When I was 29, I decided to leave my corporate job. Although that was a few years ago, my initial plan was quite different. Ever since I graduated from college, I aimed to retire early, ideally around the age of 40. I figured 20 years of working—starting from entry-level positions during my student years and then moving into corporate roles—would be enough to secure a comfortable early retirement.

The general rule is that if you save 50% of your income, financial independence is attainable within about 16 years. However, my last job was unbearable. Each month, conditions worsened, I experienced constant back pain, and I dreaded going to work every day. For a couple of years, I had been engaged in various side hustles. I tutored kids, taught French and Spanish, and wrote travel articles for several websites. I even rented out my parking space and shared my apartment with roommates, seizing every opportunity to earn extra money.

Those side hustles sometimes doubled or even tripled my salary from the corporate job. Faced with two choices, I had to decide: stay miserable in my job for a few more years until my savings reached my target, or leave the job immediately and focus on my side gigs in a more pleasant environment. I opted for the latter. Surprisingly, within a year, my investments performed well enough that I no longer needed the side gigs. My diligent savings, hard work, and some fortunate investments had brought me financial independence a decade earlier than planned.

Quitting a terrible job and extending the time you work on something enjoyable is always an option. If you’re 30 and in good health, sitting idle might not be appealing anyway, so why not earn money doing something you enjoy?

On Wealth Note, Levi shared that he makes $30,000 a year at a job he dislikes, aiming to save $1.2 million to generate $6,700 monthly in passive income to travel and play poker. Interestingly, I met someone in Guatemala who funded his travels by playing online poker. He found it easy to earn money by playing against beginners and participated in local competitions for fun, often beating players who weren’t as skilled as those in the US.

If Levi continues his tedious job, he might save around $15,000 a year, making financial independence a distant goal. However, he could also try earning a living by playing poker professionally. This wouldn’t be just for fun but as a strategic move to consistently win against less experienced players.

In Guatemala, the traveler I met started playing online poker while working his day job. Once his poker earnings were sufficient to travel the world, he quit his job. He was making around $2,000 a month while traveling, sometimes winning big in local tournaments, though he had his share of losses too.

I also encountered day traders, forex traders, digital nomads, and bloggers who finance their travels through various means. They didn’t have $1.2 million in the bank; instead, they redefined financial independence by maintaining a solid cash reserve from years of saving and having mobile sources of income. This allowed them to work from anywhere and, in many cases, cover their expenses without depleting their savings.

For those travelers, it didn’t matter whether they worked in Bangkok or Buenos Aires. They had enough passive income to cover a significant portion of their expenses and could live the life they wanted without touching their nest eggs.

Another option I considered was finding a job I enjoyed more. I love teaching, so becoming a primary school teacher was an appealing idea. Even though it would mean a pay cut, I could live on my salary without dipping into my savings, allowing those savings to grow through compound interest. I ultimately chose travel writing because it offered more flexibility and time for travel.

This approach, which I call taking the scenic road to financial independence, allows you to enjoy life more while still working towards your goal.

So, what do you think? Would you rather work less at a terrible job or delay early retirement to work at your dream job?