- What if the Good Life Requires Giving Up Some Freedom? - September 15, 2026
- What Climbing Grouse Mountain Taught Me About Financial Freedom - August 18, 2026
- My Apartment Gave Me Something That Money Can’t Buy - August 4, 2026
NOTE: Before getting to our article today, I want to let you know that there is a super cool, one of a kind FIRE project that I’m stoked to tell you about at the end of the post. Read on to find out what it is…
FIRE is not a sprint, it’s a marathon. It takes years of hard work, discipline, and commitment. And just like a marathon, the first few miles feel amazing. You feel pumped. You obsess over your budget. You open a brokerage account. You cut out Netflix, restaurants, shopping, and throw everything penny you save into your investments. You’re a tornado of efficiency.
But then you hit mile 13, the boring middle. Excitement wanes. The fun is over. Your legs are jelly, your lungs are on fire, and you’re so exhausted you could fall asleep standing. Suddenly, blowing most of your paycheque to rent that fancy condo with the oceanfront view sounds mighty tempting. Suddenly, the stock market plummets, cratering your portfolio and pushing your FI goal post into another galaxy.
All you want to do is throw up your hands and say “Screw this! I’m out!”
You are not alone. This happens to all of us on the way to FI. What you need is something to motivate you to push on through and get to the finish line, no matter how impossibly far out it seems.
Here are 5 techniques I used that will hopefully help you get through “the boring middle” and prevent you from burning it all down (no pun intended).
Symbolize Your “Why”
Why are you on this FIRE journey? Is it to escape a bad job? To spend more time with family? To become a traveller? To follow your passion without worrying about bills?
Find the reason, symbolize it, and put it somewhere where you can see it every day.
It could be a picture of your family. A postcard of somewhere you want to travel to. A special pen to symbolize your dream of becoming an author.
My symbol was the invincibility star from Super Mario. You know the one that makes Mario all shiny and rainbow colored, lets him run through enemies and hazards without taking any damage, while speeding up and changing the background music?
I printed out a picture of that star and tacked it onto my cubical wall. That way whenever I had to work overtime, got yelled at by my boss, or fought with a toxic co-worker, I could look up and be reminded that after getting to FI, I’d be invincible. No more worrying about layoffs, no more giving a shit about my boss’s orders, no more losing sleep over TPS reports. Then I’d hum the invincibility star tune and continue with my day.
It’s easy to give up if you don’t know your “why.”
Find your own version of the invincibility star.
Focus on the Journey, not the Result
For most of my life, I’ve been obsessed with “results.” As a child, I was pitted by my parents against other kids for marks. A good one meant praise, a bad one meant beatings and public shaming. Hobbies were a waste of time, unless they lead to an income. Unsurprisingly, this caused a ton of insecurity, anxiety, and shame. I crashed hard in my 30s by popping anxiety meds and antidepressants after losing the ability to sleep.
After becoming FI, I’ve realized that focusing on results and external validation just leads to burnout. The journey itself should matter more than the result.
Now, some of you might argue that work is about results, and you have no choice because if you don’t have results, you get fired. I agree with you that while you can’t completely ignore the importance of results, only focusing on that and not on the journey/process to get there, makes the whole thing unsustainable.
Just like when you’re trying to lose weight and get healthier, if you only focus on the results, you’ll inevitable regain the weight you lost. Whereas if you focus on becoming a healthier person and making lifestyle changes that are enjoyable and aligned with your personality, even if you don’t get to an extreme weight loss goal, you’ll be able to keep those changes and feel happier over the long term.
The same can be said about parenting. If you focus on the end result of your kid taking care of you in your old age, or having them become very accomplished so you can live vicariously through them or by bragging about them, you’ll be inevitably disappointed. Not only as these things out of our control, it takes decades to reap the rewards. But if you enjoy the process of parenting, then the sleepless nights, endless cleanups, and constant meltdowns don’t seem so bad. You can focus on their cuddles, silliness, and mind-blowing milestones, turning from a inactive potato into an incredible little person.
By the way, if you’re on the fence about having kids, only have them if you enjoy the process of raising kids. Otherwise, parenting becomes a huge disappointment. It’s too much hard work for too long to rely on results. Kids aren’t for everyone. Don’t let other people or society push you into it.
Your FIRE journey will be sustainable only if you enjoy the process and not just the result.
Don’t Do it Alone
One of the reasons why we’re able to get things done at work is because we work in teams. You’re more likely to get to FIRE if you’re part of a tribe and that social aspect keeps you motivated. And when I say “tribe,” I don’t mean the bigger the better. Just one other person, a “ride or die” FIRE buddy will make the journey to FIRE a lot more fun.
Growing up, I didn’t have a ton of friends. But just having 2-3 close relationships was enough to get through the hard times. You don’t need a whole squadron. Find a few “ride and die” FIRE buddies to enjoy your time to FI. You can do this by joining the ChooseFI or Rebel Finance facebook groups or simply create your own in your area.
This also helps after FIRE, because once you quit your job, the freedom of time you gain can feel hollow unless you can synchronize it with people you want to hang out with. If you can find a few “ride or die” FIRE buddies, it’s the best feeling ever, because not only do you have a flexible schedule, you get to work on your passion projects, and hang out with them whenever you want to.
Realize the Time Will Pass Anyway
One of the most useful sayings we heard while trying to get published is “the time will pass anyway”. Even though it took us 7 years before we finally published our first book, that 7 years would’ve passed whether we worked on it or not. When we started and our writing teachers told us, on average, it takes 7-10 years, we were horrified. That long?! But that’s so much time! What’s the point of even starting? But she reminded us, the time will pass anyway, so might as well get started. In 10 years, you’ll be glad you spend that time working towards something you wanted, because you can’t stop time.
Use Music to Stay Motivated
They say life is like a toilet paper roll—it gets faster the closer it gets to the end.
This is because of how our brains perceive time. The minutes, hours, days don’t pass faster. They just feel faster because of how our brains work.
When we were kids, a day stretched on forever. Everything was novel and our brains soaked it all up, constantly. But as we aged, got into routines and went to work, the days blended into one other. Our brains simply filtered everything out. This is by design. Our brains have evolved to only detect differences in our environment, in order to avoid being eaten by lions.
This is why the days felt so slow and yet years flew by during the pandemic. Milestones and celebrations disappeared and so did the time.
This is why travel makes it feel like you’re living multiple lifetimes because of all the new sensory input. Every day is different.
This is why, when I was working long hours in my cubical, the only thing that made the time bearable was listening to the radio. My brain was no longer fixated on the clock, and it minimized my awareness of the time passing, making the day feel less long and tedious. Music also has been shown by studies to trigger dopamine release in the brain because it’s engaging in stimulus rather than focusing on time passing.
This is why working out or going on long car rides makes the time pass faster with music.
Sadly, I didn’t have a FIRE soundtrack back then, so I just listened to random pop music at my desk.
The good news and the thing I’m super excited to share with you today is that unlike me, you are lucky enough to be able to download an entire FIRE soundtrack!
My friends Alan, Katie, and Finn have gotten together and created a band called the Rebelutionaries and their first FIRE album is coming out this Friday, March 21!
I’ve heard of FIRE songs in the past, but it’s usually only one song and I don’t remember the tune later on. This album is different. I find myself humming tunes from it all the time, even if I hadn’t heard it for a few days. Also, there are so many different styles of music—hip hop, jazz, rock, etc, so there’s an option for every musical preference.
To give you a taste, you can access 3 FREE tracks here to make your workday go faster.
Remember how I talked about “the boring middle”? Well, there’s a song about that and it’s one of my favourites in the album. And guess what? They even made a Quit Like a Millionaire single and you can click on the MP3 player below and listen to it right here!
Giveaway
We’re excited to give away the album to 3 lucky readers today. To win a copy, simply comment below and tell me “what motivates you on your FIRE journey?” Winners will be announced next Monday.
If you’re as excited as I am to get the entire album, you can pre-order it here on iTunes or BandCamp. We want to get the word about FIRE out there, so what better way than for a FIRE album to chart on the top 40 list! Let’s try to make it happen by telling as many people about it as possible and pre-ordering it. You can follow the band here on Spotify and Apple Music.
Here’s the album trailer with samples of multiple songs:
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Hello, Thanks for the great post! I have been reading about FIRE for many years now, but wish I had discovered it sooner.
My motivation for FIRE is to be FREE ( from deadlines, early mornings,(unless it is to wake up to do something fun), and from work stress).
Congratulations on you latest music creation!
Really great post. I truly enjoy your content. Motivation was never difficult for me, but I can see this challenge in so many others. I will be FI and retiring in 2 weeks at age 53. I have found as I am approaching my final working days I am getting a little separation anxiety, specifically with my work connections and my income. Based on my lifestyle I don’t need the income and value my remaining years more, but I will mostly miss “the journey” as you described so well.
wow, congrats on becoming FI!
An excellent and uplifting post !! Yep…my reasons for FI was to escape a distressed work situation. I was hysterically desperate to get the hell out of the workforce ! My one (and only) regret to FIRE is that I wasn’t really paying attention to the journey that got me to FI because I was too focused on the goal. Looking back I can now see that it actually was a fun journey…
…I totally agree… don’t lose site of the FIRE journey
Hi! My motivation for FIRE was first to have financial security and stop forever the fear of ending up on the street…after a lot of work on myself, I have a healthier motivation now, which is to spend time with my one miracle child and finally study traditional Chinese medicine ! Maybe move to another country to have access to the best teachers and practitioners. Sounds weird to just write it down but spending quality time with my partner, my miracle baby and finally study something I love, what else can I ask for?
A huge motivation for me to achieve FIRE is to not end up like my parents who currently live only on social security and food stamps. I make up the rest so they can have internet, electricity, garbage service, toilet paper, and cat food.
While I was still an unemployed college student I watched them nearly starve to death and see how poverty negatively affects health in so many ways.
Learning about FIRE has given me so many tools regarding personal finance. I used to wonder why all the money I made just seemed to vanish. People at work now approach me and ask me questions about our company 401k
What motivates me in my fire journey is the freedom to do anything I want and have the time, energy, and money to do such things. Also travel the world and see what’s out there and don’t need to be enslaved by Corporate Canada and chain to my cubicle doing repetitive work that kills my soul.
I love this post Kristy! I feel like I have the feeling of “the boring middle” every year since I discover FIRE in 2018. Every year, I read your “How we got here” series and that helps motivate me to one day feel that moment, I’m done/I quit FREEDOM feeling, where I can put in my resignation letter. Once that happens, I feel like I can finally take back my 40-50 hours a week and have time to focus on things I enjoy doing, like traveling, photography, and content creation. 🙂 Thank you for perking up our Mondays. 🙂
I’ve been a Registered Nurse for 30 years in 2025. Unrealistic demands of employers and patients has made my calling very difficult to continue, yet hard on my own health. I yearn for days of waking without an alarm clock, an empty to do list, and the freedom to spend time with my loved ones- without being at the nonstop beck and call of my employer (or patients) needing me to drop everything.
My motivations are:
Want to retire at 46 as I started feeling tired more faster after 30.
Also, I believe that people who wisely invest will be better protected during market crashes and constant inflation.
Besides, love having option to work or not to work.
A marathon is a HUGE effort… intentional spending, on the other hand, may simply be, or become, your second nature.
Since the effort was not huge to me, a few mental tricks were enough to keep me motivated.
One of them is envisioning the future, alike to your technique 1 above. A minute of daydreaming in a tough day may be legal in your country.
Another is thinking of the ones who have made it before you.
This is timely because i have been feeling depressed in these middle “slog” years. Im 3 to 5 years out from my goal to be able to say F-U to the corporate world. I dream of a 2nd act where i go to sleep each night and wake up peacefully. No stomach churning unease about meetings or having to pull all-nighters. Not having to miss out on relationships.
I’ve been trying to break my timeline down into smaller chunks mentally. Instead of thing i have 3 years to go i try to think, if i can just make 1 year, then i will be at a great spot this time next year.
Cheers to all my brothers and sisters still slogging through the middle!
Jim –
Back when I was a wage slave on the cubicle farm with TWELVE YEARS remaining until being eligible for traditional early retirement at age 55, I wondered how on earth I would survive that long. It felt like an ETERNITY. *sigh* (this was LONG before I ever heard about FIRE)
But then I figured I could put up with anything for six months. Six months later I still had my sanity, and figured I could put up with anything for another six months. Rinse and repeat. So I finally made it to traditional early retirement after 24 six month blocks. Which when I write it that way now it seems longer (I.e., 24 vs 12) LOL, but at the time it did seem to go by faster.
I also had a list of five very good things about my job on a tiny post it note which I stuck on the day marker of my Franklin Planner for easy access on a daily basis. This kept me motivated to get through each of those six month blocks whenever the retirement doldrums would set in – or whenever the task switching due to the constant barrage of non-stop endless meetings became overwhelming.
I find it amazing that I am in my 12th year of retirement. Maybe that’s due to the discretionary travel years lost to the pandemic?
If yearly chunks are too long, don’t fret if you have to break the time remaining into small chunks. After all, I think most businesses only forecast into the future on a quarterly basis. 😉
Love this concept. Thanks for sharing!
Well written! Song was great too😂 Trudging through the middle like everyone else.
My motivation is to hit FI before my kids move out so I can spend more time with them and help them excel at school. And also to have time to invest in my passion projects, which may or may not turn into income eventually, without worrying about how I’m going to pay my bills!
FI = Power
FI gives me the power to live with an abundance mindset, to feel free!
I have always lived with a certain amount of financial independence and was amazed when I heard the term which I could never put into words myself.
I stumbled across JL Collins Simple Path to Wealth while shopping at a thrift store and they gave it to me for free! JL led me to Millennial Revolution when I was searching his blog for Canadian references.
THANK YOU for all you share. I am truly grateful every day!!!
My reason for FI is that I want to be able to see my parents when it’s right for our family, not when it’s right for work. I’ll never forget the pandemic and the two-week quarantine trying to get back to my parents.
Thanks for writing this article, I am excited about going on my FIRE journey so that I can help others avoid the pitfalls that I’ve fallen into.
Is it to escape a bad job? To spend more time with family? To become a traveller? To follow your passion without worrying about bills?
That’s the thing, I got nothing. No Why. Hate travelling, no passion whatsoever, family I want to stay away from…..what now? why then?
Sometimes we overthink our passion into this “all encompassing life purpose” mission, when it really can just be anything you like doing. And sometimes you haven’t found anything you like doing, until you try it out. For example. I did not know I liked hiking until I tried it. Ditto with meditation. Try a few things as an experiment and write down how you feel after doing them. If you can’t think of anything, just write 50 ideas down that comes to mind, without editing or judging the idea. Or ask a friend about what they think you like to do and what lights you up.
Love the “Quit Like a Millionaire” song. You must feel like such a BOSS!!!! 😊💕😊💕
Haha. yes, that song def makes me feel like a boss 🙂
My motivation to FIRE is definitely family. I would love to cut down on work to spend more time with the kids. Currently I pay a nanny to hang with my kids, and I have to work even more to pay for the nanny! Not so when me and wifie FIRE.
Hello!
My pursuit of FIRE is a quest for freedom—the freedom to wake with the sun, not an alarm; to move my body with energy and care; to honor its rhythms without the weight of schedules. I seek the quiet joy of unhurried mornings, the warmth of time well spent with family, the gift of being present—truly present—without the relentless race of daily life pulling me away.
As we have a finite time on this earth I believe that spending time with your friends and family in places you love is so much more rewarding than working your bottom off to survive through the rat race. We committed with my wife that in my 55 and her 47 years we would retire and enjoy a content, minimalistic and purposeful life. We are now 49 and 41. She was recently diagnosed with advanced stage cancer and retiring earlier to live happily our last years of life has become my strongest motivation
Have you ever gone through a period of complete demotivation on your FIRE journey, to the point where you seriously considered giving up? What was it Baseball Bros Game pulled you back, other than the “Mario star” symbol?
“In order to improve the experience, I would allow you to Retro Bowl select any play you desire, rather than being limited to pre-selected options,” Hassey stated.
In order to improve the experience, I would allow you to Retro Bowl s
cookie clicker offer a creative outlet for self-expression.
In clicker games unblocked, incremental upgrades and new unlocks keep the experience fresh, motivating players to continue improving and exploring.
sprunki phase 3 is more than a sequel—it’s a reimagined adventure where gameplay innovation and heartfelt storytelling blend into an unforgettable experience.
Maintaining motivation during the journey to financial independence isn’t just about money—it’s also tied to how well you manage your time, energy, and health. Many people look into structured programs to help stay consistent. User feedback shared on https://g-plans.pissedconsumer.com/review.html gives a look into how some have balanced nutrition and routine while keeping long-term goals in focus. Staying on track with wellness often supports better discipline overall, which directly impacts productivity and progress toward FIRE.
Great insights on staying motivated during the FIRE journey! If anyone enjoys learning about plant genetics and unique garden mutations, please visit Grow a Garden Mutations (https://www.growagardenmutations.com/) for educational resources and tips. Keep inspiring others!
This article came at just the right time! The FIRE journey is indeed long, and finding your ‘why’ is crucial. Thanks for sharing these practical motivation tips; I feel more empowered to keep going!
oh so cool
This post has really piqued my interest in starting my FIRE adventure and perhaps guiding others away from the mistakes I’ve made. Thank you for publishing it.
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Driftboss online is the go-to version for players wanting accessibility and fast-paced fun. You can play anytime, anywhere, making it perfect for short breaks or long sessions.
Driftboss online is the go-to version for players wanting accessibility and fast-paced fun. You can play anytime, anywhere, making it perfect for short breaks or long sessions.
Seeing Mac hit 8.1% share while PCs rebound is impressive. I rely on This FIRE motivation guide is spot-on: focusing on small, consistent wins really compounds momentum. When I design finance blogs, I rely on DoubleClickTest.org to preview ad placements so they never distract from the core lessons.
to ensure ad placements don’t crowd out charts in pieces like this.
A 1.5% YoY shipment rise alongside Apple’s gains is worth spotlighting. I sprinkle a misquote from I love how you frame FIRE as an everyday practice, not just an end goal. To add a touch of humor before diving into money talk, I’ll often open with a quirky line from IncorrectQuotesGenerator.org—readers appreciate the lighthearted start.
into tech posts to keep readers smiling before the analytics.
Interesting how AI PCs factor into future demand. I often kick off trend recaps with a thought‑provoking line from “Progress over perfection” is the perfect mantra for FIRE. I like to kick off my own reflection posts with an uplifting quote from RandomQuoteGenerator.org to set an optimistic tone before sharing practical steps.
to frame the discussion before diving into data.
Great content! I really appreciate the way this was explained—it’s clear, helpful, and engaging. Looking forward to exploring more posts like this.
thank, i like it!
This is so inspiring! FIRECracker’s story really shows what’s possible with focus and smart choices. It definitely motivates me to stay on track. Thinking about future freedom, I picture myself having more time for fun, maybe even chilling out and getting into a cool game like pipsnyt!
Love this article on motivating for FIRE! It’s truly a marathon. Sometimes, when staying on track feels impossible, it’s good to check in with your mental health. If you’re really struggling, maybe a Borderline Personality Disorder Test could offer a useful starting point for self-reflection..
I can’t believe how addictive this game quordle is! Each level brings a new set of challenges that keep me on my toes. What level are you all currently on?
This post is remarkable! I appreciate the thoughtful analysis and clarity. Looking forward to more enlightening discussions. Well done! Football bros
BASEBALL 9 is an exciting, realistic sports game about baseball. Become the manager of a professional baseball team and lead your team to victory, competing in higher-level tournaments.
The speed goes up as you go through Snow Rider , making the game harder and more fun.
CapCut offers creative freedom with simple tools. CapCut templates help transform basic clips into polished videos easily.
The analogy of the “boring middle” in the FIRE journey really resonates. It’s a practical way to frame the long-term discipline required. To stay sharp during that phase, a mental exercise like the 24 game can be a great tool for maintaining focus.
This is such a practical and relatable post! I love how you emphasize finding joy in the journey and not just the destination. For me, the idea of having the freedom to pursue creative projects without financial constraints is a huge motivator, which is why I’m building out ocmaker.ai. Keep up the inspiring content!
This is a fantastic breakdown of keeping the FIRE flame alive! I especially resonated with the idea of remembering your “why” – it’s so easy to get bogged down in the daily grind and forget the ultimate goal. Thanks for the inspiration, and I’ll be checking out some of your other posts too!
Loved the practical tips on staying motivated. That FIRE project sounds intriguing — looking forward to learning more about it!