Dear Jaclyn and Heidi,
Over the past 30 years, my wife and I have built up and run a successful small business which has made us financially secure. We are now in our early 60s and are thinking about buying a nice motorhome and enjoying the fruits of our labours. On some days, the prospect of living the simple life sounds brilliant. I can just picture Jan and I sitting in our campchairs sipping on a chilled something, or taking a bushwalk, or simply chatting to new friends in the van park. However, on other days, every fibre of my being is screaming ‘what are you thinking … you are too young and vibrant to put yourselves out to pasture?’ I love my business and although I work ridiculously long hours, it is what l do and what has had me springing out of bed for decades. Should we wait a few years?
Jack
That’s pretty much an impossible question to answer, Jack. We would all love a crystal ball and to know what our various alternative futures might hold. Perhaps, you’ll work for another couple of years and then, God forbid, keel over with a heart attack or something dire like that and never get to live the dream. Or maybe you’ll sell your business and get terribly bored and unhappy without the daily challenges that it clearly provides you with. The person to talk this all over with is Jan. You are successful business people so you understand risk assessments and you understand what it takes to make something work. If you sell up and hit the road, then make sure that you ‘work’ at life on the road to make it the right decision. Whichever way you go, commit to making it work. Life is too short to have regrets.
Jaclyn
Easy one, Jack. Do you want to go, or don’t you? You are one of the lucky ones who has the financial clout and, presumably, the good health to be able to endlessly explore this incredible county of ours. There are tens of thousands of people up and down Australia, counting their pennies and counting the days until they are ‘able’ to do it. They would all rather watch the sun set at a different paradise every night or ‘discover’ a brilliant campsite than make a big deal or attend an important-looking business lunch. If you really wanted to travel endlessly, and talk about campfire cuisine and beauty spots rather than commuting times and staff rosters, then that’s what you would do. But deep down, that’s not what you want, it is Jack? Stop attention seeking and get back to work!
Heidi
