You'd be amazed at how many people have achieved Step 1 already, yet who are completely oblivious to the follow-on steps of achieving FI -- or even just saving,

You'd be amazed at how many people have achieved Step 1 already, yet who are completely oblivious to the follow-on steps of achieving FI -- or even just saving, living well below your means, etc. Some people only realize 15 years later, after their industry tanks and they're laid off. Then they think, "If only I'd been more aggressive about saving early... I could 'soft retire' now instead of stressing like mad to find gainful employment." The good news: if you're still in your working prime, you might still have time. The really shitty situation is folks who hit retirement age and only then realize that their savings are insufficient. Govt welfare won't cover you, and you may be past your prime working years (depending on industry or type of job), and instead of having an enjoyable retirement around grandchildren, you're stuck worrying about how you're going to pay for meds. Then you're just fscked. TL;DR: Even if you don't think you need it now, your future self will thank you!