What factors made you choose your lifestyle

[TheRedHare]

When deciding on where in your career/life you wanted to end up, what were the factors that you decided on and why?

For instance, although I can see myself working for the federal or state government with a sweet title, good pay, and "power", I'm not sure I'd like having that responsibility and I feel like it would get annoying having to deal with politics and bureaucratic BS. I'd feel much more comfortable just having enough FU money and doing my own thing.

[stand@desk]

Great Question.

The factors that made me choose my lifestyle:
-Wanted a 4 day workweek (but with Full-time hours) at age 22. Got it at age 23, been working it for 11.5 years.
-Wanted to live close to work. (Have walked to work for 11.5 years)
-Enjoyed the bachelor lifestyle for a while (Age 23-28) At age 28 decided I wanted a good long term relationship and found one in less than 6 months (I was lucky!).
-Never wanted to get married or have kids but when I met my wife to be I soon changed my mind. Been together with my wife 5.5 years, married 2.5 years and have a 1.33 year old at home and life is pretty good.
-Also, wife is staying home with our daughter. So glad we don't have to (but really don't want to) use daycare services.
-May have another child or two along the way, we'll see.
-We could technically get by without either of us working but I'll keep at it for a while longer yet, as I don't have to play politics really (tried it, wasn't for me) and the job is on my feet and keeps me active and out in the community.

-Also have been a renter since I moved out at age 23. Not wanting to own property has been a huge factor in our lifestyle. But I do like looking at properties for fun.
Once I discovered ERE (but was an ERE minded person for years before but didn't know it) it was a great fit for me and I tried to incorporate much of it into my lifestyle and life strategy.

[James_0011]

Factors in order of importance:

-Money, with the goal of being FI as soon as possible
-Van dwelling friendly location, for keeping costs low
-Walkability, because I dislike driving and have more in common with urban people than rural types in general
-Weather, has to be good enough to van-dwell and provide plenty of sunlight for health purposes (relative to my baseline level of sunlight upstate NY)

I don't have a wife or child and don't want any. Freedom is my highest value.

[Farm_or]

High School? I had no goals.

College? I knew what I didn't want to do. But didn't know what I wanted. And I stubbornly stuck to it instead of changing majors twice and then dropping out like someone that I knew well.

Work? Was an evolution that I was subconsciously drawn in a favorable direction of my interests.

Post work? Living my dream that a long time ago thought to be impossible.

[George the original one]

[...] and I feel like it would get annoying having to deal with politics and bureaucratic BS.

All jobs have annoying politics and bureaucratic BS. Plan for it, because you already know how to make the exit.

[TheRedHare]

Wanted a 4 day workweek (but with Full-time hours) at age 22

That sounds like a pretty solid work week. Do you mind me asking what you do?

All jobs have annoying politics and bureaucratic BS. Plan for it, because you already know how to make the exit.

This is true, but I believe some have more so than others. And yes I definitely will plan for it. It's nice knowing there is a way out instead of putting up with it for years on end. I've actually thought about work that's much more independent...I've considered a PCI DSS auditor.

[Toska2]

My parents weren't going to help me with college. I worked like a dog and pinched pennies. Chose a tolerable trade instead of college. Job was in quiet, older midwestern town. I didn't really fit in so I kept to myself and ended up saving 40%.

I quit that job because it was something I was "forced" into. Now that because the trade has no practical use outside of those jobs I am busy being a dirtbag. I am close enough to a meager living so college costs are a toss up.

[Dragline]

Mostly, the process of elimination. Go do something. If you don't like it, go think about why and then do something else. And then even if you do like it, think about other things you might like to do. For me, it was deciding I didn't want to be a physicist, an engineer or an economist. So I ended up in the law, but not until after trying out various aspects of that, too. But I still like all those things (and many others).

The worst mistake you can make is to think that your next decision about what you should be doing is the definitive one.

But you do need to make good on your promises and commitments in debt, marriage, kids, etc. the best you can. So don't make those kind of promises and commitments lightly!

[TheRedHare]

The worst mistake you can make is to think that your next decision about what you should be doing is the definitive one.

I also flip flopped all throughout college, and always tried to convince myself and parents that the next thing I was going to do was THE job for me. I've learned my lesson, and now take a more open minded approach when choosing work. Very true statement though, thanks for sharing.

[Scott 2]

To a large extent, opportunism, inertia, and laziness.

[Solvent]

I wanted to work abroad in a job that allows me to travel. I was fortunate enough to get a great opportunity.
Why? I think it's just novelty. Most of us enjoy novelty, and it takes different forms. Many people here, I suspect, probably love developing new skills and hobbies. Seeing new films. Reading new books. I think the novelty of travel is one of the specific forms of novelty I really enjoy, unfortunately, it's perhaps one of the more expensive ones. Unless you're getting paid for it. As I often am. But I travel when off the clock, too.

I'm quite family oriented, and took steps to pair up with someone who is of a similar mindset.
Why? Family expansion has been discussed a lot on this forum, although I don't think I said much in earlier threads. I personally think a lot depends on your formative years and your own family relationships. I have great relationships with my parents, grandparents, siblings, and even extending to my parents' friends and neighbors. I'd love to recreate a similar web of relationships through family, although only time will tell whether or not I'll be successful, particularly given my lifestyle isn't currently tied to a single locality the way my parents' was.

[TheRedHare]

I'm quite family oriented, and took steps to pair up with someone who is of a similar mindset.
Why? Family expansion has been discussed a lot on this forum, although I don't think I said much in earlier threads. I personally think a lot depends on your formative years and your own family relationships. I have great relationships with my parents, grandparents, siblings, and even extending to my parents' friends and neighbors. I'd love to recreate a similar web of relationships through family, although only time will tell whether or not I'll be successful, particularly given my lifestyle isn't currently tied to a single locality the way my parents' was.

I would also consider myself very family oriented. It's a bit odd because all my siblings are much older than me (I was an unplanned, late child), and so I was sorta like a only child who grew up in a more isolated environment. I say this because I would consider myself very family oriented and realize the future importance (bc of the increasing threat of the downfall of centralization/ globalism), but I'm also very big on having my own space, and can honestly be pretty moody at times. I'm sure my mind will change as I grow older, but I'm afraid I'll be too focused on earlier retirement that by the time I'm FI most people in my age group will be in strong relationships.

[James_0011]

@theredhare

Only true in smaller towns/cities. Lots of single people in larger cities of all ages.