may have done is you’ve got people thinking – you know if he feels that strongly about it, is it just Nate? Obviously not there’s a bajillion other people that have their own businesses, that do their own thing, that call their own shots. They call their own vacation times and then actually select the people they want to be with three quarters of their lives. And you might be one of them and so if this in any way serves you, then job done. Yeah if it inspired you to you know light that spark of entrepreneurship, that’s why I wanted to make this. I think everybody watching has something that they think they’re really good at. That they really love that they want to do. And if they’ve been able to marry that to the job that they’re in, more power to them. But even like you were doing, you know you were doing things that you were good at that you were able to leave your job and just do on your own anyway and do it better for clients and cheaper and it’s built and grown. So maybe there’s ways for you to do what you want to do on your own. So my biggest piece of advice right now that’ll help you the most, hit that subscribe button or a subscribe button, like the video, ring the bell and we’ll see you tomorrow.