Oct 28, 2026 · 35 min
He left work before reaching financial independence
He googled “how do I not work forever?” 10 years later, he quit corporate
Anthony’s story tests whether financial freedom is a number to reach or the agency to choose time, health, and meaningful work sooner.
- 1Aggressive saving, automated investing, and diversified ETFs helped Anthony build substantial freedom without tracking every purchase.
- 2Reading Die With Zero shifted his decision from reaching a target to using time and health while they mattered most.
- 3Leaving corporate work created new challenges around identity and purpose, which he addressed through cycling, community, and creative work.
Don't miss
Anthony explains why he left work at roughly 20 times his annual living expenses instead of waiting for his traditional FIRE target.
The brief
Anthony’s dissatisfaction with corporate work led him to FIRE, where a roughly 50% to 60% savings rate made a decade-long path to independence seem possible.
He moved from individual Australian stocks to diversified ETFs, automated a 50-30-20 system, and treated investing as a way to buy flexibility rather than chase perfect decisions.
Reading Die With Zero changed the finish line: at about 20 times his living expenses, Anthony left work before reaching his original target to protect time, health, and experiences.
The harder adjustment came afterward, when losing workplace identity and routine forced him to build community and purpose through cycling, creative work, and Pastries Cycling Club.
Anthony’s version of FIRE is less about permanent retirement than agency: enough financial stability to choose meaningful work, relationships, hobbies, and future dreams.
Books & mentions
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