I commend this service member for following their heart (eventually) and prioritizing their enjoyment in life. We can often feel stuck trying to “gut it out” to retirement. Ever wonder why there’s so many angry, senior leaders running around? This service member understood exactly why.

I really wish I’d had the forethought and courage (and cash) to do what this enlisted service member did. I’ll let you read their story though. Here it is!

Moving Away from Stress to Success

This might not be a typical success story. It doesn’t document some amazing financial decision that paid off big time, but it’s undoubtedly had a larger impact on my life.

No Longer Fun

Several years into my military career, I stopped enjoying it. While I had a sense of mission and the importance of the work we did, I dreaded going into work every day. It was taking a real toll on my mental health and affecting my marriage and other relationships.

But the money was so good. I’d ranked up quickly and, because of a lack of qualified people to do the job, I was being offered substantial re-enlistment bonuses. I re-enlisted twice because of the money.

Everything Has a Cost

I thought to myself, “Well, it sucks and it’s stressful and I hate it, but I don’t know if I can make this amount of money as a civilian. Plus, what about all the extra benefits, namely the pension at 20 years? I guess…I can gut this out for the full career. After all, I’ve already put all these years into it – it’d be like wasting all that time if I leave early.”

So, I kept going. I ignored mental health issues. I focused all my energy into the job and allowed my marriage to deteriorate (sorry ex-wife!). The income I was growing was my number 1 priority, perhaps out of a fear of falling back into the low-income life I’d grown up with.

Discovering a Different Path to Success

Then, I discovered the FI (Financial Independence) movement. I learned that if I could reduce the more wasteful aspects of my spending (eating out most meals, retail therapy, purchasing a new car every few years, etc.) I could actually earn less money and not be tied to my military salary and the future pension it offered me. I could do work that was less stressful and more meaningful, something that I could get excited to get out of bed in the morning for.

This discovery gave me both the financial runway AND the confidence to leave the military early and miss out on 7 figures of paychecks, bonuses, and a pension.

Everyone told me how wrong I was to leave early. “It’s just a few more years – it’s not so bad!
Look at what you’re giving up!”

Knowing the Right Decision for You

The decision was right for me. I’m now doing work that I love without most of the negatives of my old job. The salary is smaller, benefits are less, but I’m happy and fulfilled.

Being more intentional with my spending allowed me to save up a lot of money, take a lower paying job that I love, and begin the process of building up a rich and full life that I wouldn’t trade for anything, vice one that I just grind through for the paycheck.

***Break***

Enlisted Money Response

I wish so badly that I would have read Doug Nordman’s book, The Military Guide To Financial Independence & Retirement much earlier in my career. As a primer, check out Doug’s article, Don’t Gut It Out To 20. Long story short, if you’re not enjoying military life, don’t just “suck it up” and drive on. Success can be defined in many ways.

Sure, the pension is a great benefit. However, I wish I’d gotten my finances straight earlier in my career so I had the confidence (and cash) to leave the military sooner. I know in my heart I would have been happier and potentially made a lot more money.

Unfortunately, I didn’t save any money early on. We didn’t save for retirement. And each time we reached the end of an enlistment, we weren’t ready to leave. Don’t get me wrong, there are some things I like about the Army – mainly the eventual pension.

Nothing but Admiration and Respect

I have nothing but admiration and respect for this service member, now veteran. Congratulations on finding a more fulfilling career! It doesn’t matter that it pays less as long as you’re able to live a life you enjoy. Life is too short to spend your best years doing something you hate just for money.

Your time in the military wasn’t “wasted” because you didn’t stay until 20. The military gave you great benefits while you were in. Many other jobs you could have been working wouldn’t have come with a pension either.

Final Thoughts and Suggestions on this Success Story

If you’re reading this and you’re feeling stressed and just not enjoying the military, then do something about it! If you don’t know where to start, get your copy of my Get Started Checklist™ to get an idea of where to start. Also, checkout the Enlisted Money resources page to learn about benefits and programs to help you along the way.

I feel that every service member should “play it like you’re in it to win it” and start on your exit strategy from day one. None of us can stay forever. Whether you are in for four years or 40, we all need to know what we’re heading to next. More importantly, we all need to start saving like we’re on our last enlistment.

I appreciate the story and wish you the best of luck in the future. Thanks!