As I’m sure you already know, a person reaches financial independence (or FI, for short) when they no longer need to work for money. It takes dedication and sacrifice to become financially independent. So why would someone want to get to FI in the first place? There are many reasons. Hopefully, by the time you reach the end of this post, you will know your number one reason to pursue financial independence.
“The result (of achieving FI) is liberating your most precious resource – your time – to make room for more happiness, more freedom, and more meaning.”
Your Money or Your Life by Vicki Robin and Joe Dominquez
To work or not to work?
Achieving FI doesn’t mean you’re rich with money. It means you’re rich with time. And time is so much more valuable.
If you achieve FI, you could still work if you wanted to. But you have the choice of working or not working because you don’t need to work anymore. But you don’t have to quit your job or quit working altogether. In fact, most people who have achieved FI at an early age have started working on something else that they are passionate about (a better job, volunteering, starting a new business, teaching others), and that keeps them busy and fulfilled.
Do you know adults who have a lack of freedom in their life? Are you fearful that the need to work for money will control your life? Have you thought about trying to retire before your parents?
The point of FI is so you can choose to do what you want with your time. We only have one life and, therefore, a finite amount of time in each of our lives. Time is our most precious resource. As you advance in life and your remaining time becomes less and less, your time also becomes more valuable. So, by reaching FI as early as you can, you are optimizing your resource of time, which allows you to live your best life.
Options once you reach FI
By reaching FI as early as you can, you will reclaim decades of your time back. You will be rich with time. You will be a Freak. When you reach FI, there are countless options to fill your time since you will no longer have to work 40 to 60 hours a week. Here are just a few options. Which one of these looks best to you?
- Continue working your job because you happen to enjoy it
- Start a new business
- Travel
- Spend time with friends and family
- Volunteer
- Write
- Create
- Ski, hike or run
- Explore a hobby
- Start a family
- Take advantage of a new opportunity
- Build a treehouse
- Learn something new
- Travel to amazing places
- Go on adventures
- Raise your kids
- Exercise more
- Sleep in
- Create art
- Travel the country in a motor home
- Political activism
- Learn to play the guitar
- Go fishing or golfing
- Follow your favorite band to a few festivals
- Spend time talking to senior citizens at a senior home
- Work on cars and engines
Now, yes, you could do one or two of these things even while working a full-time job. But imagine how many of them you could do if you had 40-60 hours more time per week. When you are financially independent, the options are endless because you are rich with time. You have so much of it, and you can spend it however you want. So why not start to pursue financial independence now?
“Once you have reached financial independence, you are no longer tied down to your salaried job. You don’t have to quit, but you have the option to quit. After achieving financial independence, you can confidently walk into your boss’s office and ask for a raise, extended time off, to work remotely, or anything else that will make your day-to-day life more enjoyable.”
What’s your number one reason to pursue financial independence?
By acting now to achieve FI as soon as you can, you will become rich with time. And then you can ski or write or practice the guitar or spend time with your friends or any other thing you wish to do. Having freedom of time is a beautiful gift!
So, what is your number one reason for reaching FI? Comment below!
“While it is safe to say that money isn’t necessarily a source of happiness, those who build wealth and attain financial freedom generally have more choices in life and more opportunities to seek that happiness than those who do not.”
Great article!
This is an awesome post emphasizing the true essence of FI! Time is precious. Great article Dan!
Well written and very inspirational Dan! Love the emphasis on time being our greatest treasure. Unlock time and a whole world of opportunity opens up to you.