Money as a Path to Freedom, There is Another Way to Live

I was introduced to financial freedom/financial independence when I met my husband, who told me early on that his goal was to retire by age 40 through his real estate investments. Financial independence is the concept of having enough income to live the life you want without having to rely on a traditional job. I used to think he was crazy and even lazy to have this goal, but as I learned more about this idea my values slowly started to shift.

Prior to this, my unconscious values I lived by was career stability and reputation amongst my family and peers. My whole life I worked hard to become a doctor because I thought “that’s what I’m supposed to do”, living by what other people thought of me. I didn’t know there was an option other than to work a full-time job until age 65yo in a stable career. I didn’t think it was an option financially or even socially acceptable.

My husband’s value on the other hand was to build a life that allows him to do the things he loves doing, which are surfing, diving, and spending time with his family. This was his motivation to invest early on in his career in real estate and build his own business, with the goal to retire by 40.

It took several years dating him for me to realize that I actually want the same. His way of thinking of money as a tool to do the things you want, gave me the freedom to think outside the box of being a doctor grinding until 65yo. When I realized it is possible to achieve financial independence, I no longer felt imprisoned to work hard in a job I don’t really love. Rather, I feel free to desire a life full of good experiences, to explore things I actually enjoy (surprise, it’s definitely not work for me), and to be present with my family.

I could retire early and pursue a lower paying passion? I can craft a life where I spend more time with my family? This revelation made me go down the rabbit hole of learning about how to achieve financial independence through the White Coat Investor Blog/Book, Rich Dad/Poor Dad, Mr. Money Mustache, Passive Income MD just to name a few.

This is only the start of our financial independence journey, and it makes me excited to pursue it. I am excited to discover new passions and watch my family grow, and build experiences together.