I lost my job (twice!) in Japan, and it was the best thing that could have happened...

[@GregK235]

I can relate to how comfort can lead to complacency, then stagnation. Good to hear that you had the mindset to move forward to better things.

[@RetireJapan_OG]

The good thing about these stressful situations is that you don't really get a choice 😅

[@GregK235]

@@RetireJapan_OG Interesting to hear that you were an ALT coordinator. I'm a former Miyagi AET; so, that brings back memories.

[@BlackCatBCB]

I remember when I’ve lost my first job in Japan lol. It was so stressful. Now I have PR and I’m tired of my current job. But same, it’s well payed, comfortable so to speak… I have been working for this company for almost 10 years. I need to change.

[@RetireJapan_OG]

My longest job was 13 years! Good luck figuring out what you want to do 😀

[@KellyPettit]

Ben san, not enough space here to express my total "I concur" on this, BUT, losing my full time job led me to meeting my wife and then a family. Having a family, let me to pull up my socks and learn how to provide for others, reading books like Andrew Hallam, and then YOU. I guess it's hard at the moment to understand that things could get better, but unless it's based on health, they often do. Nice little post here for me. Thank you!

[@RetireJapan_OG]

Thanks for watching! Always appreciate the encouragement 😃

[@jasonsmith6106]

Love hearing these growth stories. Always a good reminder that pushing out of comfort benefits in the long run. Looking forward to your next story.

[@RetireJapan_OG]

Thank you 😊

[@emikami1]

I think any job loss which was comfortable turns out that way. Necessity is a mother of all inventions. If you are comfortable in a job, it pays well enough to get by, etc., there's no necessity to change anything. But once your comfort is taken away, the necessity to do something very quickly happens. You end up working a lot harder than if you were still in the comfort zone. The irony of reaching financial independence is that once you get to that comfort zone, there's no necessity to build more wealth aside from protecting against nuclear disaster or something that is much more expensive than just achieving financial independence within a peaceful period with no hyper-inflation for an extended period of time. There are definitely degrees of financial independence.

[@infinitygears6388]

That hermit crab analogy is perfect!

[@RetireJapan_OG]

Thanks! It just came to me so glad it wasn't out of place 😅

[@universalcovers2016]

👏👏👏

[@nicholashughes8214]

Interesting story! A lot of the people i know in Japan who have done well for themselves have tended to be the ones who are willing to try new jobs and new employers. The most depressing and sad thing i have seen is when you have some 40/50 year old who has spent 20+ plus years teaching English and they are just totally stuck in that role and not really capable of doing anything else

[@RetireJapan_OG]

My career in Japan has been almost exclusively in English teaching, but I've been lucky enough to have been able to expeience a number of different situations and roles.

[@stevenobinator2229]

Where did you end up?

[@RetireJapan_OG]

What do you mean?

[@stevenobinator2229]

@@RetireJapan_OG after the university job? I'm contemplating a job in saitama, pay 6mil for the yr. But I don't wanna teach for long. Just wanna know if I can get into something else

[@RetireJapan_OG]

@@stevenobinator2229 Oh, I retired from formal work. I make a little bit of money from writing and from RetireJapan, but don't need it to live.

[@stevenobinator2229]

@@RetireJapan_OG Ya I'm the same, but I cannot get a visa for Japan long term. Only 1 yr, tourist visa for high asset