What FIRE Really Means

This lesson defines what FIRE actually means: building enough financial flexibility that paid work becomes optional, not necessarily quitting forever or living on extreme deprivation. Students learn the core idea of financial independence, the difference between independence and retirement, and why the movement is built around savings rate, expenses, invested assets, and personal values.

The lesson also introduces common FIRE styles, realistic tradeoffs, and the importance of using FIRE as a planning framework rather than an identity or rigid formula. Later lessons will cover the math, investing, withdrawal rates, taxes, healthcare, and execution in more detail.