A Pipehitter’s Pursuit of Peace
Back when I left my old job, I did so at the cost of losing a pension worth over a million dollars. So when it comes to thinking about turning down money, I guess this next thing isn’t that big a deal. Though it is close. It does speak to the advantages of FI, but maybe it’s more about making better decisions.
The Details.
As you know, I went back to pretty limited part-time protection work over a year ago. It’s been nice. Social stuff is good. Professional Satisfaction is nice. So is reducing our sequence of return risk. The best part is that while I mostly enjoy the job, there are plenty of times I don’t. Which makes me enjoy the long spans of time when I can do whatever the hell I want way more. Relativity and all that.
Just realized this last part helps reminds me why I don’t want a full-time job, ever fucking again.
Well, stuff happened at work. Some good, some bad. Mostly bad for other people, not me. Unless you’re really into my employer’s particular niche, you’ve probably never heard of who we protect. Then the above-mentioned stuff happened, and we took on another client. You’ve heard of them.
We could dive into the particulars of this industry, but I’m already bored writing that. Let’s just cover a couple general rules of thumb.
1. Seen a movie involving bodyguards? It’s hilariously wrong; pretty much the exact opposite of whatever you saw is closer to the truth.
2. The more recognizable someone is, the more work it is to protect them. Pretty big duh, right?
More work means more money, both per hour and because of the increased hours of work needed to get the job done. Most of my coworkers are glad to trade more of their time for way more money. And I must admit I was tempted too.
Why would I be tempted to make more, when the math says we don’t need it, and the science says it’s not going to make my life any better?
Because I’m human, of course.
First off, it’s been a decades long habit to jump at that money. Hello long path to FI, I remember you. While I’ve mostly, mostly, broken this habit, it’s still bouncing around in there. I haven’t smoked in decades, but every time I see somebody light up, there’s that little twinge. Say hi and bye to it, then move on. Like that with the money.
Then there’s the fear. Nowhere what it was right after FIREing. Still though, that little voice is back there. “The sky is about to fall! Horde more money!!!”. Watch that one sail by like a cruise ship going nowhere. Looks fun, not gonna end well.
Of course there’s just the normal pull from living in ‘Mericuh. Surrounded by shiny shit, and a thousand different screens saying eternal happiness is just a few more dollars away. Could finally buy that Tesla that all the cool kids have…..
Screw that shit.
The ballast which has me running away from more money is these last few years of FIRE life. We’re spoiled around here; my tolerance for being rushed is stupid low now. Things would need to go off the wheels for me to go back to a normal life.
The future is a good motivator. I’m going to grad school (for the second time, because I actually love that shit) in January. Two roads are diverging in the woods:
One is me spending countless hours at what was supposed to be a part-time job. Doing laps around the world, tired as hell. Every few weeks, driving my Polestar from the FBO to a giant house at 3am for a few days off. Waking up barely human surrounded by shiny junk and a family I barely see.
The other path is me plodding through grad school at a snail’s pace, to eventually transition to a completely different part-time gig which pays less money. But in this world the idea of working a night or a weekend is like a mystical beast. It’s both hilarious and inconceivable that it would exist. And maybe this new gig will help make things a tad better for others.
Which do you think I’ll pick?
(Spoiler alert, it’s not more money.)
Man, I am one lucky guy to get to make decisions like these. Lucky to have opportunities, and lucky to not feel backed into a corner with no choice but to chase the green.
I’ve said it before, and I’ll keep saying it. Fuck all that bullshit about FIRE being a fool’s errand. If you’re not there yet, please enjoy the ride, but still….keep going and get there.
Sounds like a good call, but at the very least I’m sure we’re all going to miss the cryptic celebrity bodyguard posts.
Like you I loved university, and I spent my whole adult life either in it or of it. In the end that meant I had a career I loved in theory but hated in practice because of my employer.
I was thinking the other day, if I somehow got an offer from some dream alternative (which definitely isn’t going to happen), would I take it? And I found the answer is almost certainly no. Society doesn’t want to hear this from someone my age, but I just don’t want to wade back into the water.
This probably doesn’t pertain to you or your situation, but I was just talking with my husband this morning that the „safety“ of school – whether grad school or undergrad – is so alluring. We both wanted to study as long as possible, because especially in our field, the complete directionlessness of the freelance world once you leave the safety of a clear-cut program with clear-cut goals (given to you mostly by others) is scary as hell. I can imagine the „craft your own life“ sort of free-fall of the freelance life is similar to FIREing, but again with the monetary pressures burning your ass the whole time. 😂 But yeah, grad school is pretty satisfying, in more ways than the intellectual— it‘s nice to be part of a world of structured high performance 👍🏼
In recent years, it’s become fashionable to dump all over the death march to FIRE approach. Now, I don’t advovcate a literal or figurative death march to FIRE. But I definitely have always thought that far more sacrifice than not is worth it. Since FIREing, I believe that even more. I certainly appreciated the optionality that FIRE allows for. But since FIREing, that’s hands down become my favorite aspect of FIRE.