Pursuing FIRE is Good for My Job

"work" by Sean MacEntee is licensed under CC BY 2.0

I currently only have one main job, a developer at a financial services company, but I feel my pursuit of financial freedom is actually good for my job and vice versa.

The first thing that FIRE does for me is that it gives me a goal to achieve. I know I can reach my FIRE goal in ten years if everything remains the same so it's not much of a challenge. I want to reach financial freedom by the end of 2024, just four more years. This gives me the motivation to work at my main job so that the decision of leaving will have a detrimental effect on my FIRE goal. My previous two jobs didn't last long. The first job lasted a year and half at a medium sized software company and I only stayed for three months at my second job, which was a small software company. For some reason, when I feel I'm not being treated well I simply quit and do something else. However, at this current job I want to be more permanent, and a long-term goal of achieving FIRE will ground me for a while.

The second advantage of FIRE is that my main hustle is the job that brings me most of my income. I have tried some side hustles this year, but I've given up on them due to my lack of motivation and the desire to rest and relax. Because of the stability of this job, along with excellent supportive coworkers, I feel I'm less stressed than my previous jobs and I'm able to take the time I need to write, read, play the guitar, go for walks, etc. Overall, my health is better by having only one job. I'm still exploring some side hustle ideas and I plan to write a post about the side hustles I've done this year, but I think a side hustle should be something I enjoy doing, not only to make extra money.

Reaching financial freedom and working have a symbiotic relationship. I began to value the work I do and feel that it's meaningful because I'm using my technical skills to support the infrastructure that helps many people and institutions to investing their savings. Personal finance is a subject that I'm passionate about and I'm very lucky to have a job that combines both technology and finance.

I also feel that when I do reach my FIRE goal come 2024 I will continue to work because of my desire to help people with their finances. But my mind will shift from a primary focus of making money to a mind that feels more freedom with fewer worries about the future.