For many Early Retirement means a dream life. No alarm in the morning, no office pressure, no deadline tension, just living your life the way you want. Quitting work at the age of 40 or 45 sounds really appealing but when I think about it, I have mixed feelings.
On the one hand it is very tempting because the pressure of work, responsibilities, and the same daily routine tire people out year after year. So people leave their jobs to live a new life, spend time with their family, travel, and pursue their hobbies. Having financial freedom is a kind of mental relief at least not having to work to survive.
But what then? Work is not just about earning money. Work gives our lives a momentum and a purpose. There is a reason to get up every morning. Many times after quitting work people realize that this busyness was what kept them alive. If there is no plan in advance the extra free time will eventually become boring.
Personally I prefer the term Financial Independence to Early Retirement. I want to reach a state where I work out of desire and not out of pressure. If you love your job there is no need to quit. It is difficult to enjoy retirement if your body and mind are not healthy so it is important to be healthy first. It is not enough to just save money you also have to take care of yourself. Financially it is not easy because you need to plan long-term for future expenses medical expenses, inflation. If savings investments, financial discipline are not in order, early retirement can be risky.
I may not want to quit work completely too soon but I want to go to a stage where the work pressure will be reduced but I will do something with my experience and skills. Early retirement is not good or bad it is not the same for everyone. For some it is freedom, for some, it may be the fear of losing purpose.