Evolving Towards Inefficiency
Evolving Towards Inefficiency
I am all about efficiency. I am all about optimization. The only reason I have been able to make this journey to financial independence and half retirement is that I have been ultra thoughtful about advanced planning. Whether it be work bursting or long term career plotting, I have never found it reasonable to waste time. Whether I am talking about seconds, minutes, hours or days, why not make the most of my time? This attitude has, for the most part, taken me exactly where I want to go. Yet, as I continue to build a life towards purpose, identity, and connection, I find myself evolving towards inefficiency.
Believe it or not, there is a dark side of optimization. It is the point where efficiency becomes less about options and joy, and more about anxiety.
It serves no one to rush through life.
The Financial Independence Paradox
I am finding financial independence quite the opposite of what I thought it would be. Before reaching financial freedom, I spent all my time thinking about my net worth. I rarely even consider it now.
Before my half retirement I was all about investing. I almost never check my accounts anymore.
I worry less about spending. My frugality gene is expressing itself infrequently in daily life. And I am altogether more chill about finances in general. I am almost embarrassed to admit it here.
I’ve changed. I am evolving towards inefficiency.
Tools Verse Values
I used to consider frugality a value. Now it seems more like a tool. Same goes for investing and most of personal finance. I have no innate love of saving money. I love what saving money can do for me.
To look at the other side of the coin. I now look at hard work as a value and not a tool. Pre Financial independence, it was definitely a tool. But now that I don’t need the money, I think of it more as a personal character trait.
I will always work hard. Even if I don’t need to. Because it is a value that helps solidify my identity. I can’t imagine letting go of this value just because I don’t need more money.
Evolving towards inefficiency, however, lets me use this skill in whichever way I choose. I can spend all day moving boulders around the back yard if I deem it a worthwhile use of my time. This may not be the most expedient way to get the job done, but it may just feel good to spend the day working hard.
Efficiency Has Lost It’s Allure
There is no longer a reason to be efficient. Although it has its own elegance, there’s no need for optimization stress. I can accomplish life tasks as cleanly or messily as I prefer. I can be lazy at times, and aggressive at others.
This is true freedom.
Final Thoughts
I am evolving towards inefficiency because post financial independence, this tool is only as good as it brings me joy. I have decided not to consider it a personal value, and therefore have no reason to allow it to dictate my life.
I certainly enjoyed efficiency when I was front loading the sacrifice and building a bridge to financial freedom.
Now that I have arrived at my destination, I may just decide to ditch it!
Efficiency is often like a balloon. You squeeze one end the other gets stresses and pops out. Yesterday you wrote about the part of the balloon you were popping out in the name of “efficiency”, you couldn’t tolerate the loss of “bars” and so your enjoyment of your daughter’s event would be limited by lack of bars, that’s an unaccounted for cost, an inefficiency. It’s an act of denial. Working hard does feel good, in it’s own right. A part of the reason people burn out is they link EVERY ACTION to profit. In most systems if you do that unless you are in control you screw yourself . In most systems return is linear you work harder, you make a dab more, so you work even harder and mole more but the marginal return is less, and grow to hate your work. Your work output moves from say 1 SD to 2.5 SD and the effort needed to support 2.5 SD work output is enormous despite “bursting” and all the bla bla bla about habits of highly effective people. At some point efficiency turns into risk. Corners get cut, family gets slighted, balance is lost, blood pressure rises, sleep? What’s sleep? The ass end of the balloon is about to pop. Balance, true balance is the ticket. Coming out of the tail and walking back up the curve to 1.5 SD is the ticket, freedom is the ability to walk up the curve. Business and corporate types love to keep you humming at 2.5 SD, it pleases their bottom line. What is it Scottie used to say: She canna hanle it captn she’s comin apart!
Ha! I think I am walking back towards 1.5 SD.
I was a low stress guy in a high stress job. Now I’m an even lower stress guy in a very low stress retirement. I’m not sure if my huge lazy streak is a good thing or a bad thing now that I’m retired. I would probably be a better person if I had a stronger work ethic but I doubt I could have much more fun than I do now, which is a lot.
I think the lazy streak is good.