early retirement

[MindFreak]

i have been wrestling with idea in my head for a few years now. i know i dont personally know anyone on here but i want to get as many opinions as i can. i am seriously considering quitting my job and to do what i love full time. i want to play poker professionally. i need to give the whole story though to put my thinking in perspective. i know i will be accused of bragging if i tell everyone what i make and i know people love to hate evil "rich" people (and alot on here hate me for other reasons anyway lol) so im not going to. let's just say it is quite a bit. my thinking is that its really not much of a risk. my house is completely paid for, my son's college fund is set he can go to any college he wants, i own property in a few other states and i have enough put away to live comfortably for the rest of my life even if i never make another dime. my family thinks im crazy giving up such a lucrative job but i come to realize that there is more important things in life than a high paying job. i just cant see myself getting up at 5am everyday, commuting at least 3 hours a day (sometimes much more, anyone who ever commuted to NYC knows what im talking about) , sitting in boring meetings all day and / or answering emails all day. yes, like my family tells me i get paid very very well to sit in a comfy office all day and basically do nothing. the thing is, no matter how big my paychecks are i am just not really happy. i spend alot of time away from home during the week and only see my son about an hour or 2 a day. yes i have every weekend off but the last thing i wanted to be when i had him was a weekend father. dont get me wrong. im not complaining at all. im very happy and fortune how my life has turned out. most people will never have the opportunity to make the paycheck i make although most people work alot harder and deserve it more than i do. but im not doing what makes me happy. my best friend is a computer programmer and he LOVES what he does. says he would do it for free. he is truly happy. that is what i want. so although i am still wrestling with the idea i am really leaning towards going for it. i am thinking of putting a set amount aside as my poker fund and see what happens. i do very well when i play now. i take trips to vegas quite often and have been on the table with some of the pros at times. i dont win everytime, no one does, but i am a winning player. maybe im being delusional i dont know but im close to pulling the trigger on this idea. so far everyone i know has tried to talk me down from the ledge. lol.

like i said im just interested in a few opinions. everyone important in life says im crazy so i figured id get some outside opinions.

[Myles]

Well, I am nowhere near retirement but I'd like to comment. Almost everyone in my family agrees that day jobs aren't that fun and there are plenty of other ways of making money (eg, property management, stocks, etc, etc) and they all do very well at it. A lot of conversations at my family events are about business and money. It seems your quite set up and I'd say: GO FOR IT! You may have to come up with some creative ways to stay afloat financially, but that might compel you to play harder and take chances. Make your money work for you, don't work for your money.

You could always ask for a leave of absence and see how life is without a day job.

By the way: what is your occupation?

[lostboyrufio]

You should always do what you love. Example, I'm a 22 yr old recent college grad, within the next 5 years I plan on taking on odd jobs and writing. If it doesn't work out i'll be 27. Thats still pretty frickin young so I never truly worry about mistakes. What I would worry about is if I started working now and looked back on what could have been.

Like you said, your life is pretty much set, so do what you want, you've got plenty of back-up. Keep amicable ties with your company, put aside an emergency fund, and give yourself a time frame. Take a year or two to try it out, you may find that you love it, but you may find that you hate it.

I thought about going the same route, but the stress is incredible. Plus the lack of sleep and the hypnotic nature of the lights and table just threw me way off. I've sat at a table just makin money like a robot on like a 24 hour burner, no food, just red bull and water (I didn't even realize that I was hungry I was so done up). If you can control yourself and treat it like a job (8-12 hrs then get out despite how you're playing) then more power to you.

[FoRuMbOaRdS360]

F*** it. Do it

It doesn't matter how much money you have if you don't enjoy it.

[MindFreak]

thanks for the responses. its a very tough decision. the leave of absence is actually not a bad idea. i hadnt thought of that. not sure if they will go for it but i think i will talk to my bosses about and see if that is feasible. i suspect i wont have a guarentee my job will be waiting. i work in the financial industry and there is plenty of hungry people just waiting in the wings. i learned long ago NO ONE is irreplaceable but its definetly something worth considering

[lee thompson]

if you dont do it,later on in life you will wish you did?

[Lifter101]

Just wondering, you said you have enough to live comfortably for the rest of your life even if you don't make a dime. But what if you lose it playing poker, will it still work out?

Well, in my opinion poker is not that important and if you don't play it now, you can still play it when you're older. And you can play it while doing your job. If you do quit and retire early, I'd say your family, kid, and your health is more important.

[Renegade68]

I don't know you from Adam, but if you've got the financial stability to do it. Do it. You won't get the chance to back up the clock and start over if you don't do it and spend 10 years regretting it.

I'm retiring from the AF this fall - starting my 2nd career, and will retire from that in 10-12 years. I can't wait til the day when I stop getting up at 4am. But its gonna take 10-12 more years of saving at the rate I save at now to fund my retirement. Maybe I'll see ya on the WPT then...........

best of luck.

[jlozan84]

It would be moronic of you not to do it. Just for the simple fact of spending more time with your kids.

[Renegade68]

Originally Posted by jlozan84

It would be moronic of you not to do it. Just for the simple fact of spending more time with your kids.

+1 - great point that I left out..............