Originally Posted by EarlIV

I am curious on other's opinions on this topic. I am new to this board, but it seems like a great community.

Here is my situation.

I am attorney and I have my own firm. Unfortunately, it is really just a job to me. In other words, it is not something I love. I spend a lot of my time fantasizing about giving up this job and just traveling. The problem is that I cannot take more than about 1 week off at any one time because I will not only lose money (because I only earn while I work), but I have court dates, client calls to return, etc. This means that I cannot even take a few months off to explore, rejuvenate, etc. and come back and hit the grindstone and make more money.

Now there is a part of me (a very wise part), that tells me that life is simply too short to spend time doing what you do not love. This part tells me to just quit, travel and experience life. Spend time not dreading the client calls and trying to figure out other people's problems.

But here is the rub. I make very good money. I hesitate to get too specific, but let's say that it is multiple six figures. If I stopped my practice, however, all my clients would leave and I would be starting from zero when I got back. It has taken me 10 or so years to build up this client base.As you all know, though, making money does not make your job more fulfilling.


Essentially, my plan is to work enough to save enough so that I do not have to do this job any more and can travel, etc. I know that is what several of you guys do as well.

My question to each of you is this: how long would you work to save money? I think to myself that there are a lot of people that would love to make as much money as I do. Some people could live whole years on the road for what I make in month. For that reason, it is always tempting to say to myself: "Work one more year and save another bunch of cash. Each year you work gets you another 3 or 4 years off in the future." But when do you say that it is enough.

I should also add that I am young (in my 30s) and have a wife and kids (school age). That means I am not taking off for two years straight on a RTW right now anyway. I could, though, take a few months. But how long do you put off your dreams?