Tired of the FIRE Movement? Get FIRED Instead
FIRED = Financially Independent, Retire Early Differently
Being FIRED is not the same as the unachievable FIRE Movement you’ve heard of for years.
Being FIRED is for everyone who doesn’t want to skimp on money and life, just to not work and skimp some more.
While the FIRE Movement focuses on saving 75% (or more) of your income, so you retire “completely” at an extremely young age (and do what exactly?), being FIRED is saving more than the average, so at some point, you’re financially comfortable to have flexibility and freedom.
Flexibility on what jobs you take, how often you need to work, or where you live.
Take a lower-paying job (with hopefully less stress) with an organization focused on a mission that you’re passionate about.
Work for six months, then travel for six months with your family. Then repeat.
Live internationally and work remotely or odd jobs to fund life.
Sounds ideal, right?
And it can be a reality for many unfulfilled folks with their current lifestyles.
Similar to FIRE, being FIRED is a planned life — a life with purpose and freedom. And one that you can enjoy earlier in life or later in life.
Freedom = The opportunity to decide what I do, where I do it, and with whom I do it…every day.
4 Core Tenants of FIRED = Go W.I.L.D.
Go W.I.L.D. about being FIRED — the 4 core tenants:
- Wild Dreaming
- Intentional Money
- Lofty Action
- Disproportional Giving
Wild Dreaming
Develop an ideal lifestyle.
What does it look like? Where will you be? What will you do?
Make it exciting. Don’t be held up by current limitations — as you work toward being FIRED, you’ll get more creative. And anything is possible.
Have a picture of the end in mind, so you know where you’re going, when you’re off track, or when to say no to stay focused.
Write down your plan.
Where do you live? Maybe you don’t want to pick one place, you want to summer in one place and winter in another. Or change destinations every six months.
Tip: The plan, dream, and ideal life may change — we’re talking years and decades — so don’t be frustrated when the trailhead changes, just continue to put one foot in front of the other.
Intentional Money
Figure out the money to make your plan a reality.
What is the minimum amount you need to stop saving for retirement? Then you only have to pay your living costs, as you need them.
What type of “retire early different” lifestyle do you want?
1/ The full retirement (no work, ever again).
The hardest to reach. Need to make and save significant funds. The plan is to live off of the income generated from investments.
2/ The hybrid retirement (part-time work or regular gap years).
A possibility to those that plan and focus (which could be all of us!). Save “enough” money, then play and work as wanted.
Those FIRE influences that you follow are more likely living a FIRED life — they’re still making income, but they only need to make enough to live off of — and their original investments continue to grow and provide a solid foundation for full retirement.
Lofty Action
Make it happen.
Take massive action toward your goal.
Afraid? I’m more afraid of living my current lifestyle for another 25 years.
We could die at any moment.
Don’t regret your life spent at work and no play. Your spouse, child, or parent could die at any moment. Don’t regret not spending more time with them.
No one else has as much at stake as you do. Make it your motivator.
Your company will ultimately look after itself, not you. Your friends will ultimately look after themselves, not you. Your boss will ultimately look after himself or herself, not you.
Remember that only you have the power to help yourself. You can make choices, find the focus, and create your ideal life.
Need support? There are lots of examples of folks bucking the status quo and living a purposeful life.
Think this is impossible because you have a young family? Here is a family who made it happen — Modern FImily. Use them for inspiration!
Disproportional Giving
You need support and others do too.
This is a lifestyle not discussed much online, in the news, or at family gatherings.
Most people don’t know anyone who has made this happen — but we all know someone who has worked 40 years at a corporate job, then retired too tired to live their dreams.
There are lots of folks bucking the status quo and living a purposeful life — but we need to support them and motivate those just starting.
We have life backward.
You’ll be a pariah, but don’t live someone else’s life.
Live your life to the fullest.
I’d rather work when I’m 75, than at 45.
When I’m 75 I won’t have the energy for treks in the mountains of Asia, walking cobblestone streets in Europe, or riding converted school buses in South America. On medications, living off memories of adventures and food.
Time spent with family — coaching sports, supporting education, and participating in the moments that only happen when they’re young.
At 45 you can do this. At 75 you (more than likely) can’t.
We have life backward.
We’re working during our peak years — to save money for our old age. Flip this on its head.
Spend minimal time working to not stress about money, but make life your priority in your peak physical and mental life.
Work during those boring old age years — when your memories feed you, not your daydreams.
And what might happen, is you find your passion along the way, and working doesn’t seem like a rat race.
But to just continue doing what you’re doing today, expecting something to change in the future, is insanity.
Change something now! Make a plan. Execute the plan. Live life to the fullest.
What is more important to you today? Spending part of your weekend with your children, spouse, or friends? Or would you rather spend seven days a week with them?
Never miss a moment while you’re sitting in front of your laptop, listening to another reoccurring conference call, about the same topic discussed the past six weeks.
You get to choose the life you want. You’ve made decisions to get you where you are today. You can make decisions to get you where you’d like to be tomorrow.
If you’re stressed, unhappy, unfulfilled, angry, or annoyed with where you are today, then make decisions to change your life for tomorrow.
Work? Relationships? Location? All changeable.
Ask yourself the hard questions.
- What happens if you work for 40 years and retire, then die the next day? Will you be satisfied with the life you lived?
- What happens if you chase your passions (family, travel, charity), then you run out of money and have to work again at age 65? Will you be satisfied with the life you lived?
- What if you died tomorrow?
These are all tough questions to ask. But even harder to answer. The answers are scary.
They’re scary because most of us aren’t satisfied with the status quo — working a pointless job for 40 years, retiring worn out, and finally ready to live a life that could end at any moment.
But the status quo is the easy route. The traditional route that “everyone” does, right?
- What if you could take a gap year and spend the 12 months with your children?
- What if you could work six months and take six months traveling?
- What if you could work for passion rather than the paycheck?
These seem like the right questions to ask (and try to answer) for an extraordinary life.
I’m ready to be FIRED.
And I know the worst case is I have more money saved for retirement (better financial control) and I know what I want the future to look like (life planning).
The question now is…are you ready to be FIRED?
I’ll provide more details in future issues and my online writing — don’t miss out and share with your family and friends!
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