Most People “Doing FIRE” Aren’t
Most people saying they’re “doing FIRE” aren’t. Here’s why.
Unpopular opinion: most people who say they want FIRE don’t actually know which FIRE they’re chasing. And that’s exactly why they stall out.
FIRE isn’t one goal. It’s four different games, and they require completely different moves:
🔹 Lean FIRE, smallest number, bare-bones budget. Freedom, but tight.
🔹 Fat FIRE, biggest number, full lifestyle intact. Freedom, but expensive.
🔹 Coast FIRE, front-load your savings young, then let compounding finish the job while you work less.
🔹 Traditional FIRE, the “quit and don’t look back” version most people picture.
Here’s the part nobody says out loud: you can’t build a plan for a number you haven’t picked. Chasing “financial independence” without picking a lane is just… saving aggressively with no destination.
I retired at 45. Not because I hit some giant number, because I got honest about which version of “free” I actually wanted, and built toward that.
📌 The real first step in FIRE isn’t the math. It’s deciding what kind of retired you want to be.
So be honest, which one are you actually building toward: Lean, Fat, Coast, or Traditional? And if you’re not sure, say that too 👇
