The Frugal Doctor recently attended their first ever in-person Financial Independence (FI) retreat and it was something special. There’s something powerful about being surrounded by people who are intentionally choosing to live life on their own terms. People who are questioning the default path. People who are designing their lives, not drifting through them.
One of the most memorable moments from the retreat was a debate. Is it better to pursue FIRE fast and aggressively? Or should one take the slow road? That question stuck with me.
The Obsession With FIRE
In the FI space, we love the four-letter word: FIRE. Financial Independence Retire Early. When I first discovered FIRE, I was all in. How can I increase my savings rate? How much can I cut my expenses? Can I retire by 40? I optimized everything ruthlessly. Spending dropped. Savings climbed. On paper, I was winning. But in reality? I wasn’t happy. I had made myself miserable chasing a future to come.
The More Important Four-Letter Words
I came face-to-face with a different four-letter word: LIFE. What’s the point of deferring life today for the promise of freedom tomorrow? Why was I sacrificing joy, connection, and presence for a future that isn’t even guaranteed? That realization changed everything. I became more intentional about my TIME.
We often say money is power. But that’s not quite true. Time is power. Time is the one thing you never get back. When we work, we are trading our time for money. But the real goal isn’t just to accumulate money. It’s to use money to buy back our time. To create freedom. Not someday but today.
What Does a Rich Life Actually Mean?
I’ve been asking myself a deeper question: Am I living a rich life right now? Not rich in dollars. But rich in: joy, love and connection. Because love isn’t something you store up for retirement. It’s expressed in moments. In conversations. In shared experiences. A rich life is not a solo journey. A rich life is one that is shared.
We live in a world obsessed with speed. Productivity hacks, optimisation, and comparison. Everything is about getting there faster. But faster isn’t always better. Sometimes, going fast means: missing the present moment, burning out and living for a future that keeps moving further away. Life isn’t a race. And yet, so many of us are sprinting.
The Power of Slowing Down
What if the goal isn’t to escape life, but to actually experience it? Slow down. Savour the small moments. Be present with the people around you. Find your flow in the things you love. Because life isn’t made up of big milestones. It’s made up of ordinary days. And those days are happening right now.
Redefining “Retire Early”
What if retiring early isn’t about never working again? What if it’s about choosing your WORK? Doing things that: feel meaningful, contribute to others, and energise rather than drain you. When you reach that point, work becomes optional. And ironically, that’s when you start doing your best work. Work is after all how we participate in the human adventures on the planet.
Don’t Forget to PLAY
There’s one more thing we don’t talk about enough in the FIRE space is PLAY. What are the things you do just for fun? Creative hobbies, passion projects,and explorations. Play is about activity that brings joy just for the pure sake of the doing it. If your life is only about optimizing and accumulating, it will feel empty. Even if you “win” the FIRE game. But if your life is filled with play? It will never feel dull.
The Choice
So…fast or slow?
For me, the answer is clear.
I’m choosing: LIFE over just FIRE. TIME over money. Presence over speed. Richness of experience over net worth. I still believe in Financial Independence. But not at the cost of living. Because the ultimate goal isn’t just to retire early. It’s to live life fully every step of the way.
Don’t wait until you’re financially free to start living like you are. Design your life now. Spend your time wisely. Love deeply. Give generously. And don’t forget to play.