When we finally realized that life was long (hopefully) and retirement seemed a distant goal, we started to imagine a new way to think of the story of our lives.
So, If you can achieve early financial independence, you can add a whole extra unexpected act to your life story. And who wouldn't want a more interesting story?
Many authors and screenwriters would agree that the most interesting stories deviate from the traditional 3-act structure. So I'm thinking that maybe our own lives should too!
The 4-Act Structure (and Early Financial Independence)
Capitalize on your strengths. Launch your career, make money, and invest aggressively (attempting to solve the problem of having enough money to live on in Act 3).
Achieve early financial independence or semi-retirement. Change it up! This is the time for less work, being active, traveling, and raising children. (Ok, I admit, the children part bunks the travel part a little. Oh well.)
Full retirement. A life of leisure. A comfortable rocking chair on your porch, a box of reasonably priced wine, and the warm embrace of the death just over the sunset.
There you have it–a much more intriguing story indeed. In this interpretation, our most dramatic and exciting act is…Act 3! In this act, the hero (you again) have overcome the major problem (making enough money to live comfortably), and now have the financial freedom to be spontaneous, spend more time with family, and enjoy being alive!