Why I Love Working For A Purpose, Not Money | Retirement Reality

Treg retired once… then came back. And then retired again, this time on his own terms.

After stepping away in his early 50s, Treg realized something important: retirement felt too quiet, too early, and a little unfinished. So he re-entered the workforce in a role he genuinely enjoyed, trading stress for meaning and structure. When that chapter eventually changed, he didn’t cling to it. He adapted and retired again, with clarity this time. 

In this episode of Retirement Reality, Treg shares what freedom really looks like in practice. Not endless leisure, but choice. Choice to work part-time because he wants to. Choice to engage with people, stay mentally sharp, and add structure to his days without financial pressure driving the decision.

He talks about how saving from a young age shaped his confidence, why humility matters more in retirement than status ever did, and what he’s learned working a public-facing job alongside people of all ages and backgrounds. From applying to Trader Joe’s to working part-time at the airport, Treg’s story challenges the idea that retirement has to look impressive to be fulfilling.

Retirement isn’t a single decision, it’s a series of adjustments. And the goal isn’t to stop doing things. It’s to keep doing the right things for the season you’re in.

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Treg is not a client of Root Financial Partners, LLC and received no compensation for participating in this video. His statements reflect his own opinions and experience and are not indicative of any specific client’s experience and are not a guarantee of results. No cash or non-cash compensation was provided, and no material conflicts are known.

Advisory services are offered through Root Financial Partners, LLC, an SEC-registered investment adviser. This content is intended for informational and educational purposes only and should not be considered personalized investment, tax, or legal advice. Viewing this content does not create an advisory relationship. We do not provide tax preparation or legal services. Always consult an investment, tax or legal professional regarding your specific situation.

The strategies, case studies, and examples discussed may not be suitable for everyone. They are hypothetical and for illustrative and educational purposes only. They do not reflect actual client results and are not guarantees of future performance. All investments involve risk, including the potential loss of principal.

Comments reflect the views of individual users and do not necessarily represent the views of Root Financial. They are not verified, may not be accurate, and should not be considered testimonials or endorsements

Participation in the Retirement Planning Academy or Early Retirement Academy does not create an advisory relationship with Root Financial. These programs are educational in nature and are not a substitute for personalized financial advice. Advisory services are offered only under a written agreement with Root Financial.

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Ari Taublieb, CFP ®, MBA  is the Chief Growth Officer of Root Financial Partners and a Fiduciary Financial Planner specializing in helping clients retire early with confidence.

Transcript

Knowing You Can Retire

SPEAKER_00 0:00

Welcome back to the Early Retirement Podcast. I want all of you to know the earliest time you can retire. Doesn't mean you actually need to retire. In fact, most people think when I say, hey, you're in a position to retire, that people just do. That doesn't happen that often. Most of the time, people go, wow, that's great to know. I'm going to keep working another year for my team so I don't just leave them high and dry. Or I've got this project. Or I don't know what I'm going to do yet in retirement, but it's really nice going to work knowing I don't actually have to be here. If I have a bad day, if politics change, I have the ability to do what I want to do, which is spend my time on whatever it is I want to do. And that's once again where I want all of you to live. I don't want you in that I don't know phase. Many of you have heard this before, but I'm a soccer player, and my wife says I'm worse than hangry when I'm injured. If you don't know hangry, that's hungry and angry. A very dangerous combination. And she used to think right when I get my MRI, I'm going to be even worse than that. Why? Because I'm going to see the severity of my injury. But the truth is I relax. And I relax even if the injury is bad, because now I know the truth. I have a plan. Got it. I might have to do six months of physical therapy or a year to get back on the field. But I know what I need to do in order to once again play soccer, which is the goal in this case. I want all of you to know, wow, what if markets went down right when I retired? Or what if tax brackets change? Or what if my health changes? Or what if I live longer? Or what if, what if, what if, wow, I still see that I would be in a position if I were to make the following changes. Great, I still want to retire. So if you're wondering, okay, what do I need to know before I retire? Once again, guys, you can email me the word retire in the subject line, and I will respond back with a free guide. It's a checklist to make sure you don't forget anything. If you want to build your own plan, just make sure to put in the subject line the word optimize, and then I'll send you the software that I use to build financial plans. And then finally, we love to help people retire early. So you can go to our website, rootfinancial.com, and that's when people are like, wow, I get I need to be financially educated on all retirement topics, but I don't want to actually be the one in charge of implementing it because I want to be enjoying my retirement. And it's our job to make sure we're helping you get the most true value out of what you've worked so hard for. So many people just keep working until 60, 65, thinking, you know what, that's what I got to do, that's what my parents did. But that's not the reality. The reality is there's so many of you who listen to this podcast who go, wow, maybe I could retire earlier, but don't take action on it. And we want to show you, hey, here's when it could be possible. And we're not just gonna sugarcoat it, we're not gonna blow smoke, we're gonna show, hey, here's the reality based on your situation, how much you could spend, here's what's reasonable. So it might surprise you, but it also might be a little bit of tough love. And we believe in being transparent. So hopefully the podcast resonates. I do all of this for you guys for free, and I love getting to do it. So thank you in advance for letting me record these episodes, or else it just feels like I'm talking to outer space. So appreciate you guys emailing me for these free guides. That's a long intro. Let's get to the episode.

SPEAKER_02 2:50

Uh but I remember uh I I think I saved up$500 or maybe a thousand dollars. So it was uh like as a little boy saving up that kind of money back in the 70s. That was that was a lot of money, you know? Yeah. So I I I I went down to the bank, I think it was a savings and loan. I opened up a CD account that was paying 15.5%, and I think I put it in there for three months. It was either a three-month period or a six-month period. I think it was three months. And you know, but after three months, I got the statement, and I was like, wait a second, I I didn't have to do a thing, lift a finger, shovel any snow, deliver any papers, and I made all that money. I was I was hooked. I mean, I was hooked, and I've had this thing ever since, you know, ever since then was save more, live better, you know, and and so I've been saving and saving and saving and saving. Um, and that's what kind of got me to where I'm at today.

Retiring Twice And Why It Changed

SPEAKER_00 3:49

What I'm doing in this new show, Retirement Reality, is having heartfelt, candid conversations with people who have already retired so you can hear from them what worked well, what didn't, and everything in between. I hope you enjoy. And if you're retired and you want to personally come share your story on a future episode, there's a link right below this in the description of this episode where you can apply to be a guest. Now go enjoy the episode. My incredible guest today saw a study done by UC Irvine that changed his entire life. And now he wants to be in retirement, but he wants to do it on his own terms. In fact, he's working at TSA because he chooses to. This is an exciting episode, and he is so articulate and gracious in sharing how he retired twice and how he had a very difficult job, but at the same time it led him to realize what he really wanted in life. I hope you enjoy this incredible episode with our guest, Treg. Enjoy. Craig, welcome to an episode of Retirement Reality. I'm excited to have you here. And you said off-air before we began how much you enjoyed that one guest, Herb, who came on and moved to North Carolina and was talking about his retirement story, which is fun because I love when guests on the show watch other episodes. You already have a good sense, which means you might know that this question has come in, which is since you've been retired, what has been the most exciting part in one word? I really think it's the freedom.

SPEAKER_02 5:17

Uh, you know, you're you're not shackled down to to really anything. It's it's it's the freedom to to go and do and be and uh take part in whatever it is you want to do.

SPEAKER_00 5:31

Now let's get the Craig story, because I love that freedom answer. It's one of my favorites. How long have you been retired? So I retired uh back in 2023.

SPEAKER_02 5:41

Uh I I initially, I actually initially retired back in 2011, but uh I thought that was pretty young uh at the time. And I ended up uh taking about a year off uh and looking for just some other activities to do. Uh a really charming job came my way uh with the local uh government here in Orange County, California. And I I really enjoyed that job uh up until really up until after COVID hit. And things, I think things for a lot of people, things really changed uh post-COVID. And so uh that the dynamics of that job that that that changed. And uh I was no longer able to uh essentially run my own kind of operation. Um I think that's probably the best way to describe it. I I I took great joy in uh measured successes and uh year over year uh showing progressions and in what it is I was doing, and and that was really fun. Um but but post-COVID that that really changed uh uh significantly.

SPEAKER_00 6:55

Fascinating. You retired twice. Now there's a few things I want to talk about. The first is I play soccer at Great Park often. So I know that that Irvine Orange County area, which tells me that you're a cool guy already. Um but in terms of retirement timing, so 2011, you said it felt a little early. Was it early because hey, my friends haven't retired? What about it felt early?

SPEAKER_02 7:20

Well well, a couple of things. One, if none of my friends had retired, and and then it was kind of the uh maybe a little financial insecurity or un uh not you know, my my balloon wasn't full. Uh I kind of felt like I needed to have uh a bigger war chest of cash, you know, more assets. And uh and and then the the the moving target seems to be for most people is is really health care. Uh healthcare is uh an elusive kind of a uh a topic. It's it's hard to nail that down unless you're you're you're self-insured or you know, you you know, you're at that kind of a level of uh of of wealth. Uh but but I but I never was was that that wealthy. Uh so uh the you know the two things that my none of my friends were retired. And then it was kind of uh kind of boring. Uh I I think you know, I've listened to you and how you really uh and James and all you guys at Ruth, how you guys love your job. And I think that's what's so appealing is if you really love and enjoy what it is you're doing, um there there may be no reason to to stop doing it. Uh you you probably uh should continue to do it as long as you as long as you enjoy it. Uh and I think for most people, there comes a time where um either it's their health, like you know, like Herb, uh, or there's something changing in their life uh that that that that happens to them that makes them realize that uh life is finite and everything comes to an end. And uh maybe I should start to uh take advantage of the the freedom freedoms that come with with retirement.

unknown 9:14

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 9:14

I'm so glad you shared this, Treg, because you are not alone. Now, a lot of people, yes, they worry about health care because they're humans, but they don't always have a dream job to go to after that. Normally it's uh maybe I didn't calculate it perfectly. I gotta get some job that maybe doesn't pay a ton and maybe gives me a little bit more freedom, but it at least covers health care. It sounds though, and I'm glad you picked up on how much we love our jobs, which is true. We always say that, you know, I hope you never retire as long as you like what you're doing. Um, but it sounds like you had a quite a fun opportunity because when you said you found something else, you kind of lit up there for a little bit. How did you find that opportunity? Because I think that's something so many people would want if they knew how to do it.

Building A Part Time Life

SPEAKER_02 9:56

Yeah, yeah. Uh so this this was a uh a job with the local government, with the county of Orange. And it was a it was a fun job. It was working with uh the the parks, the the park, the park system. So not Irvine, the great park in Irvine, that's a that's a city park. Uh so the parks I was involved with were all of the county parks and the county beaches, and uh, there's a few county historical sites here in Orange County. And so I was engaged with uh that small population. It was a very small population, and it was easy for me to transition from uh a very large, what I'm gonna call a book of business. I was in the insurance world, uh where I was I had just a tremendous stressful job uh where I was overseeing uh about 350, 370 businesses, and those businesses all had uh employee populations, and those employee populations had risk of of injury on the job. That's that was really my my area of expertise. And so this was a a charming, uh just a charming opportunity uh to work with uh local park range, I'm just gonna say park rangers and maintenance workers, and and it was just a lot of fun. So just imagine um being outdoors all all the time. Uh and and those people who do those jobs to maintain the parks the way they look or provide services uh to the local community. And uh and and the county of Orange has a fantastic park system. I I can't say enough good things about it, um, and really, really, really good people. Uh so that was that was the fun, that was the fun the submit. That was the fun element. But but post-COVID that that changed and I was no longer engaged with that population like the way I had been uh for about seven or eight years up until COVID hit. And uh so that was that was disappointing. But but you know, everything everything comes to an end, and and and that you know eventually came to an end as well.

SPEAKER_00 12:06

So less stress, um less boredom when you had this other career. Um and I'm glad to hear how happy you were doing it. But like you said, things do come to an end. What does a day in the life of Craig look like today?

SPEAKER_02 12:19

So uh I I was encouraged to get a part-time job. Uh I I was not I was planning, you know, you know, when you I've been planning retirement since I was a child. I think I I think probably a lot of your viewers or or or maybe not your customers, but certainly people who watch, you know, Rue, uh they're I'm I'm guessing they're probably a lot like me that they they have been planning and saving for for for years, you know, for a lifetime. And and for me, it's it started out early on. I mean, I was a I was this is back in the 70s when I was a paper boy, and um I was delivering papers. This is back in Colorado, was shoveling snow in the wintertime and mowing lawns in the summertime. And you know, I had these parents that encouraged encouraged work and saving money. And you know, they were uh they were depression era, you know, uh parents. And so they came from that, you know, Kansas, hard working, save money, uh, never, never borrow money. Uh and so when you grow up in that you're cultivating that kind of a uh a family or home, uh you you you take on those things. Uh but the best thing about it was it was a real, it was a real light bulb that went off from me. Uh I'm gonna say when I was 11 or 12. Um back then in the 70s, there was something called double-digit inflation. I hear people complain about how interest rates are so so high now. I'm like, you really have no idea what high is like. Uh but I remember uh I think I saved up$500 or maybe a thousand dollars. So it was uh like as a little boy saving up that kind of money back in the 70s. That was that was a lot of money, you know? Yeah. So I I I I went down to the bank, I think it was a savings and loan. I opened up a CD account that was paying 15 and a half percent. And I think I put it in there for three months. It was either a three-month period or a six-month period. I think it was three months. And you know, after three months, I got the statement and I was like, wait a second, I didn't have to do a thing, lift a finger, shovel any snow, deliver any papers, and I made all that money. I was like, I was I was hooked. I mean, I was hooked, and I've had this thing ever since, you know, ever since then was save more, live better, you know, and and so I've been saving and saving and saving and saving. Uh and that's what kind of got me to where I'm at today. Uh, but I was encouraged to get a part-time job, and uh I I've been fortunate, uh, it kind of like kind of like her. I don't have any health problems. I I you know, thank God you if you're happy and healthy, you you really have everything. You know, you got those H and H, you're you're you're really, you really can do anything. You you're you're really, really good. Uh so as long as you have your your health and you have some savings and you have all that, you know, sort of the Maslow's hierarchy of need, you need to get the base things taken care of, then you can kind of, you know, you can reach the self-actualization or whatever that whatever the top tier is, you know. Uh but I was encouraged to get a part-time job and I was planning retirement, planning, planning, planning. And um, so opportunities came came came to me, but I I had narrowed it down. It had to be within three miles of my home. I wasn't gonna, I wasn't gonna drive any ride. I'd prefer to like ride my bike or or walk to work, right? Uh so I applied at I applied at Trader Joe's, I applied at the the swimming pool I swim at, which is a city pool here in Irvine, and then I applied uh with the federal government uh at the airport uh to work with the TSA.

SPEAKER_00 16:13

Wow.

SPEAKER_02 16:13

And so uh the city pool, you know, they couldn't hire me because I had already retired from Calpers. I I'd worked for the state of California. So they had this relationship with the state of California, they couldn't hire me. Uh Trader Joe's, whatever. I I was not, you know, as I wasn't I wasn't their guy. I I never had an interview. I don't think they ever met me. And I think that if they had met me, I I'd probably be working at Trader Joe's. I'd probably be there right now. But anyway, uh so the Homeland Security called, and I you know, I went through the whole background process, and there'd be a process with with the airport, and uh so I'm I I actually what I'm I'm still doing, I'm doing that you know, part-time, and uh I can't see enough good things about the federal government. So sort of like her. Uh people have some misunderstandings about uh you know what the the TSA is or what it is they do. And I I went into it with like I don't know anything, I don't know anything about what it is you do. And so it was kind of it was just so fascinating to learn a new thing, a new interesting. I I never saw myself, you know, putting on a blue shirt and putting on a badge and you know, doing what the TSA people do. But my my friends from college, but one in particular, uh one of the guys I swam with, uh he just laughed. He thought, he's like Craig, that's perfect for you because I I told him it's kind of like I it's almost like being a bartender because you just, you know, you get to chat with people all day long, you know, hey, where are you going? What do you do? You know, is that home or were you visiting Orange? Can't you go to Disneyland or or or whatever? What are you know, why are you here? Uh so these conversations can be uh entertaining and fun. And then there's the whole seriousness of you know, protecting everything that goes on to the airplane. I was like, most everyone, I I would say 99.9% of the public uh really respects and appreciates the effort that uh uh the TSA employees do, uh, you know, in keeping them, you know, safe on the job.

SPEAKER_00 18:23

Yeah. So it's like you tell stories all day, Trek.

SPEAKER_02 18:28

This is Yeah. It's it's just it's it's a fascinating opportunity.

SPEAKER_00 18:34

Yes, it definitely is. And sorry, when I do my virtual interviews, sometimes it's difficult to tell if someone's finished. So apologies for the interruption there. I will say if there's one word I could use so far, if I got to choose a word, it would be proud, because it's really easy to get down in the dumps of I'm retired and I don't know what I'm gonna do anymore. And I used to work a job that, yeah, it was stressful, but you know, at least it was something. And and you're like, no, no, I'm taking charge of my own. I'm applying to be at Trader Joe's. And it truly is their loss because I can already tell you if they interviewed you for three seconds, you'd be working there. But it was a blessing because now you're at TSA. Now, what are some things at TSA that they do that you think the public just doesn't know about in terms of the level of detail? Because I'm right there going, I have no idea.

SPEAKER_02 19:20

Yeah, so there's uh there's security measures that that the employees take or the technology. I mean, every airport has different technology and different systems to uh to keep the the public and cargo and and and everything safe that is that moves about from you know commerce and the the public. Uh so there's a lot of technological things that they do, and there's procedures that uh they're you know, they're very it's a well-honed operation. Uh, you know, they've been at it for for for for over 20 years now, and uh the people there they take it very, very seriously. Uh and sometimes I think the public sort of they forget, it's easy to forget why there is a TSA. You know, why did that happen? And so um I think if you reflect on on history, then you really understand and appreciate uh the work that goes on there at the airports. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 20:26

Awesome. Well, let me ask a little bit more about you, if that's okay. How many days a week are you there?

What Keeps People Sharp At 80

SPEAKER_02 20:32

So uh you're given a ship that's that's five days a week. Now it's sorry, it is uh I I tell the younger guys that are there and the younger gals that are there, I was like, this is a luxurious benefit job. You don't you don't know it, but I do know it. Uh the benefits that the federal government offer uh a part-time employee uh to go in, and I only go in three days a week, because they allow you to give away 40% of your shifts. So if you're if you're scheduled for five, you can give away, you know, you can give away two of those shifts. And so I don't need money. It's it's just kind of a fun thing to do. And the other thing is kind of a structured, you know, it adds structure to it, and it's interesting. And the public engagement and the the communication, and then you you know, there's parts of the job here where you really have to you really have to think, you really have to be diligent about what it is you're doing. So it's got it's got it's got everything that that helps keep a human being uh alert and alive. I I've I've watched these studies that uh UC Irvine has done. I initially heard about this on 60 Minutes where uh they went to um they went down to uh it was called Leisure World, but I think it's called Laguna Woods now, and they were they were studying these. These these people, the population there look in the woods, and these were oxygenarians, they were all 80 years old, but they were 80 years old and and already, they were like, you know, they were like us. They were, you know, full in their mind, uh, you know, communications, they were active. There you wouldn't know that they were in their mid 80s. Wow. So so UCI went down there and they started to talk to these people. It's like, why are you the way you are? And so there were some characteristics that that all of them had in common. Uh, and and some of those characteristics were, you know, they all had really sound friendships, you know, really connected relationships with with friends and good people. They all had activities. They that and I don't mean they weren't training seriously every day, but they had some sort of physical activity that they were involved in on a pretty routine basis. They were all drinking alcohol. They were all, it was either wine or beer or cocktails or, you know, whatever it was. And they also were engaged in things that kind of challenged their mind on either as puzzles or you know, whatever it was that they were involved in. Could it be their their finances, managing the finances? You know, that's always challenging too. Uh so those were some of the correct characteristics that that those people did or or or do. And so I, you know, I you pay attention to that. And I was like, I need to do, I need to do exactly what I need to do what those guys are doing too, you know. So I I kind of tend to gravitate gravitate back to the that UC Airline study, University of California Irvine. And um it's been on 60 minutes a couple of times. So they did it once and then they went back and they did it again. Uh it's kind of an update. And and and it and you know, and the professors or or doctors that they do these studies, uh, they're they're just charming as heck. I just loved there's this one guy just I love to hear her talk about um her her relationships and how she she identifies with these old people, older people, that that ain't really they ain't old at all. They're just old in age. They just but they're all they're they're 100%. So uh I think that's kind of a goal for for your your community, for all of us, is is to be happy and healthy just as we are today in 30 years, you know. Ari, maybe you and I meet in 30 more years, and we have a uh an up a retirement update.

SPEAKER_00 24:31

Yeah, and one of equal stimulation, because I like this. I mean, I'm just ups, I'm gonna check out that 60 minutes. I have to now. And I love this concept of yeah, look, you could be a hundred on paper, but if you're fully there and you're doing it and you're living life because you're enjoying it and there's a glow to you, who cares what your birth date doesn't matter. So I think so. I'm curious, you know, how old are you today, Treg? I'm I'm 63. Okay, you look great. So 63. How long? Let's assume you know, you live a very long time. How long do you think you would do this TSA job? As long as you enjoy it? Is there a time frame you think about?

SPEAKER_02 25:12

Yeah, I I I I I think as long as I enjoy it. Now, Ari, you would be you would be shocked at some of the the folks I work with. I mean, there's I would say um I'm winging it here. You know you know, over at John Wayne Airport in Orange County. I'm guessing the average age is probably 38.

SPEAKER_00 25:35

Yeah, I was gonna say 35.

SPEAKER_02 25:37

I'm gonna think, you know, 30, 38. Uh there's some uh there's a younger population that that does skew it lower, but there's also an older population. I mean, older than me, I mean folks in their 70s that are still at there, you know, banging it out. You know, every they they like me, they're there every day. And they're they out of financial need or desire like you?

SPEAKER_00 26:02

I don't I don't scratch on that very hard. I I don't you don't bring it up when you meet someone, how much money do you have?

SPEAKER_02 26:07

No, no, I I just no, I just I'm I'm I'm happy guy. No, I I don't want to get too I don't want to get too deep into why it is you're here or what brought you here. No, you're right.

SPEAKER_00 26:20

Yes, that's that's reasonable. You know, I go to my barber and my first question is always, yeah, so I'd like a a three on the sides, then what's your 401k right now? No, I do I but you know I'm thinking it, I'm naturally curious because I want to help to the degree I, you know, it's just one of those things. But I okay, so you would do it as long as you enjoy it, and obviously you enjoy it right now because you smiled telling us that whole story. Yeah.

Healthcare Math And The Five Year Plan

SPEAKER_02 26:42

Is is there a loose time frame in your head? Yeah, okay, so back to the luxurious benefits.

SPEAKER_00 26:48

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 26:49

Now, so with with the United States federal government, if you're 62 years old and you've done five years of employment, it doesn't mean full-time employment, it just means you have to be employed for five full years. You can retire. You can retire with a pension and retain what's called the federal employed health benefits, and you can retain that for life. Now, health care is a it's it's it's confusing, it's moving. I you know, I go into covered California, I do the math on covered California, and then I I I wish I had dug deeper with my parents about the ins and outs of Medicare. So I've had to kind of ramp up my knowledge about Medicare and how Medicare works and what A, B, and C is, and what ERMIT is, and and all these technical things of of health care when you get old, right? But but this this T the um the the federal employee health benefits is is pretty attractive. I'm winging it here. Okay. I I think the government pays about I'm gonna say 75% of the premium. Now, I I don't there's a couple shows I these couple shows I watch on YouTube that these guys talk about what this FEHB is. They call it FE FEHB. Um and it's kind of elusive. I don't know if it's just easier or as affordable to just go for Medicare Part C, just through Medicare, or pay for the you know, retain the FEHB. And I think it's kind of a unique kind of a thing. It's almost like you know, what's unique to you or what's unique to your audience? I mean, everyone is different and everyone is unique and they all have their own specialties that that they need or that they want. Uh so the the five-year target, that's kind of that that's kind of the that's the long-range goal. That would be like you know, I that's that I think that's the finish line.

SPEAKER_00 29:02

Yes, I hear you.

SPEAKER_02 29:03

You know, you know, you if you can make it to five, then it's you know, then wow, you're you know, why why I I I I think what's happening now in my head is that um it it is kind of a distraction. I mean, so it's a distraction in the way that there's uh you know, you gotta be there at five. I mean, I have to be there at 5 30 in the morning. Now they drill it in you, you better be on time. So uh I want to be there on time. I will I don't want to be a problem. I'm gonna do whatever they want me to do and follow the you know the instructions that they give me. Uh so I'm you know, I'm waiting on you're waking up at 4 30, you're you're getting dressed, you're you're driving over, you're going into the airport, and you're, you know, game on. Um but there's a couple of shifts for these these part-time employees. And the other one, uh and my opportunity to get this more favored shift is is low because it's they're on this this bid system where you it's you you bid for your shift based on seniority. And so I'm I'm low guy, you know. I've only been there you know a couple years, but all these other people, they've been there, you know, longer time, so they can kind of carry pick the the shifts that they want and then and they get the days off that they want. But I'm pretty much there, you know, every weekend at 5 30. Now that's annoying. So that's that's that's the drawback.

SPEAKER_00 30:33

Uh well, there's a lot to explore there, Treg, because you shared it yourself. It's not necessarily about the finances at this point. It's so that you don't have to be bored, but you know, I'll hear a lot of people who want to retire and travel or they want to spend more time with their spouse or they want to not have to deal with an alarm. It sounds like the pros outweigh the cons, but that there are some cons.

SPEAKER_02 30:55

Yeah. So I would say uh it probably was glasses half full. Now it's more uh glass is half empty.

SPEAKER_03 31:05

Uh-huh.

SPEAKER_02 31:05

So I'm I'm I'm kind of, you know, I'm kind of halfway to that five-year point. And it's just like any new thing, any new job. Uh, you know, I heard the story about you know how you hunted down James, how you kept peppering James, you know, you know, and so that's that's uh that's thrillful and that's exciting, and it's new, and it's interesting, and and you're building you guys are you guys have built something. And and I I share with all my friends anybody who's got money, I I share you guys, I you guys gotta get hooked onto this real financial stuff. You gotta hook up with James. I I initially started listening to James uh probably four years ago. You know, uh and just the guy's smooth as silk.

SPEAKER_00 31:55

The smoothest.

Humility After A Big Career

SPEAKER_02 31:56

And the the knowledge, and for me it was almost uh I I mean I thought I was pretty smart, you know, about retirement financing and and it kind of looked at as a a a way to verify like a like a a benchmark to listen to James and make sure that I'm doing it exactly how he would do it. You know, you just you know, you listen and learn, and you know, if you've done your own taxes for your entire life, that that's very helpful. You know, if you if you do your own taxes, it it keeps you up to date, it keeps you knowledgeable about taxes. Uh and if you um invest money, however it is you invest money, invest you know, annuities or trade options or buy stocks or short stocks or buy mutual funds or you know, whatever it is you're doing, real estate, businesses, uh there's just it's a complex money, money and making money uh is complex. Uh uh it's there there's just so many. Oh, and then the other thing is the the terminology, you know, uh the the the language, it's almost like lawyers. It's kind of like it's kind of like legal speak. So you know, once you're in your 60s, if you hadn't been paying attention to the terminology and doing these things, they really need you. You know, they they need someone who they can entrust to support them and and manage all of the things that come uh with having money. Um but so I yeah, I've been I've been a fan of Ruth for a long, long time. But uh that but you know, back to your question, it's like how long is this thing gonna last? I'm probably I'm I'm I'm iffy about how long I'm gonna continue to do it. Uh I I'm in a relationship and uh she's a workaholic and you know she just I mean I thought I was good at XL. She's a amazing, you know. I know you're an Excel fan, and uh thank God for Excel. Because I remember I remember doing on you know pen and paper and you know keeping track of it. That, you know, you know, back up until I'm gonna say 1991 or 1992 when XL came out. I was like, holy moly, this is this is off. I was like, this is and it's and the other thing is it gets better. You know, Microsoft is like, you know, what a great company. Uh as it gets better, and it's like anything gets better and better and better and better. Uh but so uh I I'm kind of at the point now where, yeah, uh you know, I I'm hoping that she'll have more free time to to travel. We you know, we were over in Croatia when I got when I got your emails, hey, you know, we'd like to, you know, I we we liked your story. Why don't you come on? I was like, I'm over in Croatia. I think I responded, I was like, yeah, sure, I'll I'll hook up with you. Yeah, I'll do I'll I'll do that. I said, you know, sounds like a lot of fun, right? Yeah. But but I I'm hoping to do uh, you know, I I listen to your people, and it seems like travel is, you know, travel's a big thing uh for a lot of people. But but travel uh it is work. Uh that there's a a certain amount of effort that goes into getting from from here to there and and having everything you want there, and then eventually getting back to home. Uh so it requires planning and it it you know it's an investment and it's it's you know it's it there is work involved in it. Uh but it's it's awfully fun when you're there. And I think that kind of makes the travel thing a very, very appealing for most everyone. Uh and and there's all you know, the who's been to every country in the world. I mean, I have not been to every country in the world. Uh I'm not sure I want to go to every country in the world, but there's certainly places that, you know, you kind of got that buck list of places that I'd like to they'd like to go there, I'd like to see that or go into that water or be there or participate, you know, learn those people, learn that population, learn that um culture. Uh and that's that's kind of where I'm at. You know, that's kind of where I'm at today.

SPEAKER_00 36:10

I love your story, Treg. And I appreciate the kind words about Ruot because you're correct. I did chase James down. I have one more question for you before I you've said so many nuggets of wisdom today, by the way. You the three-month CD lesson and how that really did shift your life in terms of saving and looking at and and you've lived it. The difference is a lot of people will say, Treg, when I retire, I'm gonna find my own purpose. And then it doesn't fall in their lap. And so they go, oh, I guess retirement just isn't what people say it is. And then it can be, but you have to grab it. And you grabbed it, and you applied to interviews, and you had a humility that you probably are just thinking, I'm not being, I don't have humility, I'm just doing it because I'm doing it. And I'm like, no, Treg, you're better than you think you are. There's other people who would feel weird, maybe being in a high executive position applying for Trader Joe's or TSA, even if they would really enjoy it. And I see you nodding, going, yeah, it's true.

SPEAKER_02 37:01

That's that's it, yeah, that's that's very well. That is uh uh there was almost like uh for for a lot of my friends, the especially the you know, the guys that I that I swim with, they were like, You're doing what? You know, my neighbors are like, you know, you're doing you're doing what? And I was like, I was like, well, you know, don't you know knock don't knock until you try it. And for me, it's it's it's a community of interesting people I work with. It's an interesting population of of travelers that I I get to meet and communicate with. And so it's got this, it's got it's got that. Uh and and for me, it's it's still new. So it's just like anything. It's kind of a new thing. Uh, I'm sure like like anything, uh it will probably wear on me. It will probably, you know, you get just like anything. You get tired of it, you know, particularly, you know, being in there at 5 30 in the morning, uh, you know, being on your feet, running around all day, taking orders from, you know, you know, your supervisors, trying to do a good job of of maintaining security. So uh sometimes you just want to sleep in and have a cup of coffee.

SPEAKER_00 38:10

Yeah, especially as a retiree. So I don't blame you. But let me ask you this, Greg, if I may. I'm gonna ask you the question and I'll tell a brief story to let you think in case there's something that comes up. What's been the most impactful thing James has taught you? So that's my question. And and as you think about that, my partner James, for those who don't know, we are here at Root Financial. We run our business, we make all the YouTube videos. What many people don't know is about 0.000000001% of people who watch our content actually work with us. The majority of what we put out, millions of people watch, and a very small sliver allows us to run a profitable business where we can employ many people and live a fulfilling life. Now, as you think about your answer, Craig, I've got mine top, which I've told many people many times, so apologies if you're hearing it again. But there was a time where it was just James and I in this little office in San Diego, and we were basically our chairs were almost touching. It was a very small co-working space. And this was before YouTube and podcast was what it's become. And there was a point, and I'm laughing, already thinking about it, where I remember disappointing James. And James was never angry and going, Ari, why didn't you do this better? That's not his style. One, because he's a good guy, but two, he knows that's not effective. That's not going to help me learn by saying, Why didn't you do this? There was one time where he said, you know, Ari, you haven't taken a vacation in a year. I said, Yeah, you know, I'm trying to prove myself, show you I don't need vacations, I'm here to work hard. And he goes, Well, you know, we're telling clients to take vacations and live their dream life and take time off. And if we're not really doing that, if we're not pr presenting ourselves as an example, why should they listen to us? And he was genuinely asking. There was no guilt tripping, there was no, come on, just take a trip just to take it to check the box. It was like, why aren't you taking trips when you're telling clients it's very helpful to take trips? I mean, it's very hard for them to listen to you, Aurie. And I'm like, oh my God, you're so not just correct here, you're so honest, it's so impactful. And his core was saying, if we're telling clients to live their best life, how the heck could we not do that? And I was so involved of, oh, we have to respond to clients instantly. You know, they're expecting the best service. And there becomes a point where then my life will suffer. And we tell our clients, live your best life. So he's really been a role model for me in the way of, hey, if you're telling clients to do something, you have to be a living example of that. Now, obviously, you don't talk to James every day, but you've been watching him, you said for four years, what's something that he's taught you?

SPEAKER_02 40:39

So uh you know, both of you guys stress uh really the importance of stopping work and and living your lives, you know, doing finding your happiness, doing the the you I think you guys use the word joy, uh find your find your joy. And and so that that's that's great. But but but but for for for being with James and the content that I I viewed, it's just it's not one thing, it's it's just the body of work. It's it's the volume of information uh that is provided with such clear and precise and accurate detail that really it really applies to everyone. It's not it's not rich people, it's not you know people with millions and millions of dollars. It it literally applies to any any young adult, anybody who's got a job and they're making money. If you got a job and you're making money, you you really should be starting to you know, listen to James and Ari. You really should start now rather than waiting, you know, until retirement. Uh you know, you guys can almost make a show for children. You know, talk to look look back at my thing and how I learned early on about you know, saving and investing and that the sacrifices that that come with that, that the the sacrifices of not not have not be having the haves, but really the security that you're building uh with the freedom that comes with with having money. I mean, if you don't have money, money's everything, you know. It really, really is. And and I've been uh fortunate and and and blessed and and had this charming, like things kind of just stumbled into my lap. I mean, I've been laid off, you know, once you get laid off, you know, you get laid off, you get divorced, you get laid off, you get laid off, you get, you know, you get terminated, you get sucked, you know, whatever it is, those things, all those things happen to me. Uh and and and and you respect those events, and and it makes you realize that um the sacrifice that you do take early on uh to s to set away some money for that security of living through those difficult times. And eventually those difficult times become retirement. Uh for for some people, like you know, you're asking me if I had asked these other older employees that work for the federal government why they're there. Uh I I I think a a couple of them have they have to work there. And I've also you know, once you humble yourself, you you know, you really need to humble yourself to to to to do a job like that, to take a job like that. Uh and and for many, many people, it just it's so far beneath them. It that they just they see themselves in the career that they had. They see themselves sitting at the boardroom. Um either as the chairman or at the table, you know, in a board meeting. Or they were some high-powered executive, some VP, some, you know, that that you know, the C level people. Um could those folks who come work. Maybe they could. I'm saying that it would enlighten them. It would provide them uh some things. I'll I'll give you some things. You know, number one, the humility of it. I I guess I've always kind of been humble. I I I never there was nothing I don't thought I don't think there was anything beneath me that I I I wouldn't do. There's jobs that are are you don't want to do, but if they got those jobs have to be done. It's like, you know, you're cleaning toilets, I don't know, what if you know, whatever you're doing. Uh taking out the garbage, cleaning, you know, cleaning garbage cans, whatever. Uh but uh a lot of people don't they can't transition, you know, to those lower comp, lower paid, uh less than what are perceived as less than desirable. Um I've kind of had a a joy in it because because I'm me. I you know, I I I'm fortunate. I I don't have to do that. For me, it's it's not entertainment, but it's it's kind of go back to it goes back to that UC Irvine study. It goes back to that, you know, this engage social engagement, the challenges of a thing, doing a thing, uh, the difficulty in a thing. You know, it's a physical thing. You're you know, you're all you're active all day long. So it has these a lot of those characteristics, those benefits that that UC Irvine, you know, characterized in a single job, you know, and it's and my exposure is is limited. So that that's kind of the enticement to continue to do it. Um but you know, you get old, sometimes you come home and it's like, you know, your knees hurt. You know, I I yeah, I've heard you talk about your ankle. Like for me, it's it's it's my knees are just just it's cumulative trauma. I, you know, that you know, I'll go see the doctor and say, I want a knee replacement. I want a knee, I've been seeing my to my doctor, I want a knee replacement for years. And I'm I'm finally gonna get a knee replacement. Uh because I literally had to be hobbling like a pirate with a wooden leg to get them to say, yes, you know, you need it, you need a knee replacement. Um but you know, those are some of the things that are are negative about a job. I mean, every job has got some negative negativity to it. Uh, but it's it's humbling, it's made me more much more empathetic than I ever was. Um seeing older people, the challenges that they have, and just physically getting from point A to point B. Uh seeing parents with little children and everything that comes with little children. It's just like did you do a test run with a cat or a dog? I was like, it's like, I can't imagine that, you know, like and just all their stuff, all the child stuff that they have. So those are some of the interesting things. The the the social benefits of of a job that that that have been somewhat enjoyable for for me.

How To Work With Us

SPEAKER_00 47:21

Trek, this has been amazing. I'm adding a word. I know I told you the word before was proud, and I'm still proud, but my new word is perspective. You have incredible perspective, not just your humility, but everything we discussed today. You're really going to make me think differently. And I would like to end the show by explaining, not explaining, but mentioning one thing that if you have not seen it, I think you'd love it. And it's a statement first, which is you are not your job title. Once again, you are not your job title. And there's a documentary I talk about a lot called In and Of Itself. And there's no commission I receive for mentioning this, but it's a wonderful documentary slash magic show that talks about identity and how we view ourselves in comparison to what real life is like. And I think Treg, you'd enjoy it, and I think all of you viewers would enjoy it. So everyone who's watching, please give Treg some love because Treg, you have just been a welcomed guest on this show. This has just been a pleasure. I'm glad we didn't have to do it at 2 a.m. in Croatia or wherever you were when you received that first email. And I hope, if you're open to it, that you would come on the show again in the future.

SPEAKER_02 48:29

Absolutely, Ari. It's been a pleasure, and I I've been looking forward forward to it since since I was over in Croatia.

SPEAKER_00 48:35

Awesome. Well, Treg, you are an awesome guy, and I look forward to talking to you soon. Thanks, Ari. Appreciate it. If you enjoyed this episode of Retirement Reality, check out how we help people retire with confidence. You can see we have an FAQ section on our website. If you just hover over the resources tab, you can go ahead and see this FAQ section here and learn everything about what it's like to work with us, including our personalized planning process, a quick overview of how everything works. Do you have enough money to become a client? Where will your money be? Everything from tax planning to fees. We are extremely transparent and want to make sure that you're working with someone that resonates with you. Hopefully you enjoyed this episode. And if you once again want to be a guest on a future show so that you can share your story, you can see that in the link of this episode. Thanks. Thank you all as always for listening to the Early Retirement Podcast. I love getting to host these shows and make different content for you guys every single week. I've not missed a single week in years, and that is because I love getting to do this. Now, please be smart about this before you actually execute any strategy that you see me talk about or hear me talk about, should I say, please talk to your financial advisor, your tax preparer, your estate attorney. Please be smart about this. None of this should be construed as financial advice. This is for fun, educational, informational purposes only. Once again, just quick disclaimer here, guys, please be smart about this. Appreciate you listening as always. And you can, of course, submit a question on my website, early retirementpodcast.com. If you, of course, want me to address a specific case study or topic. I will not promise I can get to it, but I respond to every single person. And if I find it will be helpful for a lot of people, I will absolutely make an episode on it. At the very least, give you some insight. That's it. Thanks, guys.