If workers had the choice, the vast majority would like to be able to retire at the earliest possible age, since this would give them more enjoyment. But there are those who have achieved it and over the years it seems that it has not been a good decision and it is now their families who assess whether it is really so positive to stop working before our retirement age.
In an interview with Business Insideran Australian freelance journalist and editor reflects on this issue following the example of her father-in-law, Frank Noble, who retired at the age of 55 and today, at 87, claims to have had no regrets. “If I could go back, I would retire young again without hesitation,” says the Australian veteran from his home in Porepunkah, where he spends a good part of the day between the garden, the golf course and the gym.
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Her daughter-in-law, however, sees things differently. “I admire his decision, but I don’t want to follow the same path,” he confesses. The journalist, who is in her forties, explains that her work gives her a sense of accomplishment that she fears she will lose if she retires too soon. “I enjoy what I do and it comforts me to have a regular salary, something that gives me stability and purpose,” he adds.
“Work is not a burden for me”
While her husband, a therapeutic massage therapist, usually complains about Mondays, she faces the beginning of the week with enthusiasm. “He always tells me: stop being so happy that Monday starts,” he says, laughing. Unlike him, his work is not physical or exhausting. “When I write, I enter a state of total concentration and lose track of time,” he admits.
That connection to his job makes the idea of retiring unattractive. “When your job is your passion, retiring early doesn’t make as much sense,” he explains. He often spends hours writing articles without noticing the passage of time, and confesses that he rarely feels that his job is an obligation.
“My father-in-law found his purpose in gardening; I don’t know if he could”
Frank, his father-in-law, worked in forestry his entire life and, after retiring, found gardening a way to maintain his life’s purpose. “I have always liked nature, and the garden gives me the same thing that work gave me: meaning and satisfaction,” he told her in a recent conversation.
Today, at almost 90 years old, he spends up to six hours a day caring for his plants. His daughter-in-law admires him, but recognizes that she would not know how to transfer her passion for writing to a similar hobby. “Even if I wrote just for pleasure, I would want someone to read me… and that is already part of my job,” he admits.
“I would be afraid of feeling lost without a routine”
Frank also confessed that his first year of retirement was not easy. “I went through a period of depression, everything changed suddenly,” he remembers. That experience left its mark on his family. Her daughter-in-law fears something similar would happen to her if she stopped working soon.
“My day to day has structure thanks to work,” he explains. His mornings begin answering emails and proposing topics to editors, and his afternoons are spent writing articles or content for companies. “I end the day tired, but satisfied, because I feel like I have learned and achieved something real,” she says.
“We still have mortgages and three children to support”
The journalist also recognizes that early retirement, beyond the emotional aspect, would not be economically viable. “Frank was able to retire without a mortgage and with investments; we still have two loans and three small children,” he details.
That is why he especially values the stability that his monthly salary brings him. “I enjoy knowing that money is coming in regularly and that we continue to build a future, not just survive,” he says. His goal, before considering retirement, is to settle family debts. “I would prefer to pay off the houses or sell one to cover the other before thinking about stopping working,” he adds realistically.
“I understand those who retire young, but it is not my dream”
At his early forties, he does not rule out changing his mind over time, but for now he is clear: retiring soon is not among his plans. “It works for those who don’t enjoy their work or have hobbies that fulfill them, but not for me,” he explains.
His idea of an ideal retirement is more leisurely than radical. “I imagine a quiet life, in my own house, with enough money to travel once a year and enjoy the grandchildren,” he describes. Her husband, she says, “will probably spend his days on the golf course,” while she will continue at the keyboard. “I will continue writing, because telling stories inspires me and keeps me alive,” she concludes.