Episode 152

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Published on:

23rd Oct 2024

Ignoring the Rules and Paving Your Own Path to FIRE | E152 Diania Merriam

I love FI because it allows me to break the rules and live outside the norm. Like, no one has time for 40 years of traditional employment. But little did I realize I left one set of rules only to get caught up in another - the rules of personal finance.

For example, let's look at one popular idea, “spend less than you earn and invest the difference.” My friend Jeremy Schneider says this all the time and for the most part, he’s right. This is a great principle and one of the pillars of building wealth. But where we go wrong is when we get too fixated on a rule and let it box us in. Do we have to spend less than we earn…every year? No, we realize that is a silly idea. If you want to plan a year of travel, take off time to raise a newborn, or work on launching a business, that might be a year you spend more than you make…and that’s okay.

I’m not saying Jeremy hasn’t had a year where he’s spent more than he’s earned. Knowing him, I’m guessing he’s had a couple but sometimes these general guidelines create a limited mindset. Another example is the 4% rule. This one boxed me in for years making me think I needed to reach my FIRE number before I could retire.

I’ve been rethinking that a lot recently and one person who has impacted me is Diania Merriam. Through her 20s and early 30s, Diania worked in sales. In the midst of one of her peak earning years, she decided to take a 2-month sabbatical to walk 500 miles across northern Spain. A few years later, she quit that job entirely and retired from her corporate career at 33. Diania then founded the EconoMe Conference, a party about money. The conference wasn’t profitable the first few years but Diania didn’t care because she felt like organizing this event was her calling. She is the definition of rewriting the rule book which is why I wanted to have her on the show.

I’m hoping through her story, you identify a personal finance rule that might be limiting your thinking. We get into topics like how to get your employer to say yes to a sabbatical, getting comfortable leaving a high-paying job, right-sizing work, and more.

Key Takeaways:

  • How to get your employer to say yes to a sabbatical
  • Getting comfortable leaving a high-paying job
  • Embracing an abundance mindset
  • How to right-size your work
  • Finding FI-lexbility


More of Diania:

EconoMe Conference: ​​https://economeconference.com/

Optimal Finance Daily: https://oldpodcast.com/optimal-finance-daily-podcast/


More of The Struggle is Real:

Find show notes and more at https://www.tsirpodcast.com/

Connect with Justin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinleepeters/

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About the Podcast

FI Minded: Achieve Financial Independence & Have Fun Doing It
Achieve Financial Independence & Have Fun Doing It
Want to achieve financial independence without missing out on the fun?

FI Minded is for anyone who wants to achieve financial freedom, live life on their own terms, and, most importantly, enjoy the journey along the way!

Whether you’re just starting to think about financial independence or already deep into the process, FI Minded gives you the tools and inspiration to make FI a reality - without giving up the things you love.

Each episode, we’ll cover topics like:
*Financial Independence Strategies: Simple, actionable advice to reach FI faster (if that’s your goal).
*Work Optionality: Transitioning from the corporate grind (no more "one more year syndrome") to a life of freedom and flexibility.
*Lifestyle Design: How to build a life that aligns with your values, goals, and dreams.
*Stories from the FI Community: Real people sharing their journeys to FI and what they’ve learned.
*Fun with FI: How to save your future and enjoy your current life through CoastFI, mini-retirements, travel, or just making the most of your time.
*Fighting Burnout: Balancing saving for your future while staying mentally healthy.

Some of our past guests include:
Carl Jensen (1500 Days), Jeremy Schneider (Personal Finance Club), Nick Loper (Side Hustle Show), Andrew Giancola (The Personal Finance Podcast), Jordan Grumet (Earn & Invest), Jill Sirianni (Frugal Friends), Jacking Cummings-Koski (Catching Up to FI), Jesse Cramer (Personal Finance for Long-Term Investors), Diania Merriam (Optimal Finance Daily), Rachael Camp (Work Optional), Jillian Johnsrud (Retire Often), Sean Mullaney (FI Tax Guy), Joel Larsgaard (How to Money), Erin Lowry (Broke Millennial).
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