Lan reached what she considered a secure financial "peak" at the age of 32. After celebrating her birthday with a trip with friends, Lan decided to retire early. Submitting her resignation to the company and completing the necessary handover procedures, Lan officially became free – as she called her new life.
Many of her friends were genuinely surprised and a little envious of Lan at the time. It seemed that most young workers dreamed of such a life: waking up at 8 am, going to the gym or doing yoga, leisurely having breakfast and coffee, reading a book or tending to plants, watching the fish, then meeting a few people at a restaurant for lunch or dinner, observing the world go about its daily grind… This dream life lasted for three years, until one day, Lan reconnected with job seekers to apply for work again. “I was so fed up with the monotonous daily routine. I felt isolated from society and like a useless person!” – Lan said.
The concepts of "early retirement" and "financial freedom" are increasingly being discussed. Financial freedom is the state of having enough money to cover daily living expenses such as basic necessities, entertainment, and personal hobbies. Financial decisions are not influenced by money. In fact, more and more young people, around 30 years old, are achieving financial freedom very early. Their success comes from shrewd investment decisions (land, stocks, cryptocurrencies, etc.), financial literacy, and perhaps a little luck. According to an expert, the formula for achieving financial freedom is: Amount you spend in one year x 35 times = Amount you need to retire early.
A common scenario for young people retiring early is that after years of hard work, they become complacent and let go of their financial burdens once they reach their financial peak. They pursue all their previous dreams but lacked the means to do them. However, many fail to consider the possibility that once they've lived their dreams, those dreams can quickly become a boring reality. Not to mention the unforeseen risks that could cause their financial peak to plummet, severely impacting their plans for a comfortable retirement in the future.
The concept of "early retirement" should be redefined. Retirement doesn't mean putting oneself in a state of inactivity, non-labor, and non-creativity. Rather, it should be a transition from one activity to another, where individuals have the freedom to choose their time and passions without pressure from superiors. Once they dedicate their time to exploring their abilities and passions, they will truly achieve genuine freedom and promise a fulfilling life.
Those who achieve "financial freedom" are all highly capable individuals. Like Lan, after reconnecting with work a few months ago, she became a coordinator for a non-governmental project, mobilizing international funds to treat underprivileged children with motor disabilities in Vietnam. Simultaneously, Lan invested in education – a field she loves, stemming from her childhood dream of becoming a teacher. Lan says that this is truly the free life she dreams of – a life that is still busy but not overly stressful or burdensome; decisions based on personal preference rather than financial constraints; and a life of working, contributing, and creating positive values for the community.
Illustrative image: Source material
