Fri Jul 25 2025, by Tyler Gardner

Retirement PlanningWork-Life BalanceFinancial IndependenceLife PurposeWealth Management

Why Early Retirement is Overrated

I'm Tyler, a former financial advisor and portfolio manager. If any of this is helpful, sign up for my free weekly newsletter by clicking the link in my bio.

1. Early Autonomy vs. Early Retirement

You don’t want early retirement; you want early autonomy. Retiring at 40 sounds cool until you realize your identity was entirely tied to your job. Suddenly, you’re reorganizing your garage for sport. Trust me on this one.

2. The Nature of Work

Most people don’t hate work; they hate meaningless work. So the dream isn’t to stop working; it’s to stop doing things that feel pointless while sitting under fluorescent lighting.

3. Gradual Retirement Approach

You can and should gradually retire a little more each year. Take Fridays off, then take August off, or drop down to 20 hours a week. The goal isn’t to quit life at 40, it’s to live a life that doesn’t make you want to escape in the first place.

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