Affirmation/confirmation

It’s funny how when you’re thinking about something and then a lot of the things you come across support/affirm/reinforce what you’re thinking about in some way. I’m sure it’s just confirmation bias, but it’s good when the things are helpful.

Like this article in the New York Times, What Does Retirement Really Mean? [gift link]

I didn’t really think I needed any affirmation of my decision to finish with my job, but then I read the article and especially these two quotes and I thought, uh huh, yep, that’s it.

“If the joy of your work has left you, it is time.”

“Do it as soon as you can afford to. There is so much more to life than work. Literally every day is a Saturday.”

And then there’s Roger Federer’s recent commencement speech at Dartmouth College, where he says:

“So I never went to college… but I did graduate recently.
I graduated tennis.
I know the word is “retire.” “Roger Federer retired from tennis.” Retired… The word is awful.
You wouldn’t say you retired from college, right? Sounds terrible.
Like you, I’ve finished one big thing and I’m moving on to the next.
Like you, I’m figuring out what that is.
Graduates, I feel your pain.
I know what it’s like when people keep asking what your plan is for the rest of your life.
They ask me: “Now that you are not a professional tennis player, what do you do?”
I don’t know… and it’s OK not to know.
So what do I do with my time?
I’m a dad first, so, I guess, I drive my kids to school?
Play chess online against strangers?
Vacuum the house?
No, in truth, I’m loving the life of a tennis graduate. I graduated tennis in 2022, and you are graduating college in 2024.”

Roger Federer graduated tennis in 2022 and is still figuring out what’s next: “I don’t know, and it’s OK not to know.”