FIRE was never meant to be the finish line. It was supposed to be the launchpad. But somewhere along the way, we started chasing optimization instead of meaning.

In this episode, I sit down with Jordan Grumet (Doc G), author of The Purpose Code and host of the Earn & Invest Podcast, to explore how the FIRE movement can sometimes turn from a tool for freedom into a trap that leaves people feeling empty.

We unpack three hidden pitfalls that can derail your FIRE journey and how to realign money, purpose, and meaning once you’ve “made it.”

Jordan has been a longtime voice in the Financial Independence movement, through his blog, DiverseFI, his book, The Purpose Code, and his podcast, Earn & Invest.

But after a decade in the movement, he started asking some deeper questions:

• Has FIRE become the destination instead of the launchpad?
• Are we optimizing our finances at the expense of meaning?
• And how do we bring purpose back into the FIRE movement?

Key Takeaways:

• Why FIRE can accidentally make money the goal instead of the tool
• The trap of “Perfect is the Enemy of Good” in personal finance
• Endless optimization (Roth timing, iBonds, chasing interest rates) can distract from what truly matters.
• How optimization can distract us from the hard emotional work
• Real fulfillment comes from pursuing purpose, not FIRE.
• What Jordan still loves about the FIRE movement (and what he’s outgrown)
• How to redefine success beyond spreadsheets and savings rates

Other Episodes You’ll Love:

Is Saving Too Much Holding You Back? | E179 Jesse Cramer

How to Live a FI Life Without the FI Bank Account | E170 Jess from Fioneers

Find Purpose Beyond Financial Independence | E157 Jordan Grumet

Guest Summary:

Jordan Grumet (Doc G) is a physician turned writer, speaker, and host of the Earn & Invest Podcast. His books, Taking Stock and The Purpose Code, explore how to align money, meaning, and legacy. Jordan has been part of the FIRE community since 2014, helping thousands rethink what financial independence really means.

Connect with Jordan:

• Book: The Purpose Code
• Podcast: Earn & Invest Podcast

Connect with Justin:

Email me at Justin@FIMinded.com or connect with me on LinkedIn.

Support FI Minded:

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Everyone talks about starting a side hustle, but few talk about how to pick the right one. The one that fits your skills, your lifestyle, and your FI goals.

Nick Loper, host of The Side Hustle Show, joins me again to share smart ways to find a side hustle that actually fits your life, skills, and Financial Independence goals.

We explore creative frameworks like “Rip, Pivot, and Jam,” “Intersection,” and “Shovels in the Gold Rush,” and how to use AI tools like ChatGPT to uncover ideas faster than ever. Nick also shares how to narrow your list to just one idea you’ll be excited to work on for years to come.

If you’ve been overthinking your next move or waiting for the “perfect” side hustle, this episode will help you find clarity, confidence, and direction.

• Find side hustle ideas at the intersection of what you love, what you’re good at, what people need, and what they’ll pay for.
• Use frameworks like Rip, Pivot, and Jam or Shovels in the Gold Rush to generate creative and practical ideas.
• Leverage AI tools like ChatGPT to brainstorm and refine your concepts.
• Ask questions like “Does this fit my lifestyle?” or “Would I still enjoy this in three years?” to narrow your choices fast.

Other Episodes You’ll Love:

How to Start a Side Hustle in One Month | E167 Nick Loper

How to DOUBLE Your Income in One Year | E164 Andrew Giancola

How to Launch a Side Hustle While Working Full-Time | E132 Genuinely Genesis

More of Nick:

The Side Hustle Show

More of FI Minded:

Email Justin at Justin@FIMinded.com

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

It might have been monsters under the bed, shadows in the corner, or creepy dementors from Harry Potter. We all had irrational fears growing up.

Mine was creepy dolls. After watching a movie called Teacher’s Pet, I became so terrified of dolls that my dad had my sister box up hers and store them in the basement.

I’ll be honest, I’m still not a huge fan of dolls, but I’ve mostly outgrown that fear. Along the way, though, I’ve picked up some new ones like running out of money, being left without health insurance, and probably the biggest of all… taxes.

I’ve been saving and investing with the fear that Uncle Sam will take a huge chunk of my money. That mindset has me padding my investment accounts and inflating my FI number. But after reading Sean Mullaney and Cody Garrett’s book, Tax Planning To and Through Early Retirement, I’m starting to rethink that - and I think you should too.

To help us all navigate this, I invited Sean and Cody to walk us through strategies to optimize taxes before and during early retirement. We’ll cover things like which accounts to deplete first, how to control your taxable income through strategic selling, ways to minimize sequence-of-return risk, and even how you could pay almost nothing in taxes some years without cutting expenses.

If you want practical strategies for optimizing taxes on your path to early retirement, this episode is for you.

I hope you enjoy my conversation with Mr. Measure Twice and the FITaxGuy…Cody Garrett and Sean Mullaney.

Key Takeaways:

• How to fund an early retirement lifestyle tax-free with drawdown strategies.
• Which investment accounts to tap first to optimize your retirement withdrawals
• How to sell specific brokerage lots to precisely manage taxes and cash flow
• A drawdown approach that protects against the sequence of returns risk in retirement
• How to maximize ACA premium tax credits for affordable early retirement healthcare
• When to use Roth and HSA withdrawals for tax-efficient income flexibility

Mentions:

Selling Specific Lots in Fidelity: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cft7dLLP7_U&feature=youtu.be

More of Sean & Cody:

Check out the book “Tax Planning To and Through Early Retirement”:: https://www.measuretwicemoney.com/book

Cody’s website: https://measuretwicefinancial.com/

Sean’s website: https://fitaxguy.com/

More of FI Minded:

Email Justin at Justin@FIMinded.com

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

The discussion is intended to be for general educational purposes and is not tax, legal, or investment advice for any individual. Justin and the FI Minded podcast do not endorse Sean Mullaney, Mullaney Financial & Tax, Inc. and their services.