Retiring early is boring. But, getting financially free is exciting. Owning time, money and energy allows you to do things that you always dreamed off. Here are the steps that I went through-- [1] Getting a good education. This opened up several opportunities for me. [2] Working abroad. This helped me save a lot of money. If you have a good job abroad (and if you live frugally, you can save a lot). Example: 100,000 USD= 18-20 Lakh in INR (in Purchasing Power Parity terms) but is this really true? It is much better to make 100K USD & save 20K (roughly 16.5L); than make 18 Lakhs in India. [3] Learning about the money system. The current money system will permanently keep you poor, if you let it. People think that PF, PPF, EPF is an 'investment'. Well it is not. It is ticket to losing your hard earned money -- overtime. If you refuse to see the problem with earning 8-9% returns on 10/15 year lock-ins, you need to educate yourself about finance. [4] Investing skills. Learning how to invest in stocks, real estate, businesses, bonds etc. Each of these asset classes have their own cycles. Being a stock/real estate maximalist doesn't help. Invest where opportunities are. [5] Being action oriented. Reading 100 books < implementing 1. Very rarely I would ever read a book completely. Try to read fast. And, with purpose. [6] Building small profitable businesses. Debt makes me uneasy. I realised fairly quickly: I want 0 investors, very less debt in life. So this ruled out building big businesses/funded businesses. Most of the businesses I have built are small profitable niche startups. These are the type of startups I want to build. Business building is a very individual game. Some people like the glory of valuations, some people like to build profitable things. [7] Owning time. If you have time to think, read, enjoy, creative ideas will flow. After a while, it all comes to controlling your time. You don't need a course on productivity. You need more clarity with your thoughts. If you know what you what (truly), you will figure out a way to get it. [8] Being lucky. You can work harder. And, increase the surface area of your luck. But, you need luck to go your way. So pray, if it helps. Be wise with what you can control. And, what you can't. Work hard. Be focused. Persist.
Here’s my advice for Gen Z & Gen Alpha: Live Your Best Life [1] Find What You Love Explore your interests—art, gaming, fitness, coding, or creating content. Try different things to find what makes you happy. Example: If you love art, share your work online, sell prints, or create digital art like NFTs. ********************************* [2] Turn Passion into Work Use digital platforms to turn your passion into a job or business. Share your skills, connect with others, and earn. Example: If gaming excites you, stream on YouTube or Twitch. If fitness is your thing, offer online coaching or make videos. ********************************* [3] Enjoy Life and Let Money Follow When you do what you love, life feels meaningful, and money will come naturally. You don’t need to “retire”—just keep enjoying your journey. Example: Digital creators and freelancers earn well while traveling, creating, and living fully. ********************************* Find your passion, use the digital world, and live every moment. I hope this makes sense. As Gen Y, we are here to guide you so you can build your own version of success. All the best👍🏼
He is that motivational coach who airbrushes reality. 99% of people are shackled to inflation, rising living costs, and unexpected life curveballs. Financial freedom isn’t one event—it’s a continuous discipline. The "₹100K > ₹18 lakhs" comparison isn’t wrong, but it’s cherry-picked. In behavioral economics, this is called availability bias—glorifying the best-case scenario. PPF, EPF, and PF are not investments? Well, no one expected them to beat the S&P 500, but they provide guaranteed, low-risk returns.Everyone can’t jump into high-risk, high-reward stocks and startups. For most people, investing remains a blend of timing, luck, and risk management - not “go where the magic happens.” Instead of shaming people for learning deeply, let’s admit that most "implementable insights" come from learning, trying, failing, and repeating. Reading a book doesn’t hand you the user manual for life. Your post is a highlights reel of one person’s success story - served with a sprinkle of overconfidence and a dollop of privilege.
Splendidly put. I don't prefer living a life where I'm building towards a dream retirement by making sacrifices today. I try to "Live the Day/Week" rather than working for retirement. That means I do things I'd like to do in retirement now, albeit in a more modest way. For example, I take two-day trips instead of waiting for luxury travel at 60. I strive to work on jobs and projects that I'll still enjoy doing at 60. You never truly know what the future holds, so focus on the fundamentals you can control.
Stocks investing vs PF/PPF can’t be a fair comparison in dissected manner - until it’s looked holistically .. for example., capital protection has to be brought into play …. Other parameters could be peace of mind, undistracted focus on core livelihood etc., This is where, readers to categorically to choose what best fits for them, instead of merely falling into trap of ‘influencers’ …
Many people mistakenly think that freedom means “doing nothing,” but real freedom is about intentional living. When you own your time, you have the mental space to think deeply, plan strategically, and focus on what truly matters to you. It’s in this space that creative ideas flow, and opportunities emerge.
Hello Akshat Shrivastava , I am a member of your paid YouTube community. In the community, you’ve shared insights on various stocks (not a stock recommendation 😅) and explained the rationale behind them. One challenge I’ve noticed is that as the list of discussed stocks grows, it becomes hard for members to revisit and understand the context behind a particular stock, like HDFC Bank, especially during tough market conditions. To address this, I am building an AI-powered automation workflow that can store and organize all the discussed stocks along with the reasoning behind holding them. This way, members can easily access and review these insights even after time has passed. I am not trying to sell anything here. Lets discuss if you think it will add value to our community 👍
This is an insightful post packed with actionable wisdom! Achieving financial freedom is indeed about owning your time, money, and energy, and you’ve broken it down into practical, impactful steps. Highlights like understanding the flaws in traditional investment mindsets, diversifying asset classes, and building small, profitable businesses resonate strongly in today’s financial landscape. The emphasis on being action-oriented and valuing clarity over productivity hacks is a refreshing perspective. Your point about increasing the "surface area of luck" by working hard and staying persistent is a reminder that success is a mix of effort and serendipity. A balanced, focused approach like this can guide many toward their goals without falling into the trap of just chasing early retirement. Brilliant insights—thank you for sharing!
Akshat Shrivastava I completely agree that owning time, money, and energy is the key to achieving financial freedom. One additional insight I would add is the importance of having a clear financial plan. Without a plan, it's easy to get sidetracked and lose sight of your goals. A plan helps you stay focused and make informed decisions about where to invest your time and money. It's also important to regularly review and adjust your plan as your circumstances change. Thanks for sharing your valuable insights!
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3dIt's often counterintuitive, but individuals from privileged backgrounds have the advantage of exploring multiple avenues and sustaining longer through their growth journey. On the other hand, many folks find themselves bound to regular income-generating jobs due to responsibilities—an ailing parent, a sister's wedding, or a family debt. perhaps they might attain financial freedom later in their lives; that's perfectly fine! however. I deeply admire those who, despite these obligations, manage to achieve financial stability while fulfilling their duties. Their resilience and determination are truly inspiring.