The FIRE movement is all about becoming financially independent from work so that you can retire early. People go crazy over it, but underneath are some hard truths that nobody wants to face.

This is troubling not just because FIRE can make life worse, but also because it masks the truth of what will really help you find financial security and happiness.

The Problem With "Financial Independence"

Let me start by saying that I am not telling you to stay poor or in a job that underpays you. There is a severe problem with companies not paying people what they are worth and it needs to be fixed.

What I am about to say here doesn't mean that you should avoid trying to get a raise or that you shouldn't move companies if yours is underpaying you. I've done this myself and I believe everybody ought to do the same.

What I am saying is that financial independence, as we most often think of it, is a recipe for misery.

We romanticize this idea that getting a ton of money and living without work is suddenly going to fix all of our problems. It won't. That doesn't mean that more money can't fix some of your problems, though.

But if you're thinking that a life where you'd be able to do whatever you wanted whenever you wanted would be great, think again. The lack of challenge or incentive for anything would take the meaning out of almost everything.

The hyperfocus on materialism would rob you of what really brings joy in life, which is relationships.

So while you should always try to earn more money, and you're not a bad person for wanting to be paid what you're worth, becoming completely financially independent is not going to make you happy.

Why Retiring Early is a Terrible Idea

Studies have shown that in many instances, people's rates of disease and depression have risen after retirement. To be clear, this isn't to say that you will become depressed and sick if you retire. It just means that you are probably more likely to head in that direction after leaving the workforce.

This also doesn't mean that you should stay in a job you hate. Just because you're miserable at work doesn't mean that working itself is making you unhappy. It's most likely the type of work you're doing and the fact that it's mismatched with your talents and skills.

Years ago I read about someone who had actually achieved the coveted 4-Hour Workweek. You might think that sounds amazing, to only work four hours a week. But this man was miserable. He had to quit what he was doing so he could find purpose again.

We're just not built to do nothing all day. Or worse, to be able to do anything and everything we want. It's just not the way your brain works.

The reality of the situation is that you and I need challenges in our work and lives. Not so much that we can't handle it, but there has to be enough that we can grow.

What to Do Instead

What you really seek, and what will really make you happy, is to find meaningful work and to do it until the day you die. My wife's grandma is in her 90s and still working and she's one of the happiest people I know.

Now is the easiest time in the world to find work you love because it's so easy to make money with the internet doing just about anything.

My favorite is teaching people how to do what you love. All you need is a way to get your message out like SEO or Twitter, a free PDF or email course to explain the basics that you offer in exchange for emails, and a paid course with coaching options that you sell to your email list.

Rather than trying to become financially independent, try to raise your income to a level that will make most things easier, but that won't take all of the challenge out of your life.

And instead of retiring, seek meaningful work throughout your life. Learn many different skills and try out new careers by doing side hustles. When the regular retirement time comes, create your own business teaching people how to do something you love.

Or better yet, use your savings to supplement your living expenses and get a low-paying job that you would love but never did because it wouldn't pay the bills.

FIRE isn't going to solve your problems or make you happy. Realy joy comes from finding work that fills you up and staying with it for a long time.