Logan, a CPA, personal finance expert, and founder of the finance blog Money Done Right, first ventured into the blogging world in July 2017. After nearly ten years in the corporate realm assisting large businesses to save money, he began his blog with the aim of helping everyday Americans earn, save, and invest more effectively.

Every year, the FIRE movement—a trend encouraging people to achieve “Financial Independence / Retire Early”—gains more attention. For those unfamiliar, the concept revolves around living frugally for about ten to twenty years with the goal of retiring in their 30s or 40s, rather than working the traditional forty-year career.

While Logan fully supports the “Financial Independence” aspect of FIRE, he’s less enthusiastic about the “Retire Early” part. Here’s why:

1. Staying Active Is Important
Logan enjoys seeing the journeys of those who have achieved FIRE, traveling in RVs, sailing for months, or exploring the world. Yet, he gets restless after just two or three weeks of vacation. For him, not being productive starts to feel unfulfilling, and he’s eager to return to work. This might change over another decade, but for now, he can’t envision a future with no career goals.

2. Making a Difference
Logan sees many challenges in the world, and while he can’t solve them all, he focuses on improving financial literacy, which is why he works on his personal finance blog full-time. Even if he reaches financial independence, he wouldn’t want to retire early but would instead continue educating others about finance. Volunteering without compensation is an option, but he believes financial incentives drive him to do his best work.

3. Providing for His Children
Logan recently welcomed a son, Hunter, and hopes to have more children. He aims to give his children the best life possible, something he believes can’t be achieved by relying solely on an investment account for early retirement. Unlike high-earning professionals like neurosurgeons, he feels balancing early retirement with providing a solid financial foundation for his kids isn’t feasible.

4. Keeping Mentally Sharp
Logan believes in lifelong learning and acknowledges that one could continue to learn without a job or business. However, for him, the motivation to learn is tied to the potential for financial gain. Applying newfound knowledge in a professional setting keeps his mind sharp and prevents his learning from becoming just theoretical.

5. Supporting Aging Parents
As the firstborn, Logan has enjoyed having youthful and energetic parents around. However, he knows that as they age, they may need long-term care, which could be expensive. He wouldn’t want to compromise their care by choosing to retire early.

In conclusion, while FIRE is appealing to some, it’s not a one-size-fits-all solution. People can choose different paths based on their financial goals. Some may prefer enjoying life now, while others might focus on saving for an early retirement. Logan prefers to apply some FIRE principles without necessarily aiming to retire early. He values learning from early retirees but prioritizes his personal goals over the idea of leaving the workforce in his 30s or 40s.