Pulling the cord in 2021?

When I was younger, wilder and more foolish, the plan (let's call it plan 1.0) was to amass 300k in cash and investments by age 30 and then quit work. Full stop. Like that was the extent of the "grand plan" - no more, no less. Quit work to do what? For how long? Why the arbitrary age 30? Surely 300k cannot be enough for the rest of my life. Anyway, those thoughts did not come to mind then and I started working with a single-minded pursuit of the plan. Somehow, I kind of blasted past 300k before age 30, and the goal post shifted further - the new plan (plan 2.0) was to amass 500k in cash and investments and then quit work. Quit work to do what? For how long? I still cannot answer these questions definitively but at least compared to when I first hatched plan 1.0, I have some idea this time. 

Well, I want to decompress for 1 year and reorientate my life without the pressures and influence of full time employment.

My current job is actually quite the gravy train so far - relatively high paying, not very stressful and I have a very good work life balance. But something is and has been gnawing at my soul - I feel like a mindless drone at work, clocking in day in and day out, biding my time as I collect my the pay checks. Surely, there has to be more to life. And that is what I want to discover. Since young, I've never felt "self-directed". And in my home country, it is very difficult to be self directed when the country's systems and culture are all about "fitting in". The price to pay for not fitting in is very high. But while I'm a beneficiary of the local systems (at least so far), I don't feel that I belong and I don't aspire to succeed in its classic sense. I admire those who are self directed, who are blind to or indifferent towards the invisible (but oh so very present) barriers of our nation's mentally-exhausting narrative of exceptionalism, "little room for error" systems and repressive culture, and who can thrive outside the system. 

Over the years, I've done (I think too good) a job at shrugging off exceptionalism and disconnecting my identity and self-worth from my job. And even though I'm in one of the (more recognised) professions, while I don't hate it, I don't feel any instrinsic joy, pride or ego. I don't talk about my work and don't think much of it. 

Everyday, I'm fantasizing about jumping off the gravy train and pressing the blinking "Life Reset" button. 

What will it take for me to pull the cord? If all goes well, I will have amassed 500k in cash and investments in a couple of months. Will I fulfil plan 2.0 or shift the goal post further? 

Will 2021 be the year in which I finally pull the cord and live out this silly heart's desires?

My ideal life

I've been daydreaming about quitting work since I started working. Well, it has been close to 7 years since I started working, and the feelings still persist.

I've saved some monies and have to date amassed around 13-14x my annual expenses in cash and investments (excluding retirement accounts and insurances). It's not enough to fully quit work and "retire", but if I grind until I have enough retirement monies, more of this precious life would have passed me by. I suppose I could quit work for a bit and then go back to work again. However, the fear is that I enjoy idling so much that I would not want to go back to work. I am likely to also be unemployable after an extended period of "slacking off". 

Well, what do I want to do after I quit work? Good question. Million dollar question. 

I honestly don't have a grand plan to take over the world. I literally just want to chill. Believe it or not, I am superb at puttering about. My ideal day: I would like to peek out at the sun when its rays kisses my face, close my eyes again and bask under the triple bliss of warm sunshine, cool air from the AC and tencel sheets for an unknown period of time until I'm ready to wake up and start my day. Then I would wash up, commit a couple of minutes to my skincare routine and then proceed to either prepare a mean breakfast or walk to the market to get breakfast. Breakfast would be a leisurely, tea sipping affair. By the time I'm done with breakfast, it would be around 10am or so, and then I would be on my computer or do some housework. I may or may not go out in the afternoon to run some errands or meet up with friends. I would either cook or buy lunch. If I do cook lunch, I would prepare an extra share for my partner or to be kept as leftovers for the next day's meal. In the afternoon, I would do some journalling,  putter about the internet and/or indulge in any newfound hobby. I may or may not take an afternoon nap on my beanbag. I would also research on new recipes (I enjoy exploring new recipes) and then reserve around 45 minutes for my daily workout. By the time I'm done, it would be around 5-6pm. Then it's time to clean up the exercise area, shower and prepare dinner. Partner comes home, we have dinner and chat about our day (sometimes over a bottle of wine), do the dishes together, and then it's time to Netflix/game and chill the evening away.

I live like this when I'm on leave from work, and I just love this kind of life. To me, it's so easy, peaceful and graceful. 

How much do I need to feel financially secure enough to retire to this kind of life? For now I'm thinking around 25-30x my annual expenses in cash and investments, maxed-out retirement accounts and a paid off house. Unfortunately, I'm only halfway there.

First Post - Yet another attempt at online journalling

This is yet another attempt at online journaling. Let's see if I can make this habit stick and this journal last beyond a couple of months. 

I want to keep a journal to track and articulate my oft-scrambled thoughts and emotions as I journey through life. Journalling would force me to be more mindful and posting my journal online will hopefully allow me to connect with like-minded individuals. 

Let's begin... again.