Brooke,
I’ve been working 60+ hour weeks since I was 21 (I’m now 61). I’m tired! And I’m ready for a change. I work in finance. I like the work – it’s intellectually interesting and pays well – but I no longer want to pay the emotional and physical price required to stay at the top of the game (or even stay employed for that matter).

I want to make sure I have enough money to take care of myself for the next 30 years (fyi, I’m single), give myself the time and opportunity to enjoy life and live healthy and, at some point, be able to afford to live in some sort of luxury assisted living place! My financial planner says I’m close but not quite there to live at my current spending – and I’m ‘there’ if I curtail spending. I’d love to hear your thoughts.

#1 – original
C I work about 60+ hrs per week (all sitting; no breaks; tremendous pressure)
T I work too much
F Tired
A I keep working (nights/weekends/sometimes vacations) to stay afloat with the volume of work and to remain ‘reliable’ to others
R Everything gets done at work and I continue to be successful; my personal life suffers and shrinks (health/social/etc)
#1 – adjusted
C I work about 60+ hrs per week (all sitting; no breaks; tremendous pressure)
T I like my work and can also have balance (there is no one looking over my shoulder)
F Lighter and healthier (but now anxious that things are slipping through the cracks)
A Work 50’ish hours per week and use extra time personally
R Everything won’t get done at work (hence anxious); I have some energy to build new personal habits
OR
A I quit a job where I have good professional success and find a job where I can recreate some level of success and have more success personally (I don’t need anothe ‘title’)

#2 – original
C I will retire in the next few years
T I am afraid I won’t have enough money
F Scared
A I’ll keep working (at the hard core work) longer than I financially have to
R I’ll accumulate more money (i.e. “enough” money….maybe)
#2 – not quite adjusted
C I will retire in the next few years
T I have enough money to retire now (if I curtail spending some; probably move to a lower cost city)
F Cheated; I don’t want to have to watch spending after working so hard all these years
A I’ll stop working next year and find a ‘lesser’ job to keep the fear away and keep me engaged (I do like working)
R I’ll have more than enough money – and my inheritees will benefit 🙂
(I realize this CTFAR is not heading in the right direction)

Would love your advice