FAZ Article (free and translated)

The following is a translated version of the article that appeared in the August 10, 2024 version of the Germany's second-largest newspaper, Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung. I just returned from a three-week trip to Iceland/Finland, so apologies for the delay. I spoke with the interviewers for about eighty minutes but probably 95% of what I had to say was not included. I'll also note three clarifications that should be made, as something might have been lost in translation. #1. The 20-30 opioid prescriptions daily were not all invalid but rather a mix of legally invalid and ethically dubious. #2. I did not just call and immediately quit, but I gave a two-week notice. #3. The question of whether I would do it again was offered in the context of would I choose pharmacy as the method, to which I answered no.

 

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If money weren't an issue, many people would probably spend their time very differently than they currently do. Traveling, volunteer work, pursuing hobbies, a different job—the list of possibilities is long. However, very few have the financial freedom to quit their job and only do what they enjoy. Here, we tell the stories of two people who, thanks to high-paying jobs, have earned enough money and can now follow their own definition of "enjoying life."

Jason Long

Working in a job you hate but retiring before the age of 40? That’s exactly how it went for Jason Long from Tennessee. The 45-year-old worked as a pharmacist for the U.S. drugstore chain CVS for twelve years before quitting his job at the age of 38.

"Sure, we can talk on the phone as long as we don't have to set a specific time," Long replied when we asked for an interview. His days have not been strictly scheduled since retirement. He no longer wants to have any stress in his everyday life, he says.

Jason Long’s parents came from poorer backgrounds and wanted a financially stable future for their son. When he asked them which profession would earn him a lot of money, the answer was: doctor or lawyer. He initially decided on the former but switched to pharmacy after a few semesters, a job that offered a starting salary of nearly $100,000 at the time of his graduation.

Even during his studies, Long calculated that he could save around $60,000 a year with this salary if he lived frugally. Over time, he would save enough money that the returns on it would exceed his income. His goal was to save a million dollars before retiring.

"I hated almost every second." That's the first thing Jason Long has to say about his former job. "I went into it thinking I was providing medical care and helping people. I was completely wrong." At 26, he started at CVS, a drugstore chain comparable in size to a German supermarket. When Jason Long describes his workday, one theme stands out—the opioid crisis. Every day, he had to deal with 20 to 30 opioid addicts trying to submit invalid prescriptions. He was regularly yelled at, insulted, and threatened when he refused to dispense the medications or when there were other issues with the prescriptions, he recalls.

"You might think, oh man, if I were earning that much money and all I had to do was get yelled at occasionally, I wouldn’t complain. But after a while, you can’t take it anymore," he reports.

In addition, Jason often had to work weekends, nights, and 14-hour shifts. The work also took a physical toll on him, despite the fact that he was running marathons and physically fit at the time. "You just stand there, circle your hips, count pills in your head, and stare at a screen."

The day he finally quit his job seven years ago is etched in his memory. He had been assigned to the most stressful store for two weeks, he recalls. When he saw the schedule, he picked up the phone and quit. His first thought: "Oh my God, I never have to go back there again."

By that time, Jason had already made a list of things he wanted to do in his newly won free time: brush up on his Spanish and Japanese, spend more time with his family, write a screenplay, get involved in fighting opioid addiction, do volunteer work, and much more. The list has 46 items in total.

Traveling also made the list. Jason Long spends about two months a year traveling the world, mostly with his wife. He starts to talk about a three-week vacation through Europe, a four-week trip through California, a month-long excursion to Ireland and the United Kingdom. By now, Long has visited all 50 U.S. states and 30 countries. "I really underestimated how much free time I would have. I quickly checked off my list."

Jason invests his money in index funds that yield about 10 percent returns. His original investments have now roughly tripled, he reports. Every month, he looks at his expenses and sells the corresponding amount of shares.

"Would I do it again? I'm inclined to say no," Long explains. While he would still pursue early retirement, he would try to find a job that is "at least tolerable or even fun."

He chose the easiest path at the time: an industry with high demand for skilled workers. "If I had to choose again between a job that pays a little less but is fun, I would definitely go for that." Still, he doesn’t regret his path and enjoys the ample time he now has at his disposal. "I don’t have long-term plans. I don’t even know what I’m doing tomorrow, but that’s absolutely okay.