What Financial Independence is to me now is watching my wife find joy in volunteering at our local elementary school, doing homework with my kids, coaching my son’s basketball team, learning Spanish alongside my daughter and……

Last month, a client asked me what financial independence (FI) meant to me.  I tried to answer succinctly but as I rambled on, I realized my thoughts were anything but organized.  Since then, I’ve continued to ponder the question and this is my attempt to articulate what FI has meant and continues to mean to me.

Financial independence is a state of financial well-being where an individual has enough wealth to support their desired lifestyle without relying on active income from employment. ~ Perplexity

1st Inning

Financial Independence started as a generic goal of mine to work less and earn more.  The initial idea came from a time when I was a boy and made more money from investing in a couple of mutual funds than I did raising cattle.  If I could pull off saving and investing after college maybe I could retire early and live on the beach.

2nd Inning

Later in life and after a couple of vacations that were a bit too relaxing, I figured beach life wasn’t for me.  I needed a purpose and work fulfilled part of that purpose, I just needed to figure out what that work would be.  The new plan was to continue saving and investing but to follow my passions and find a picturesque place to live once I had “enough”.

3rd Inning

Well, it didn’t take but a couple more years to realize that following my passions was more of a process than a destination.  The process of spending less, saving more, and ultimately investing wisely was becoming one of those skills, or passions that I was looking for.  I ended up launching HIT Capital in 2013 and began trying my hand at professional investing while still working as an engineer for a corporation.  

4th Inning

I began to close in on “enough” and what soon followed was magical. The corporate engineering role I had been working toward retiring from became more enjoyable.  I started to become more thankful for what I had and could see the blessings of being part of a team, having a caring boss, learning from a progressive Python team, and working on a breakthrough reserves automation program.  Even the things I used to find mundane at work, like repetitive meetings, cafeteria food, and my commute (which was by bike–driving still stinks) became events I looked forward to.  When work became a choice, my choice, my appreciation, and ultimately my happiness increased.

5th Inning

The fifth inning involved moving on from the corporate role, two years after I had reached “enough” and was the beginning of leaning into the wealth of opportunities financial independence creates.  It sounded wonderful, and it is, but for me, this inning was dark and entailed anxiety, more self-learning, and grappling with choice overload.  (more on this in the links below).

Anxiety: The last hurdle before Financial Freedom – Part 1

Choice Overload Bias: Financial Freedom’s Hidden Hurdle – Part 2

6 Steps I Took to Conquer My Choice Overload Bias – Part 3

6th Inning

Then came the sixth inning, and where I find myself now.  After spending multiple years developing my passions and seeking out the optimal place to live I’ve learned to love where we already are.  What financial independence means to me now is my day-to-day opportunities of watching my wife find joy in volunteering at our local elementary school, coaching my boys’ basketball team, doing homework with my kids after school, and learning Spanish alongside my daughter.  If I’m not with my family, I’m hunting for hidden investment gems, adventuring with my buddies, or sharing in the joy and tears of my clients’ own financial journeys.

7th Inning

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Share what FI means to you in the comments, I’d love to learn about it!