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Do you have a passion that you’ve anchored your life around?
Bob is a 34-year-old early retiree who left his professional job to “retire” on a farm in rural Appalachia with his family. He started off with homesteading and then discovered a DEEP passion for charcuterie. His goals are now to make 100 different types of salami and 37 varieties of bacon. He technically “failed” at early retirement but found happiness and a new life calling.
You’ll love Bob’s story and he has a lot of wisdom to share on life after early retirement.
We also chat about…
- Finding a passion and anchoring your life around it
- Homesteading and farm life
- When you’re deep on a hobby and your partner isn’t
- Physical hobbies versus digital hobbies
- Hitting the financial independence finish line (and realizing it’s the starting line)
- Living life with no regrets
Enjoy this chat with Bob, and please subscribe to us in iTunes if you enjoyed it!
Show notes and links from today’s episode
- Tabard Farm on Instagram
- Obsessed: Mastermind Charcuterie in Coal Country Bob was featured in Serious Eats!
- Dandan episode of FIRE DRILL
- FIRE Drill Facebook Group
- Mastermind Signup
Key takeaways from our chat with Bob (and some meat pics!)
Photo credits: Tabard Farm on Instagram
Delicious!
1 – There are some hobbies/passions you go deep on briefly, and others you anchor your entire life around
After reaching financial independence, Bob has dove into a few topics deeply like Hamilton, but there is no hobby that can compare to his passion for charcuterie. He produces his own meat and wants to learn EVERYTHING about charcuterie. He plans his entire year around his passion now and it brings him incredible fulfillment.
2 – Homesteading can be a protector against inflation
Bob doesn’t have to worry about the fluctuating price of bacon because his family produces their own food on their farm.
Homesteading can be a great protector against inflation and provide financial security in early retirement. It’s also not as expensive to get started as one might think!
3 – The finish line of early retirement is the starting line
People seeking financial independence can be obsessed with getting to the finish line and that FIRE number without realizing that for most people, the finish line is the starting line.
For Bob, he didn’t stop being a go-getter once he hit his FI number. He now focuses on achieving and growing his passion of charcuterie.
4 – Getting feedback on your passion feels good
Bob loves sharing his passion for charcuterie with others. He once spent money on Amazon shipping a complete stranger his favorite charcuterie books. He also likes being recognized for his work.
J & Gwen love when listeners leave nice notes in the FIRE Drill Facebook group. It’s their way to see that their work is resonating with other people (thank you!)
The feedback loop is important to finding happiness with your passion. Connecting with others is just as important to happiness in early retirement as finding your passion.
5 – You’re going to regret the things that you didn’t do in your life
Bob didn’t want to sit through life and regret not trying to open a meat shop. He’s now opening one in a small time, that in his opinion, has no business having a meat shop. It’s not necessarily about trying to make this shop a commercial success. He doesn’t want to look back on life and regret not going for it.
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