[charlie0]

I don't want to be rich either, but it would be awesome to FIRE before I'm 65.

[ChrisMarshallNY]

It was never a goal of mine, but I found out I could, at 55.

It would have been nice, to have the extra decade of salary, but c’est la vie…

[cortesoft]

You can do that on a normal salary, too.

[riehwvfbk]

But only if you get incredibly lucky. Even in the Bay Area where many an employee became a millionaire the chance of that being you is still a single digit percentage.

[ChrisMarshallNY]

Not just luck. Self-discipline, structure, and sacrifice are necessary.

Living frugally, deferring (or avoiding) purchases, saving a substantial percentage, etc., was important for me.

Also, the world around us, changes.

In my entire career, I never made more than what some kids make, coming right out of school, these days.

The same for my father. He never made more than about $50K, his entire life, yet had a half-acre house in Potomac, two cars, and a stay-at-home wife.