The waning hope that I can someday retire to a quiet place in the country and the thought of spending more time over well training bird dogs.

It's getting harder every day...as we watch what I though was a solid retirement plan get shredded.

Money drunk politicians, even at the local level, are trying to take everything away from the responsible folks that worked hard, planned and saved for retirement.
Local school board wants add another $1,2000\year of my money in taxes, to build a indoor swimming facility, a new elementary school that looks like a college campus, and a football field for middle school.

Sunlight gets me up usually. Being retired, there’s not always something that needs to be done early. But…I need to change fluids and filters on the Kubota RTV today, and I’m stalling.

Keeps me young and active...$$$ are a big plus too!

Why, I get up in the morning?

To be honest.......pee, coffee, feed Jessie, watch news while reading the paper..

my dog won't let me sleep past 7:00am.

Love the saying "work hard and play harder"

My hobbies really do motivate my life. Sometimes I think if I could sit around and play video games or had a way to sit at home and be happy, I would have so much more money. I asked my hunting/fishing partner awhile back if he could imagine life without hunting or fishing. His eyes actually got big and the face he made actually made me realize he never had considered it. His response was "absolutely not" and I just giggled and said "ya me either."

I did a rough guesstimate of what I have in toys and what I have spent on hunting and fishing. I could of probably paid off my last house with what I have in it all. Granted, boats are still on loan for another year, and the trucks I wear out right as soon as I pay them off, so there is always that. So I guess what gets me up in the morning is knowing I have to work to ensure my own happiness because of how hard I do play year around.

I don't necessarily enjoy work (the getting up early, getting home late and dealing with COVID and all the BS around it first hand), but being a nurse is rewarding in its own way. Love the patients, hate the drama around the hospital and the politics involved but if I only focus on the medicine and my patients, I really do enjoy my job and the challenges of helping someone through their toughest time.

Why? Because the alternative is very unappealing!

My family

Look forward to every day. Retired 2 years ago and my wife 5 years ago. Just having our good health is enough to make me get up and enjoy the day. Enjoy the morning coffee and go from there. We both worked over 45 years to get to where you don`t answer to the man anymore. Enjoy that monthly SS check that I thought we would never get. Losing several good friends and coworkers' way to young the past 2-3 years makes you appreciate what you have. Tomorrow is never promised.

The wife and I are retired but we still get up between 5:00-5:30. Turn on Fox Business and read the WSJ while savoring my coffee.

This 100%. I absolutely love getting up early with my boy on Saturday and Sunday mornings (only days I get to)

THIS - my health, my wife, my family, my life - God is good - I wake up each morning and think about what I can do for all of them and any strangers I run across - very fulfilling for sure

Just my nature, not a sleeper.

Bladder, bills, and getting cows fed.

I can’t retire yet….

Yessir!

I got 3 dogs to get outta the house before they leave me a little sumptin to clean up. That and I need some coffee. It really sucks when I wake up naturally before 6 though.

Purpose and thankful for many blessings.

It's all about perspective. To me, anyone griping about going to work, or be self employed making very little per hour would have thousands or people ready to trade place with you any day. Body tired and sore? There's people in wheel chairs that would trade with you. Working two jobs? There's people struggling to get one job. Wife and kids bugging you? There's people that live all alone, that just want someone to talk to. Don't want to take care of the yard? There's homeless people that don't even have a roof over their heads. Kids having trouble in school? There are babies in St.Jude Children's hospital.

Life is about perspective. Seeing how bad it can really get, makes me thankful for what I "get to do today". And all the loved people in my life.

^^^ well said JG. Sometimes we forget just how blessed we really are

Enjoying life the best I can while making as many other people smile as possible! The more people you make smile, the happier you will be!

Turtlehead most days

No doubt, fellas. Thanks to the Good Lord, I know I'm blessed WAY beyond what I deserve (which, by the way, is the eternal fires of Hell).

If talking in the strictly financial aspect, it is to provide for my family in the best way I possibly can, and to reach my personal goals. In the overall sense, to be the best husband, Dad, and Believer I can be. I've always been a "doer" and very competitive, so I try to better myself by seeking constant improvement, so every day I wake up and do everything I can to live my life and fulfill my roles to the best of my ability. I don't want to look back at my life when I'm old and think that I underachieved or did not give my best with my family and career or in the areas that matter to me. That's a big part of what motivates me.

Three of my younger kids asked why I had to work so much. Often times I work 13 days straight and plenty of 18 hour days. I told them that I need to keep the bills paid and bellies full. They couldn't grasp the concept so I tripped the breaker for the house, said this is what it's like when bills aren't paid, smiled, and went to work.

I keep getting up everyday because I know I only have a few more years till retirement. We will retire to the family ranch in Cotulla or we'll go to Alpine. Any place where I don't have to deal with people on a daily basis.

Honestly I have nothing to complain about. I have a wonderful family, a great career/business, and I am blessed far beyond I could ever imagine with my income and the things it has bought for us.

Twenty years ago our family car was bought for 2k and had 200,000 miles and no AC. We lived in a 45k house and had no savings or investments. I was working three different jobs to get by. We were happy then and just assumed that was the way things were going to be. Now we have three paid for houses, a paid for ranch, drive whatever we want, and could retire today if we wanted too.

All that said I don’t know the why. Honestly I am not sure if I am any happier today than I was 20 years ago. I just keep doing what I do because of habit I guess. There is nothing bad or anything to gripe about but at the same time there isn’t some magical thing that motivates me. I guess it just feels like I have responsibilities and I take care of them.