I’m in my mid-30s and my savings have ballooned into the millions – how do I continue to find motivation and purpose?

Many people in their mid-30s aren’t close to having enough money to retire. Rather, a good number still have debt, whether it’s of the credit card or student loan variety.

This Reddit poster, however, is clearly in a very different boat. They’re in their mid-30s with a $9.5 million net worth. And by the time they reach age 40, they expect their net worth to amount to about $20 million.

That’s a great situation to be in, clearly. But they’re also wondering where to go from here. Their identity is tied to their job, but they also don’t feel very motivated by their job. And that’s understandable.

This person could probably retire today and have enough money to live on if they manage their wealth carefully. But that doesn’t mean that retirement is the right move for them. So it’s important for them to work through their options.

Work doesn’t have to be about the money

Most people don’t get to a $9.5 million net worth by their mid-30s with an easy job. So chances are, this poster’s job consumes them and is probably pretty stressful.

For this reason, the poster shouldn’t necessarily stick it out. Why take on that stress when they’re in a great place financially?

But I also wouldn’t recommend that the poster rush to retire in their mid-30s. That really begs the question of “what will you do all day?” for the rest of their life.

It’s one thing to retire early in your 50s and maybe have some peers in a similar boat. But most 30-something aren’t retired and aren’t anywhere close to ending their careers. So if this poster retires now, they might find themselves isolated.

So instead of thinking about retiring, I’d suggest that the poster do some soul searching and see what sort of work they might find meaningful. Because they’re so well off, their job doesn’t have to be about money. Instead, it could be about personal fulfillment or helping others who are less fortunate.

The nice thing is that the poster has options. They don’t have to suffer through a miserable job. They should think about what they want and also consider talking to a career counselor or therapist for insight.

Taking a break also wouldn’t hurt

Since this poster has so much money, another avenue they might explore is a career break. Let them take six months or so to travel or focus on family or just plain get a reset. That time away from the office might help them identify what they want their next stage of life to look like.

And I also think the poster should talk to a financial advisor about their situation. It’s clear that they’ve done quite well without professional help. But a financial advisor can help them set up their portfolio in a manner that lends to long-term stability in case they decide they’re done with the grind and are going to focus on happiness in the coming years instead of income.

The poster even says that they’re not such a savvy investor, and they’re worried that their portfolio is too loaded with high-risk investments. If they’re going to be living off of their assets for a period of time, or using their savings to supplement a smaller paycheck, then they probably need their portfolio adjusted. So it’s smart to consult a qualified professional who can set them up with a more suitable asset mix.

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