When I asked my Twitter followers what their idea of financial independence was it was pretty obvious that those who monitor their saving and spending have a different view than those who don’t. It’s apparent that something as renowned as “financial independence” seems to carry a different perspective for those of us who are comfortable with debt, and those of us who aren’t. For most of you, when asked what financial independence is, the definition would be:

1. Not needing help to pay for things anymore (ie. Bye Bye Mom & Dad)

2. Having zero debt

3. Being able to fully manage finances without having to worry

Although these aren’t wrong, they aren’t the true definition. You see, the true definition is this:

The state of having sufficient personal wealth to live, without having to work actively for basic necessities.

No work. No Work? NO WORK!

So why am I bringing this up?

Ultimately, this is the goal everyone in the entire world is working towards. We are all working to be free from “the man”, to have the choice to retire, and to have the ability to enjoy life. But my problem with this whole idea of financial independence is that you are only truly independent for a quarter of your life.

“Statistics show Canadians are saving only four per cent of their disposable income”

If that statistic doesn’t scare you, you’re probably a part of the majority they speak about within that article.

Did you know that you don’t have to wait to retire at the “normal” age of 65? You can retire whenever you want. Which brings me to the following question: Why don’t more of us want to retire sooner?

It’s for the same reason we all feel it’s necessary to buy a home, have children, and buy a new car every three years. It’s because of the most restricting sentence you’ll ever hear.

“That’s the way we’ve always done it.”

The Government of Canada considers 65 early retirement. Do you?

As a rule of thumb: The more you save earlier, the better. The more you make through passive income, the better. The more you focus on financial success, the more you’ll be able to enjoy your finances.

Just like I want you to change your mentality about debt, I want you to change your mentality about retirement. Why is this such an unreachable goal for so many people?

Too many of us rely on an inheritance, a pay increase, and a housing boom, to be confident in our retirement figures. Start the journey now and save yourself from the overwhelming numbers that will be your future.

Financial independence is serious goals. I don’t know about you, but I want to retire young enough to enjoy my freedom.

Do you have plans for early retirement? Let me know in the comments.