Nupur Dave, a former Google employee, took early retirement at age 40 with intentions of using her newfound time on personal projects and building relationships with other innovators. Despite a successful decade at Google, Dave’s retirement plans soon clashed with reality.
Having based her decision on the Financial Independence and Early Retirement (FIRE) principle, Dave quickly started missing human contact, finding a disparity between her expectations and her new reality. Dave had planned well for her retirement—earning a steady annual income of $100,000 in San Francisco and bolstering her savings. She anticipated that income from her two published books and consultancy work would be enough to fund her retirement.
Dave opted for a strategic move to a more affordable city, selling her San Francisco home and moving to Oregon. Even then, to extend her savings, she chose to retire in Bengaluru, India. “The idea of retirement became practical when I made the decision to relocate to India,” she stated. The lower cost of living and the rich cultural experiences in Bengaluru also seemed attractive and promising.
However, after experiencing emotional isolation for four months, Dave was compelled to return to work. She accepted a job as a director of special projects at an electric vehicle infrastructure company in the same city. The remote work culture during the pandemic made her yearn for work-related social interactions and a sense of purpose. The experience gave her a newfound appreciation for career camaraderie and accomplishment.
Like Dave, many early retirees find it challenging to adjust to a new life without the structure and routine of traditional employment. “While it’s appealing to think, ‘I enjoy being my own boss,’ the sense of profound independence can indeed be quite daunting,” Dave explained. Despite the challenges, she also acknowledged early retirement’s potential benefits, but stressed the importance of thorough planning and preparation for a proper transition into this new life.
