It's 'Ok' to Take a Break - Why the 30+ Year Grind till Retirement is Outdated

For a long time, the path for people was simple — get a job, stick with it for decades, retire, and live off your pension.

But with the decline of traditional pensions, people now wait until 65 for Medicare or their full retirement age to claim social security.

Both are outdated and, for many, no longer makes sense.

Then there’s the FIRE movement — Financial Independence, Retire Early.

The goal? Save aggressively, make a lot of sacrifices, and reach a point where you can stop working in your 30s, 40s, or early 50s.

Personally, that sounds awful. I’d be bored, most of my friends would still be working, and I’d lack purpose. But that’s just me—I love what I do and I do like to work…

It’s easy to assume that an early retirement equals happiness or that all your problems will go away.

That’s not typically how it plays out though. Take Jake Kassan as an example, the co-founded of MVMT watches. He became a multi-millionaire, yet recently shared on Reddit that he feels lost and miserable…

I know, I know, “must be nice”, let’s get out the tiny violin for Jake…

But this is a crucial point that I think a lot of people don’t consider. A job might not be glamorous, but it often provides more than just a paycheck.

It gives you purpose, community, and structure.

While work has its benefits, so does stepping away.

Many people never even consider taking a break or are deathly afraid of asking for time off. News flash — 95% of companies do not care about you.

You are an employee and if you quit, retire, die, etc. They will replace you and business goes on. It’s the harsh truth.

I see a lot of people follow the status quo or get stuck in the same routine — clock in, clock out, and hope everything falls into place (which it never does, by the way).

I’m all about the grind and hate people who identify as “quiet quitters” but I understand work is not everything.

There is a lot more to life, and life can be really short.

Start asking yourself some deep questions:

• You have all the money in the world, what would you do?

• What if you were told you have 5-10 years to live, but you weren’t sick/ill, what would you do?

• You have 24 hours to live — What did you miss? Who did you not get to see? What are some things you weren’t able to do?

If you never take time to think about this, or to step away from work, life will continue to consume your time in unexpected ways. I always see people who get burnout.

Then the following suffers as well — their health, relationships, and overall happiness.

Not everyone can take extended breaks, but many who can never even consider it. That’s what’s sad. There’s power in stepping away, recharging, and actually living—before reaching an arbitrary retirement age or seeing a specific dollar amount in your investment accounts.

Living simply and appreciating the little things can be more fulfilling than chasing endless wealth. Some of the happiest people have very little. They prioritize gratitude and a minimalist lifestyle over accumulation.

Main takeaway — understand that taking the vacation or stepping away from work can be the best thing for you.

Live in the moment, spend your money on experiences, or test out the lifestyle you think you’ll want once you retire.

Then start to build financial flexibility so you can take a break…

Disclosure: This material is for general information only and is not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual.