I have recently turned the corner on my 65th birthday and at the end of the coming year 2013 I plan to retire...if God grants me the license to do so. Like the countless multitude who have preceded me I am now thinking about how to spend the rest of my life. I came across this motivational video from RSA Animate that talks about something that I have always believed in and that none of my employers seemed to understand...that money is a necessary evil and beyond providing the basic necessities of life it ceases to be a great motivator for many intelligent people. There is something else that is much more important. I am sharing this video in the hope that there are others out there who share the same view that I do. In fact, I'm sure that there are. Please stand up and be counted.
15 December 2012
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About Me
- Bob Mrotek
- I was born and raised in Chicago, Illinois, U.S.A. I have been living in Mexico since January 6th, 1999. I am continually studying to improve my knowledge of the Spanish language and Mexican history and culture. I am also a student of Mandarin Chinese.
8 comments:
I was recently listening to Dan Ariely, a professor of psychology and economic behavior, who says the same thing. It's very interesting and shows that perhaps we are a little less monetarily motivated than we realize. Definitely not a bad thing!
Great post and I have to say I agree.
Have a very Merry Christmas and a great New Year.
Thank you Shannon and Brenda. I know that you are motivated people. Have a nice and SAFE holiday season
Thank you Bob.
Very, very interesting, and it certainly rings true. A sense of purpose is the most powerful motivator that exists for most well-adjusted people. And retirement is the opportunity to devote ourselves to whatever it is that makes us tick. It can be the exciting period of our lives, I think, if we just keep that in mind.
You are so right, Mark. It is time to decide. Like you once said, "We don't have forever".
Thanks Bob, Merry Christmas!
A personal note on retirement as an incentive: I started in the steel mill in 1978 as a lad. The work was sporadic, many lay-offs where I would have to find other work. I spent time as an oilfield roustabout, I went to school, I worked as a carpenter, electrician, plumber, cement finisher, tile setter, all good jobs that paid well but the clock was always ticking on that steelworker pension. Every time the iron house called, I went back and was credited with my time from 78. What did the mill gain by granting me that down time when I was away? A man who they could plug into the steel making process that knew how to make steel. I retired at 52. Most men stay until 62-65 because the pay gets better as we moved up the ladder in the skill set of the factory. I left because we are only given so many days and I want some extras days where I can do as I please. A powerful incentive to stay with the good pension plan.
On incentive: I was the Wage and Equity man for the union for most of my time in the mill, incentive pay was better than half of our income. There was a tipping point where workers would work like slaves, take no breaks, eat at their machines-if I found a pee jug, I knew the job needed attention from the union. Men will work themselves to death if the carrot is juicy enough.
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