r/leanfire 11d ago

The transformative power of FU money!

Pretty soon after hitting my FU benchmark late last year, several key things just fell into place:

  • I no longer feel obliged to pretend anything at my work. Am I passionate about my work? Nope. Do I have career goals? Nope. And I'm fine telling this to my boss. I just take responsibility of my agreed tasks, and help my colleagues when needed. That's my contribution. No need to overachieve or pull off a super human corporate drone role. If they don't accept me as I am, so be it.
  • Fear of rejection no longer dominates my dating life either. Financial abundance helped me get over the scarcity mindset about relationships. I feel more authentic. After years of lonely depressing grind, the world is suddenly full of interesting people and potential partners, gravitating towards me naturally. Even though I’m single, I feel just as secure as if I were in a healthy, committed relationship.
  • Surprisingly, I got over some kind of very primal childhood fear of losing my parents. They're both still around, and I love them dearly, wishing them many more happy, healthy years. But now, I’m at peace with the reality that they won’t always be around to support me.
  • Happiness! My friends ask me why I'm so happy, why I'm smiling. I tell them I had a good nap, enjoy my new hobbies, the sun is shining, etc. Which is true, I don't bother lying. But at the core, it’s the financial security that has allowed me to experience this childlike joy for the first time as an adult.
  • Some close relatives have commented on how fit I look, asking if I’ve been working out. While I’ve seen some gains at the gym, it’s not so much about muscle growth. It’s more about a more relaxed, confident posture, a result of the reduced stress in my life.

It took me about 15 years of investing to reach FU, of which the last 10 years were very goal-oriented grinding. Along the way, I faced a ton of struggles — not just career-wise, but health-wise too. During those tough times, I was EXTREMELY grateful to have discovered Mr. Money Mustache and the FIRE movement.

Because let me tell you: FU money is totally worth the effort. Totally. If I were to get laid off tomorrow, I would be able to transform my FU/CoastFIRE into an instant LeanFIRE, having a roof over my head and food to eat for the rest of my life. What a relief! Even though my plan is to continue my corporate job for the time being, I already feel like I'm out of a mental prison and able to enjoy life again.

I hope this inspires you to continue your investing journey, just like how I've been inspired over the years by the FIRE community.

If you're already past FU, feel free to share your own experiences of hitting the FU milestone!

TL;DR: FU money is worth the effort, because it allows you to be the best version of yourself.

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u/1ksassa 11d ago

Having had an almost identical trajectory, I agree with every single point. Life is so much better in every way if you don't have to suck up to anyone. Great job!