Financial Independence, Retire Early (Part 1)

To those unfamiliar with the concept, Financial Independence, Retire Early (FI/RE) can sound almost revolutionary. The first question people often ask is: “Why aren’t you working?” or more directly, “What are you doing?”

The better question, in my opinion, is this: What if it were possible for someone to generate more cashflow than they actually need? If money is no longer the only goal, what else might you do with your life?

After taking a long break from the traditional grind—and not doing much that was directly related to money—I eventually chose to return to finance and investing. That decision remains a joy. Long before Covid-19 made remote work fashionable, I was already working from home, fully in control of my own time. Whether stepping away or stepping back into investing, the choice was always mine.

As an investor, I found myself exploring—not deeply but widely—across industries, sectors, geographies, and jurisdictions. The scope of inquiry was mine to decide. Along the way, I learned not only about those specifics, but also about the finer points of the investment world itself.

This post is not written to boast about past years. In fact, it matters less today, as the world cycles into a more inflationary era and my cashflow is not what it once was. Rather, I share this to highlight to readers that there are alternatives to the 9-to-5. Time is money—but time is also life. And my belief is that I spent it well.

I recommend the following Kindle book that introduces the concept of early retirement.  If you would like to read reviews about the book and may consider buying it, click here.