[tachibana]

Step 1: Save diligently (>30% of pre-tax salary)

Step 2: Invest in very conservative investments that throw off free cash (I personally like fixed income like US treasuries and municipal bonds). The operative word is "conservative" so that the passive income is reliable and can be treated as a permanent offset to lifestyle costs.

Step 3: ...

Step 4: $$$ -- As the income in Step #2 grows, it increases the savings ratio in Step #1 (a geometric series!).

This is a doable formula anywhere (I currently am working and raising a family in Silicon Valley) and I've achieved financial independence in about ~10 years. I still keep working to stay engaged.