LAF got 5 years off from work to pursue his interests and discover himself. His net worth increased 30%. He found that his marriage had problems and divorced his wife.
All these were good things. LAF still believes in financial independence, but he’s putting off early retirement until later.
Almost everybody is conditioned from childhood to work hard and amass material possessions. ven if you enjoy early retirement, your partner probably won’t be happy with it.
Wealth is a measuring stick. It’s an easy way to see your progress. Also, it’s better to stay busy. Too much leisure time will make you unhappy.
Lean FIRE is when you retire with just enough to get by. This is too risky especially if you go straight into the withdrawal.
I think luck is a huge factor. I retired early in 2012 and still love being retired. Well, semi-retired because I still earn a little income.
LAF is doing just fine these days after a little reset. His 5 years early retirement was a good experience to have. We can all learn from his mistake.