I started out working at a state-owned company after graduation. At that time, I worked so diligently that I was already considered for a promotion after only three months. I had planned to work until retirement age to ensure a stable pension for my old age.

I also took on side work after hours. As a result, after 10 years, I was able to buy my first home without any financial help or debt. That was also when I decided to leave my first company and work for private businesses, hoping to increase my income.

Seven years later, I bought a second house worth nearly 15 times my first one, still without borrowing a dime. By the time I turned 40, I was in a mid-level management position and planned to retire when my wife and I could together earn about VND20 million per month in passive income. That amount would be just enough for a comfortable life.

But I continued working until I was 60, by which time my passive income had already far exceeded my original goal. I could not fully retire, as my employer wanted me to stay on. It was only this year, now that I am nearly 70, that I decided to step away and officially end my career.

However, an acquaintance then approached me, seeking to enlist me as an advisor for their company. Persuaded by their enthusiasm, I agreed to work there part-time, with no obligation to be in the office every day, and with a salary based on the number of times I checked in rather than on hours worked. This arrangement keeps free from strict time commitments and allows plenty of time to take my wife on trips. I plan to continue this role for another two years before fully retiring.

For me, retiring early is ideal if finances allow, but working past retirement is not necessarily a bad choice. Sometimes, people continue working not out of necessity, but because they still add value and are needed. Doing so does not necessarily take opportunities away from younger generations.

Nonetheless, hard work, wealth accumulation and preparation from an early age are essential to afford the luxury of choosing either.

*This opinion was submitted by a reader and translated into English. Readers’ views are personal and do not necessarily match VnExpress’ viewpoints.