How to Design Your “Dream” Life in Early Retirement | Life After FIRE | Bigger Pockets Video

Episode #636

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What if you reached financial independence…before knowing what it was? That’s what happened to Chris Rusin. After discovering the FIRE movement and stumbling across Mindy and Carl’s blog, he realized he was already at his goal. Then, early retirement unlocked a new life full of wild adventures, creative rebirth, and deeper purpose!

Welcome back to the “BiggerPockets Money” podcast! Chris had been hustling, saving money, and chasing financial freedom for years before experiencing a big wake-up call. He encountered a half-billionaire who, despite “having it all,” was deeply unhappy and filled with regret. That moment sparked a shift—not toward more money, but toward more meaning.

Since then, Chris has dived for treasure with Navy SEALs, unearthed dinosaur fossils, and much more—all before turning 50! But he’s also faced his fair share of fear and uncertainty. After receiving a cancer diagnosis and losing his voice to chemotherapy, he made a promise: if his voice came back, he’d finally record the album he’d dreamed of making. And he did. Stick around till the very end to hear the “world premiere” of Chris’ brand-new song!

00:00 Intro
00:47 Discovering FI
05:07 Major Health Challenges
09:27 Financial Security
11:41 The “Dream” Project
16:41 The New Album & Next Steps
19:16 Chris’ “World Premiere”
21:52 Connect with Chris!