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BiggerPockets Money Podcast

How to Build (and Enjoy) Your “Dream” Life in Early Retirement | Life After FIRE

May 2, 2025
Chris Rusin, an early retiree who achieved financial independence before discovering the FIRE movement, shares his remarkable journey. He reflects on a life-changing encounter with a wealthy investor that shifted his focus from money to meaning. Chris recounts thrilling adventures, from treasure diving with Navy SEALs to unearthing dinosaur fossils. After facing cancer, he fulfilled a dream by releasing his first album. The episode concludes with a live premiere of his new song, showcasing his creative rebirth and the joys of life after retirement.
29:51

Episode guests

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

  • Achieving financial independence can happen unknowingly, prompting a deeper exploration of personal happiness and life choices beyond traditional work.
  • Surviving a serious illness transformed Chris's perspective, demonstrating that financial independence enhances the pursuit of meaningful experiences and dreams.

Deep dives

Discovery of Financial Independence

Chris Russin shares that he learned about the concept of financial independence (FI) only after achieving it, demonstrating that many people might unknowingly embrace FI principles before formally recognizing them. His journey began during a challenging time at a startup, where witnessing a wealthy investor expressing dissatisfaction with his success prompted Chris to explore how to achieve happiness without being tied to traditional work. This pivotal moment led him to search for information on achieving financial freedom, ultimately culminating in discovering blogs that aligned with his evolving mindset about money and work. This process highlights the importance of personal reflection on one’s life choices and priorities, leading to a transformative understanding of financial independence and its implications.

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