Saturday, July 9, 2016

One is the Loneliest Number


When you embark on the path to financial independence, more than likely, you're going to find the journey is a lonely one. After all, people aren't trampling over each another to do this thing the way they're trying to get up the corporate ladder.



I mentioned in another post that you shouldn't go around telling anyone your plans/accomplishments about achieving FI or retiring early. There are plenty of reasons for this; some obvious. After all, would you announce in public, among a crowd of strangers, that you've got thousands of dollars stashed away? I highly doubt it. If you're that kind of person, God help you! So, to reiterate, you should probably stay quiet about what you're doing.

It takes almost as much discipline to keep quiet about your accomplishments as it does to cut your expenses so you can funnel money into growing your investments. You're going to be tempted to celebrate when you see your hard work pay off when the numbers in your accounts slowly begin to rise. First, you'll hit ten thousand dollars. That's enough cash to buy a really nice used car. Then, it'll be twenty-five thousand. You could buy a new car for that, even if it is a mid-class model. Then comes fifty. Oh my gosh, it's really starting to blossom! There's one-hundred thousand dollars in your account! That's...that's more money than you've ever had at your disposal at one time. And you could technically withdraw it and go on a crazy spending spree. That's a good down payment on a house.

But that's not the kind of person you are now. Not anymore. You've developed discipline. Hardened yourself against such silly temptations. You're not a mindless consumer. At this point, you know that money is to buy your future freedom. That amount could buy about four years without having to work if you're frugal enough. Still, you look at that six-figure number. You entertain thoughts of what your old self could do with it. It's a heck of an accomplishment. How many of your friends readily have a hundred grand at their disposal? Probably none.

You'll want to share your joy with someone. Anyone. It's hard to wipe the big dumb smile off your face. Once you realize you've got to keep it to yourself, your expression slackens a bit. Now, you just wear a smug grin, but it's there. You're a seasoned saver. A good distance down the path to financial independence.

Milestones are great. They give you something to strive for. Keeping you motivated to continue shoveling money into savings. Each subsequent milestone becomes a quest you strive to conquer, and, with reaching each one, you find yourself that much closer to living your life on your terms.

However, if you're like me, your accomplishment won't be as sweet because it's not like a shiny new car you can cruise around the block to impress your friends. I can share my accomplishments with my wife, but because we keep separate finances, she doesn't share my level of enthusiasm when I hit a new milestone. It loses some of its excitement because I have to keep it relatively quiet, like having a secret identity.

Fortunately, for us solitary travelers, there are online communities where we can commiserate with others, sharing our trials and tribulations anonymously. These are nice outlets. Oases in the desert of our mundane working lives. Places to compare strategies. Vent frustrations. And celebrate reaching our milestones.

It can be tough going. There will be plenty of stretches along the way when you become discouraged. Maybe it feels like it's taking too long to reach a certain milestone (fifty-thousand felt like this for me). You will have set backs that will test your will to keep going. These are all normal. Everyone on this path experiences them to some degree. So, rest assured: you're not alone.

Just keep putting one foot in front of the other and trudging forward. Before long, you'll stop, look around, and realize you've finally reached the pinnacle. You've arrived at the summit of Financial Independence. If you choose to, you can release the shackles of working for someone else. You've got enough to purchase your freedom.

2 comments:

  1. We feel the same about staying under the radar friends and acquaintances. The blog-o-sphere is where we really connect with people, especially our co-bloggers. There certainly is a lot of trudge work involved. In the past we've used 2-year and 3-year plans to keep ourselves motivated by a goal we can see ourselves achieving. Cool post!

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    1. I agree, Mrs. Groovy. The FI blog-o-sphere is certainly a fun, insightful community to be a part of. That's a good idea with the 2- and 3-year goals. Like eating an elephant; one bite at a time.

      Thanks for stopping by.

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