Retire Early or Repurpose Early?

Why do you want to become financially independent

When speaking to people aspiring to FIRE (Financial Independence, Re…. Early), I've noticed that many are more attracted to RE (Retire Early) than FI (Financial Independence). The fantasy of spending the rest of one's life on sunny beaches sipping piña coladas seems particularly compelling.

However, almost everyone I know who has achieved financial independence doesn't actually want to retire early. So, what's the disconnect? In short, idleness is not fulfilling for driven individuals. In our book, we discuss the concept of "Repurpose Early." What does this mean, and why is it the better path?

In our book FIREDOM. I share a glimpse into my own experimentation with “Retire Early” vs. “Repurpose Early”. Over the years of preparing for financial independence, I often fantasized about endless days of relaxation on the beach. And being a curious person, I wanted to "try it out" and "get a feel" for whether this lifestyle truly suits you. 

So I conducted 2 experiments: Halfway through my savings journey, I took a month off. I wanted to explore what would work for me. While skeptical of the "Retire Early" aspect, I kept an open mind. The next, upon achieving financial independence, I took a sabbatical to disconnect and discover new interests. These experiences revealed to me why "Retiring Early" is more challenging than it seems and cemented my belief that I wanted to “repurpose early”.

My experience highlighted two main insights: