"That is what I am after - when I have moments like the above, I want to have the option to remain in them."
Ever since writing those words in my last article, that's all I have been thinking about.
I explained in my second-ever post that financial independence is NOT the ultimate goal. The ultimate goal is to be able to do what I enjoy and what is good for my long-term health whenever I please.
Financial independence is one way of getting to that goal, but it is not the only path.
The 4-Hour Work Week
I read The 4-Hour Work Week by Tim Ferris originally in 2020, but I listened to the audiobook of it again last week.
For those who are not familiar with this book, I will give a quick summary of the primary theme.
Old Rich Vs. New Rich
There are two types of rich people - the old rich and the new rich. They both want the same out of life for the most part, but they look at work, goals, and life in general completely differently.
The old rich want to accumulate enough wealth, so that one day they can have the option to leave the workforce entirely. Once they reach this point, some continue to work for more money and others choose not to.
The new rich want to craft a lifestyle in the present that optimizes their time to the fullest, so they can work when they want and also create their dream lifestyle right now.
The new rich do not hate working, they hate inefficiency. They believe that most 40-hour workweek jobs can be accomplished efficiently remotely in 10 hours or less a week.
The new rich are willing to put in more work upfront to create better systems in the long run.
Why I Am Glad I Revisited The 4-Hour Work Week
It is easy to chase a dream lifestyle that you envision way down the road. It is harder to try and make that lifestyle a reality sooner.
I am about 6 months into my 7-year journey, and I am going to start making more of an effort to create my envisioned lifestyle sooner.
I planned to do this originally in my second post. When I discussed my plan, I wrote about wanting to ensure that I do more of what I enjoy in the present, but I lost sight of this little nuance.
I am not only trying to build wealth for the future (hello 403(b), both our Roth IRAs, and our boring ol' taxable brokerage account!), but I want to create a more efficient lifestyle today. Not tomorrow.
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