FIRE: A Pause Before the Dream

(I delivered this speech for my Toastmasters Pathways project, Connect with Your Audience, where the goal was to truly engage with the audience.)

Dear fellow Toastmasters,

How are you coping with this frigid weather? I hope you’re all doing well.

Since it’s cold outside, let’s talk about something hot—FIRE.

I mean Financial Independence, Retire Early.

Let me ask you something:

How many of you want to go FIRE?

Please raise your hand.

Most people are—and that’s no surprise.

Early retirement is very attractive. You’re probably already imagining all the things you would do once work is no longer part of your daily life.

So why would I put a pause on this idea?

Obviously, I don’t have enough money. (said with a smile)

But even if I did, I’ve started wondering whether early retirement is really as brilliant as it’s often presented.

Think about this:

If retiring early and leaving the hustle behind is the ultimate dream, why do so many people who are already successful and financially secure choose to keep working?

I once had a client in his seventies who still came to the office every day, nine to five. He told me he simply enjoyed working. And I could see the benefits—he was sharp, mentally clear, with a memory better than mine.

A few days ago, a friend shared a different story. Her father had been a doctor. Before the pandemic, he was still working and  very healthy. But after retiring during the pandemic, his health declined quickly. My friend said his father didn’t really have hobbies, and suddenly having so much free time made him deeply uncomfortable.

Then there’s my brother-in-law—a man who simply cannot allow himself to be idle. After retirement, he redirected his energy to housework: cooking, caring for his grandchildren, growing vegetables, and more. You might think he doesn’t know how to enjoy life, but it’s clear that he enjoys staying busy and feeling useful.

These stories remind us of one simple truth: we are all different.

Some people want to leave the working world as early as possible. Others discover who they are only by staying engaged with it.

Some of us cherish peace and quiet; others feel fulfilled when they are busy, needed, and contributing.

Early retirement isn’t automatically good for our health or happiness—especially if we don’t have a clear plan for what comes next.

And yet, we are constantly buzzed by the idea of FIRE—

images of an “ideal lifestyle”: peaceful, relaxed, total freedom.

One major reason many of us dream of retiring early is the belief that we’ll finally have time to do what we love—like traveling the world.

But when we think this way, we may overlook something important: by the time we finally have both the time and the money, travel may not feel as exciting as we imagined. Our interests may have changed, or we may simply no longer have the same energy.

“If you love traveling, go now. Visit one place—or a few places—every year.”

That’s what I told my husband when he brought up the idea of retiring early—even before we’re financially independent. I can’t let that happen, can I? (said with a smile)

To me, it makes far more sense to live well now than to postpone all our joy until retirement. In other words, instead of dreaming about early retirement in order to enjoy life, why not try to make life enjoyable right now?

I believe this is a wiser approach, because our desires and priorities change at different stages of life.

We all know this feeling: food tastes better when we’re hungry, and leisure feels more precious when it comes after effort.

So maybe the real question isn’t whether we can go FIRE, or whether others are already there.

Maybe the more important question is this:

Am I living fully in the life I have right now?

If the answer is yes, then we don’t need to feel anxious if we can’t go FIRE, and we don’t need to envy those who can.

Because fulfillment doesn’t come from retiring early.

Fulfillment comes from living well, at our own pace, at every stage of life!

So if I asked you again,

“Would you like to go FIRE?”

I hope you’d pause—just for a moment—before answering.

Thank you.