Financial independence gets framed like something you either figured out early or didn't. That framing isn't helpful.
Most people weren't making bad decisions. They were making decisions without full information. No one explained how flexibility is funded, how tradeoffs compound, or how to think long-term without turning money into a full-time mental load.
The reality is that financial independence is built step by step. Not by being perfect. Not by timing things exactly right. But by asking the right questions in the right order.
Here's how I think about it:
Step 1: What kind of independence are you trying to buy?
Financial independence doesn't have to mean opting out of work entirely.
For some people, it means choosing work instead of needing it.
For others, it looks like stepping into a lower-paying role that fits better, taking time away during certain seasons, or having room to take risks without financial stress dictating every decision.
Before you think about numbers, get specific about the outcome. Ask yourself:
You don't need a polished vision, just a working one.
Step 2: Are you prioritizing the right money moves right now?
Don't try to optimize everything at once. What works better is prioritizing based on where you actually are.
A few common patterns I see:
If your money feels scattered month to month
Start with cash flow. Stability makes everything else easier, including saving and investing.
If you're only investing through work
Learning the basics of investing outside of an employer plan and automating contributions can meaningfully change your trajectory.
If you've handed everything off to someone else
Start getting involved. Understanding what's happening and why is part of long-term security. This isn't about doing more. It's about sequencing.
Step 3: Do you have a concrete long-term target?
Before you map a path toward financial independence, you need a destination.
A commonly cited guideline is:
Projected annual retirement spending × 20–25 = a ballpark FI number
It's a starting point, not a strategy. Without modeling your future more specifically, it's easy to misread progress or miss changes that could shorten your timeline. There's a real difference between reacting to money and making decisions with context.
Using a free retirement planning tool to see whether you're on track is exactly what we'll walk through step by step in my upcoming live workshop for The Assist community:
Road to Financial Independence: See If You're On Track and How to Accelerate Your Timeline in 2026
You'll leave with:
A clear snapshot of whether you're on track using a free tool you can keep
A more realistic view of what a mid-term financial goal could look like
One concrete next step to move faster without adding complexity
Date: January 7
Time: 8:00 pm ET / 5:00 pm PT
👉 Save your seat here if you want clearer direction heading into 2026.
Financial independence isn't about predicting the future. It's about understanding how today's decisions will help you get there faster.
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