When My Time Wasn’t My Own
It was 2016, and my time wasn’t mine to control. Before making any plans, I had to check my roster.
“Sorry, I’m working all weekend.” “Sorry, I’m on night shifts for the next seven days.” “Sorry, I’ll have to see if I can organise a shift swap.”
That was my life, dictated by rosters, shift patterns, and the constant fatigue that came with hospital medicine.
Reassessing the Dream
At that time, I was considering a career as an obstetrician and gynaecologist. But somewhere between the long nights and the endless deliveries, I realised something: I didn’t love my hospital job enough to make the sacrifices it demanded. I wanted something different. Then a close friend was diagnosed with cancer. It was the wake up call I needed.
It was time to “retire” from the hospital grind, move to a quaint seaside town, and become a General Practitioner (GP). For me, this wasn’t a step back. It was a step toward a life I wouldn’t regret if my time ran out sooner than I expected. My friend’s diagnosis was a stark reminder of the brevity of life, and how easily we forget we are living on borrowed time.
Retire at 40
I used to tell friends, “I want to retire at 40. Work just for the fun of it.”
At the time, it sounded ambitious, even unrealistic. But deep down, I was really saying: “I want control over my time and I want to have enough.” Little did I know there was an entire movement built around this philosophy: FIRE (Financial Independence Retire Early). When I found FIRE, I realised I was already living parts of it. I’d moved to a seaside town and bought myself more time, I just needed to build the financial engine to power it.
Becoming Time Rich
Fast forward to 2021. I’m 37, and I’m on my own journey toward financial independence. The goal is to be Time Rich:
- to have freedom to choose how I spend my days
- to work because I want to, not because I have to
- to live life on my own terms
That decision back in 2016 was my turning point. Everything since has been closing the gap between that decision and the life it pointed to.
Financial independence isn’t about escaping work. It’s about reclaiming time, saying yes to what matters and no to what doesn’t. And sometimes the bravest thing you can do isn’t to push harder. It’s to stop, and choose a different path.
What would your life look like if time, not your roster, decided your days?
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