It was scary to stop working for clients. Note that I said, "for clients" as I want to make the distinction that I won't stop taking photographs or undertaking challenging projects, but I won't be doing any more projects that have as their impetus commercial success. It's scary because for the first 30 or so years of being an "adult" and being the owner of my own business my attention to work, details, billing and investing was crucial to provide for my family. To buy houses, pay for the kid's college, save for retirement, pay taxes and buy food.
A number of years ago I hit a point, financially, at which I could retire but was too anxious about the future to do so. Now I have no reservations about discontinuing the money making part of my life and concentrating on doing stuff either because it's the right thing to do or because it's fun.
I have shifted gears, mentally. It took a lot of time but I think I've finally learned to be comfortable flipping the switch from saving money to spending money that I've saved. It's a harder lesson to learn than one might think. Many people with a higher than average net worth actually have difficulty spending in retirement and often leave this world with far more money at the end of retirement than they had at the beginning. Hence the popularity of books like Die With Zero.
The goal of many people is to retire while they are still physically fit enough to enjoy themselves. To take trips that involve walking and other forms of mobility. But sadly a huge percentage of people over 60 arrive at retirement with one or two (or more) long term health issues. And a list of pharmaceutical prescriptions. Problems with joints. Problems with blood sugar. Problems walking or standing. And far less energy than they thought they'd have when they were young and chained to a desk.
One of the fortunate things about owning one's own business and having a commitment to a particular sport is that one's odds of hitting retirement with knees, hips and lower back fully functional and pain free are better than average. I've been a life long competitive swimmer and unless I was out of town on business it was rare for me to miss a day of masters swimming. If we had jobs with early start times I tended to adjust and go to earlier practices. For a while, during the first year of the Covid epidemic I was hitting the pool at 6 in the morning. There is even a masters practice here in Austin, at another club, which starts at 5:30 a.m. and I've hit that practice from time to time when a schedule conflict arose.
I'm heading into my 70s (a little over a month away) weighing about five pounds more than I did when I was in college ( Or, At University, for our UK readers.... but I always want to ask: which university???) and with the same blood pressure, energy and daily discipline as well. My energy levels don't seem to have fallen and my mental acuity seems intact (critics might say the jury is still out...). As many coaches and swimmers have said: Swimming is the Fountain of Youth.
But more than that staying healthy and feeling young is undoubtedly a state of mind. A point of view. A philosophy of intention.
Resigning, "Acting your age", taking it easy, deserving a rest, and all the rest of the bad platitudes and advice about how to "gracefully" give up are incredibly ageist and self-debilitating. Sure, you can give up, pad around the house in slippers and sip Sanka but it's a trap and an ever shrinking cycle of defeat.
I prefer to think of "retirement" as being the next stage of potential accomplishment. Fewer distractions. More resources. And a life time of training.
Here we go.
30 comments:
I completely agree.
Unlike atmtx above, I don't completely agree. I've always felt that serious people really find the meaning of life in work, and I mean work-work, rather than play-work. Have you answered the question, "What am I going to do with a camera?" If it's half-assed art, that's not work. If you decide to really grind on something with a goal of publishing, that would be work, as long as you're not completely fooling yourself about the goal. I'm not saying that you shouldn't have fun (I just got back from ten days in Paris on Sunday night) but there has to be something you can be intent about, and swimming isn't enough (you're not going to the Olympics.) IMHO.
Not sure I agree with John Camp's "Work till you Drop Dead" philosophy either. And I'm sure Kirk doesn't have his eyes on competing at the Olympics. How about the USMS Nationals instead? I guess all those art photographers like Sally Mann, Robert Frank, Peter Turnley, HCB and Joel Meyerowitz were just out there being half-assed and spinning their wheels.....? Working harder doesn't always make stuff better. Writers should know that. R.A.
I like ATMTX's comment best.
"I prefer to think of "retirement" as being the next stage of potential accomplishment. Fewer distractions. More resources. And a life time of training.
Here we go." From this blog post.
Looks to me like Kirk has a lot more up his sleeves than one of the commenters suggests.
There's no point in being the richest person in the cemetery!
While I generally agree with your take on preparing for retirement and staying healthy, I can't agree with this bit: "But more than that staying healthy and feeling young is undoubtedly a state of mind. A point of view. A philosophy of intention."
I think one can prepare, have the right attitude, do things right (not that I always did, and wasn't in nearly the shape you're in), but can still get hit with something like cancer in their 50s and enter their 60s in less than great health. As I approach 60 (still a bit over a year away), ask me how I know.
Not to nitpick though - the general idea is a good one - and still wish you the best in retirement.
Ken
A working photographer retiring rich? I thought that was impossible. Right?
Ken, I understand and there are exceptions to everything. I just had my second surgery for squamous cell cancer on my face. I get it. But so many are just victims of our culture. No exercise, bad food, too much stress and a bad case of trying to "keep up with the Joneses"
Upon my retirement from "work" the owner of the company commented about the sun going down on this part of my life. I corrected him and said, perhaps, but I see it as a wonderful sunrise on the next part.
At some point, you gotta stop and smell the roses.
An uncle, who is 93 and still amazingly active and mobile, admonished me to be active as I got older. I see no reason why one has to keep working to earn money indefinitely — doing fulfilling non-work things should be the way to go at some point. Travel could be one of those things. I have been to Chicago twice, and was very recently in Montreal. Good choices, IMO. Have fun.
No point in focusing on past sunrises. Reflection on the past is useful, informative and can be fun, but the future is an adventure.
Not an easy decision, not everyone has a choice. Some think of retirement as sleeping late and watching Wheel of Fortune. Do not think that is Kirk.
There are lots of people who grind away at tasks that are not fulfilling, many of them decent people who are in no way lazy or untalented. Some of them may find fulfillment outside of "work", some never do. Some are lucky enough to find it in the careers they chose, some never earn any money from what fulfills them.
I retired on my 64th birthday, which was over 20 years ago. Retirement has been my lifelong ambition. While I had a sucessful professional life, it was only a means to this end. From childhood I've had many hobbies and interests that I am now free to pursue full time. My philosophy is life is a bell curve. The tail at the front is the time for growing, the bulk of the curve is education-profession-family, and the back tail is for enjoyment-fun. I am blessed with good health and have a reasonable level of fitness ( a critical element in my retirement plan).
Congratulations Kirk. I think the best is yet to come.
Congrats Kirk on your decision to retire by dropping the mike, so to speak, on commercial photography. I have no doubt that you'll find plenty of worthy creative outlets to keep yourself busy and engaged. The biggest surprise I've found in retirement is just how quickly dinner time arrives after waking up!
Ahhh, but what happens when a long-time (former) client who you always enjoyed working with says he really needs you for a particular assignment?
I guess I'd have to be coy, ask for an outrageous fee, and take succor in the idea that I'm doing work:work just this one more time. New metric: Is the fee commensurate with the cost of a new M11? If so, that would be worth a day of work....
Does swimming well have only the endpoint of participating in the Olympics or could someone do it every day for the health benefits and the social benefits? Would that be okay? Seems pretty judgy to say that you either have to go to the Olympics or swimming isn't important. That sounds a bit bleak.
Retirement is wonderful! You can raz your still working friend's by telling them every day is Saturday. They will only hate you a little bit lol. I've been retired for a number of years and find that I am just as busy and in some way even busier than when I was working. The difference is I'm doing what I want, when I want to. I have tried to divide my time into periods where I am doing projects that benefit others, doing things that benefit me and the rest of the time being open to new adventures.
Enjoy!
Eric
I gotta agree, having retired six months ago. I was caught by surprise by the "Land of the Lotus Eaters" that can sneak up on you if you're not careful. Sounds like you are being careful! Good on 'ya.
I am glad that you seem to be close to being at peace with your transition to retirement.
It is only six months since I stopped work, but I had worked part time for about the last 20 years, so it was a less jarring transition. I can recommend it. I look forward to hearing about your new adventures and travels.
Q: What is your dream job?
A: Retirement
db
I am a failure. My whole career has been play-work. Doing fun jobs that are challenging and which make me happy. I didn't know I had to "grind" to have purpose.
When does the coffee table book of wit, wisdom, lighting advice, and favorite photos come out?
John Camp's remark reminds me of an old Hoyt Axton song: "Work your fingers to the bone, Whadda ya get? Boney fingers." Like Luke Miller who commented below, I'm on the tail end of the bell curve after many years of work and I'm hitting 80. I've returned to being like that former teenager at the front tail of the curve but with a car, an allowance, and no curfew.
" I'll be spending at least a week in Montreal (my all time favorite city in all of north America)." Have you been to Quebec City?
Keep up the portraiture, formal or informal!
Continue the portraiture, formal or informal!
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