Friends

Apr 29, 2023

Carl here!

I'm part owner of a coworking space with Mr. Money Mustache. This week, a potential member sent Pete and me an email:

How can I know if I'm the right fit? Are there other people in the community that also still work full time, or does everyone else have a flexible schedule? Will I get a "face punch" for still choosing to be a "sucker" who commutes to a job 3x a week with a gas guzzling Subaru? I guess I'm not sure what to expect, and I'm wondering if there will be a lot of judgement about the life I currently choose to live.

The email surprised me because I've found our community to be really, really good people. Here is how I responded:

I'm a pretty severe introvert, but you wouldn't know it if you saw me at an HQ event. The people in this community are some of the most friendly, open minded folks I know. I think that this is because we all feel like outcasts to some degree, so we bond well.

I love the FIRE community. My favorite part about the Mile High FI podcast is all of the interesting people that Doug and I get to meet. We were at EconoMe last month and talked to many old and new friends:

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FIRE is different for everyone. For me, it started as a money lesson. Now, it's a circle of really good friends.

I don't know what you get out of FIRE, but if you're a recovering introvert (aspiring extrovert?) like me, my wish for you is that you push yourself out of your comfort zone this year. Here are some suggestions:

See you soon!

-carl

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