Always Remember Why You Work

And that life may bring you surprises

Photo by Harli Marten on Unsplash

I was self employed for most of my working life. My attitude always was that I worked in order for my wife and family to be able to enjoy our lives.

I had marketable skills that were in high demand. I could have worked to pile up money with a goal of early retirement as the FIRE movement folks do, but my feeling always was that you never know what the future might bring. It might bring crippling disease or death, so “gather ye rosebuds while ye may”. If you are lucky enough to accumulate freedom money before any bad things happen, FIRE works.

Financial Independence, Retire Early (FIRE) Definition

Time cannot be banked — or can it?

If not, you have lost time you can’t recover. Millions in the bank have far less value if you cannot walk,or spend your days consumed by pain. That pile of money will help your family if you are dead, but do you think they might have wanted to trade some of that for more quality time with you?

You don’t need to retire at 35, or 45, or even 75 if your health is good. You have…