I'll offer a slightly different perspective.
I don't disagree about early retirement and pursuing your hobbies/interests, and shifting your energy into different types of commitments, be it family etc. These are important to you and ways to enrich your life and those around you.
Since embarking on my academic journey mid-career and as a mature student, my perspective on "retirement" would offend most people here and that is to leverage my personal, professional, and academic experience to make a positive impact in my community, my country, and globally. Volunteering for a cause you believe in is often a great start and a very rewarding experience. Since going back to school, I've made a greater impact to causes that are important to me in a much shorter period of time than I had ever before, and that alone has been a very rewarding experience.
Of course, all of this has to come with some source of financial stream and balance of personal interests, but retiring to nothingness and without a roadmap no longer seems appealing to me anymore. I'm not suggesting which is right or wrong, or better or worse, but instead, I would reframe your thought process to design your own life and to approach whatever it is that you choose to with curiosity (women included.) Even if it means pursuing a rich fob girl (or as someone suggested, a Japanese farm girl.
