After identifying goals and motivation towards FIRE, continuously increasing your savings rate, and setting up an automated system for investing, the journey to FIRE becomes straightforward. I no longer spend time and energy manually trading Vanguard index funds, no longer worry about expenses going out of whack for a particular month even if there’s some abnormal expense (recently, I bought a HEPA air purifier due to all the fires and smoke in California – sad 🙁 ). Where I spend the most time is learning about different finance topics and ways of thinking, because personal finance is more about psychology than the actual numbers. Plus, it is more fun than transferring money from one account to another every month.

That said, the initial learning and setup needed time. My mind was also clouded with guilt, regret, and wanting to turn back time: Why didn’t I max out 401(k) in my 20s? Why did I buy all those brand name clothes and shoes and purses that have sat in the closet for years, even after many trips and boxes of donations to Goodwill? Why didn’t I claim the right credits and deductions on tax returns? Why didn’t I learn about investing as soon as I started working? Or as a teenager? The list goes on.

The proverb that “The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now” is true for personal finance as well. In psychology, there are ways to deal with regret, but hampering on those feelings do not help you move forward. Acknowledge and process these emotions, then make a plan and start executing. Every action you take helps you regain control. It leads to hope.

Yes, you will spend hours reading and learning, you will still make mistakes and only to discover them later. That is part of the journey. Remind yourself the growth mindset. As Jane Goodall said about wildlife conservation, “we can and we will”. You, too, can and will learn about personal finance and get on the path that you desire and deserve.