TLDR: Why FIRE and what happens next?

Financial Independence Retire Early (FIRE) is slowly becoming a mainstream idea. Especially post Subprime crisis. But if we take a step back and understand the fundamental question of all.

Why FIRE?

Many of you would have various reasons to FIRE. Here are some common ones.

1. Financial Independence - Unless you are born with a silver spoon, most of you would have to work hard to get to a position where you would consider yourself financially independent. That by itself can be goal for starting this journey.

2. Lessons from parents / family - You have grown up with tough conditions, parents living pay check to check or even worse underwater in debt. Constantly struggling to make ends meet. You swore to yourself that you will never let that happen to yourself and plan for it

3. Legacy / Inheritance - Maybe as an extension of the previous point, you have decided on your own that you should have enough financial latitude to provide for your kids’ expenses, education, wedding, needs and wants. Maybe even provide an inheritance or legacy to your grandkids.

4. 9 to 5 monotony - Others have reached a point in their careers where the monotony of the job is too much to take and want to do something about it

5. Hating your job - Another extreme case of 9 to 5 monotony is that you hate your job. It started out interesting, exciting, even exhilarating. But after a few promotions and change in job scope you don’t enjoy it anymore

6. Love your job but hate your boss/colleagues/workplace - This is another scenario where you love your job but hate the work environment either because of the people involved or the work culture / politics

7. Hate the industry - You work for a company that provides a great pay check, good perks but the job is soul sucking because of what you do. Be it oil and gas, banking, law or anything else where you find some of the worst in humanity and you hate your guts for being a part of it

8. Mid-life crisis - This is probably an amalgamation of the above points to some degree, but you want to explore alternate options

9. Being your own boss - You feel that you have been working for someone all your life, but you want to pursue something of your own. Be the entrepreneur that you are dying to become

10. Philosophical / Spiritual - Your quest has taken a spiritual bend now., you question the need to continue this job. The need to understand yourself better, explore philosophy, religion (maybe) and spirituality

I am sure there are more reasons to start on FIRE that doesn’t revolve around any of these 10 points. You might have your own reason for FIRE. But i would assume most FIRE pursuers will fall in this 10 point spectrum, maybe with a few overlaps.

Where do i stand?

Where do i stand in this list? I would probably say it is a mix of multiple factors. I have covered some of the reasons in my Why this blog? post for those who are interested in knowing.

Post FIRE

So after FIRE, what happens? Do you sit at a beach somewhere sipping Mai Tais and Mojitos enjoying the sunrise and sunsets? I am sure you could do that. But the novelty of doing it will wear out pretty quickly.

Given that you are no longer dependent on income from a job to support yourself, the world is your oyster.

• Learn to scuba

• Tutor kids

• Discover your passion.

• Pick up new hobbies

• Volunteer your time (and money)

• Listen

• Travel

• Travel some more

• Live your life now and not wait to do it in your 60s and 70s.