Fit Rich Life

Rachel Richards retired from her corporate career at 27 after building a real estate portfolio that generated enough income to cover her living expenses. Then she built Money Honey Rachel — a successful online business with books, courses, a mastermind, and hundreds of thousands of followers.

But when that business was on track to generate approximately $600,000-$700,000 in annual profit, she decided to shut it down.

In this episode, Rachel shares why she walked away, how her dream of becoming an author turned into an influencer job she resented, and the identity crisis she wasn't prepared for when the income, engagement, and external validation stopped.

We explore the difference between net worth and self-worth, why financially independent people keep chasing money they don't need, and how to recognize when you already have enough. I also open up about my own struggles with achievement, childhood financial insecurity, and the temptation to return to a high-paying career despite loving the life I have now.

Rachel also shares how she's finding fulfillment through fitness and friendship, why she co-created the Better Body challenge with James Lowery, and the $10,000 accountability bet that helped her finish 75 Hard. We talk about building a stronger body through consistency, putting yourself around people who support your growth, and shifting from maximizing your net worth to maximizing your net life.

Finally, Rachel opens up about the financial lessons from her divorce, why she wishes she'd had a prenup, and how journaling helped her process what happened and rebuild her confidence. She also explains why stepping away from social media has been so freeing — and why you don't have to make a big impact to make a positive impact.

Connect With Rachel Richards:

Website: moneyhoneyrachel.comInstagram & Free Resources: @moneyhoneyrachel Better Body Challenge: moneyhoneyrachel.com/program/better-body Books: Money Honey and Passive Income, Aggressive Retirement

Get a FREE copy of my Fit Rich Life Money Guide: mwob.fitrichlife.com

In This Episode:

• Paying her way through college by selling Cutco knives

• Buying her first Kentucky duplex at 24 and scaling to 38 rental units

• The cash flow and challenges of boarding-house-style properties

• Retiring from her corporate career at 27

• How becoming an author turned into running an influencer business

• Walking away from a business on track for 600,000–700,000 in annual profit

• Losing the external validation that shaped her identity

• Separating your self-worth from your income, achievements, and followers

• Why having enough money doesn't always feel like enough

• The "financial whiplash" of earning less after becoming financially independent

• Justin's struggle with status, achievement, and feeling like he has to earn love

• Maximizing your net life instead of endlessly maximizing your net worth

• Building self-acceptance through journaling and affirmations

• Creating Better Body with James Lowery

• Why accountability and community help make fitness habits stick

• The $10,000 bet that helped Rachel complete 75 Hard

• Divorce, financial independence, and the prenup conversation she wishes she'd had

• Tracking your lifts, protein, and net worth

• Leaving social media and writing letters to your future self

• Making a positive impact without needing a massive audience

Full Show Notes w/ Links to resources: www.fitrichlife.com/podcast/

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SHOW SPONSORS:

I am incredibly passionate about Fitness and Money & have reached a substantial degree of mastery in these domains, and now I'm looking to help others do the same! Interested in taking your Fitness, Money & Life to the next level? Book your Free Consultation today or drop me a DM on Instagram https://instagram.com/justindavidcarl to coordinate a time to connect with me.

From Pre-Workout to Protein, if you desire to lead a happy, healthy, fit life, go to https://vedgenutrition.com/dragon and grab your plant-based healthy essentials. Use the code DRAGON to save $$!

Thanks for tuning in!

If you liked my show, LEAVE A THUMBS UP, share, and subscribe!

Justin Taylor is back for his third appearance on the Fit Rich Life Podcast — this time for the three conversations we ran out of time for in Episode 112.

He retired from his W-2 career at 33 and is now two and a half years into early retirement. Justin is a little over four years sober. He and his wife Leslie are child-free by choice. This September marks my twelfth year sober, I'm a little over two years into early retirement myself, and I'm also child-free by choice — so this one is less interview and more two friends comparing notes from slightly different points on the same road.

In this episode, Justin shares what the first years of early retirement actually feel like once the novelty wears off — why there's no magic switch that flips the day you stop working, why his first year was "machine gunning" with no storyline arc, and how the stress he swore he wasn't carrying showed up in his dreams and in a shoulder injury he assumed was permanent.

We also get into the part nobody warns you about: early retirement can be lonely. I spent my first nine months chasing more income I didn't need, and it took pickleball, a new gym, and finally showing up at FinCon and EconoMe to rebuild the community I'd lost. Justin explains why he's happy to carry the bulk of the weight in his friendships, why keeping score guarantees nobody wins, and how he integrates himself into the lives of friends who still work nine to five.

Then we go deep on sober living. Justin breaks down the math that got him to quit — if you roll the dice a few times a year for fifty more years, that's two hundred chances for something you can't take back — and why quitting was easy for him when moderating never was. We talk about the mental chatter that disappears, why you end up with fewer acquaintances but not fewer friends, and why almost everyone we admire is sober.

Finally, we talk about being child-free by choice: why kids should be a hell yes or a hell no, the "you're selfish" argument and why it doesn't hold up, the assumption that every woman will eventually want children, and how you define legacy for yourself when you're not leaving one behind in the form of a child.

Fit Rich Life Podcast Episode 115 with Justin Taylor is available on Spotify, Apple, YouTube, and wherever you enjoy your podcast entertainment.

Connect With Justin Taylor:

Life Well Worth It: https://lifewellworthit.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/saving_sherpa/

Substack: https://lifewellworthit.substack.com/

Get a FREE copy of my Money Guide: https://mwob.fitrichlife.com/

In This Episode:

• What two and a half years of early retirement actually feel like

• Why there's no magic switch that flips the day you stop working

• Retiring to something versus retiring from something

• Why early retirement is lonelier than anyone tells you

• Justin's first nine months chasing income he didn't need

• Carrying the bulk of the weight in a friendship without keeping score

• How to visit friends who still work a nine to five

• Taking one hundred percent responsibility for your relationships

• How to answer "what do you do for a living" when you're retired at 33

• Why telling people inspires them far more often than it offends them

• The three things that turned Justin's first year around

• Sleeping nine to eleven hours a night for a full year after leaving work

• The stress you don't know you're carrying until you put it down

• Why being a great friend, spouse, and athlete is already a full-time job

• Too much open space, and why physical quests fix it

• Finding the right amount of work you actually love

• Why so many fitness obsessives come from a prior addiction

• Sobriety as a superpower, and why you stop hanging out with people you never wanted to hang out with

• The two hundred rolls of the dice that ended Justin Taylor's drinking

• Why abstinence is easier than moderation

• The mental chatter that disappears when you stop drinking

• Fewer acquaintances, not fewer friends

• Why nobody who quits drinking seems to regret it

• The six-month sober experiment worth running

• Child-free by choice, and why kids should be a hell yes or hell no

• The "you're selfish for not having kids" argument, inverted

• Why "wait until she wants kids" isn't a fair assumption

• Defining legacy when you don't have children

• The funeral test for a life well lived

• Building a body of work instead

Full Show Notes w/ Links to resources: www.fitrichlife.com/podcast/

FIT RICH LIFE NEWSLETTER

Get fit, get rich, and live your best life in 10 minutes a week. Join 6,100+ smart readers who are leveling up their Fitness, Money & Life.

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SHOW SPONSORS:

I am incredibly passionate about Fitness and Money & have reached a substantial degree of mastery in these domains, and now I'm looking to help others do the same! Interested in taking your Fitness, Money & Life to the next level? Book your Free Consultation today or drop me a DM on Instagram https://instagram.com/justindavidcarl to coordinate a time to connect with me.

From Pre-Workout to Protein, if you desire to lead a happy, healthy, fit life, go to https://vedgenutrition.com/dragon and grab your plant-based healthy essentials. Use the code DRAGON to save $$!

Thanks for tuning in!

If you liked my show, LEAVE A THUMBS UP, share, and subscribe!

Alan Hong went from being bullied and living with a deep sense of powerlessness to overcorrecting through anger, ambition, external validation, and constant achievement.

Today, Alan is the creator of The Codexx and writer of The Sovereign Letter, where he explores state-first identity shifts, nervous system regulation, coherence, and personal sovereignty.

In this episode, Alan explains why strategy alone often fails, how your internal state shapes your identity, and why externally successful people can still feel empty and fragmented inside.

We explore the hidden cost of building your life with "dirty fuel," how pain and survival programming can drive achievement while slowly wearing you down, and why lasting transformation requires more than discipline or willpower.

Alan also shares how to stop abandoning yourself, reprogram the patterns keeping you stuck, align your mind, body, and heart, and become more sovereign over your choices and your life.

This is a powerful conversation about identity, ambition, healing, self-awareness, nervous system regulation, and building success without sacrificing yourself in the process.

Connect With Alan

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thealanhong/

Get a FREE copy of my Money Guide: https://mwob.fitrichlife.com/

In This Episode:

• Growing up with refugee parents and inheriting their survival programming

• Getting bullied, and why Justin was briefly a bully himself

• The graduation nobody clapped at, and the swing from victim to villain

• Fifteen sales jobs in five years and the burnout pattern underneath them

• Finding unconditional love and the beginning of a third path

• Why Alan doesn't write about his faith, and who his work is actually for

• Maslow's hierarchy, safety and significance, and why "teach a man to fish" fails

• How the Codexx started as a public diary

• What you teach is teaching you: using a platform to metabolize your own growth

• No originals, only original remixes — Lao Tzu, the Stoics, NLP, and the Hermetic principles

• David Goggins versus Wim Hof: two ways to conquer a literal mountain

• Nonviolent communication: needs are valid, strategies are the problem

• What self-abandonment actually looks like from the inside

• Justin's investment banking internships and eight years in Hollywood nightlife

• When the cost exceeds the value: the gym membership test

• State before strategy, and why discipline advice fails ADHD brains

• Justin's shift from looking rich to FI — the Range Rover, the Prius, and three years of cooking at home

• Backsliding, and why identity has to be secured before habits will hold

• Dirty fuel versus clean fuel, and the hidden price of pain-driven success

• Fight, flight, freeze, fawn — how survival programming shows up at work

• Stress as the silent killer

• Coherence: mind, body, and heart in alignment as the opposite of survival

• Sovereignty explained through statecraft

• Alan's tips for fitness, money, and life

Chapters:

00:00 — Welcome, and who Alan Hong is 00:55 — Recording from Byron Bay, Australia 02:15 — Refugee parents, survival programming, and a bullied childhood 07:01 — Justin on being bullied by his brother and becoming a bully 09:26 — Nobody clapped at graduation: victim to villain at 19 11:46 — Pickup artistry, alpha-male circles, and stacking skills 23:54 — Why Alan doesn't write about Christianity 26:12 — Maslow's hierarchy, safety, and significance 28:31 — Meeting real needs through unhealthy strategies 33:22 — How the Codexx began as a public diary 36:04 — Two and a half years of creating online 41:21 — No originals, only original remixes: Alan's influences 44:16 — David Goggins versus Wim Hof 46:41 — The bicep curl and the myth of the self-made man 50:04 — Nonviolent communication: needs, feelings, and strategies 54:05 — Justin's investment banking years and the Hollywood nightlife trap 01:01:06 — When the cost exceeds the value 01:10:15 — What "state" means, and why state comes before strategy 01:15:58 — Justin's identity shift from looking rich to FI 01:29:32 — Blended chicken breast and the anatomy of a backslide 01:31:53 — Dirty fuel versus clean fuel 01:38:27 — Your body doesn't know you're safe 01:40:53 — Fight, flight, freeze, fawn in everyday life 01:43:52 — Stress as the silent killer 01:45:54 — Coherence: the opposite of survival 01:51:22 — Sovereignty through the lens of statecraft 01:55:57 — Money tip: time in the market, not timing the market 01:57:29 — Fitness tip: hypertrophy and progressive overload 01:59:19 — Life tip: zoom out and see the patterns 02:00:36 — Where to find Alan online

Full Show Notes w/ Links to resources: www.fitrichlife.com/podcast/

FIT RICH LIFE NEWSLETTER

Get fit, get rich, and live your best life in 10 minutes a week. Join 6,100+ smart readers who are leveling up their Fitness, Money & Life.

Join here: https://fitrichlife.com/newsletter

WANT TO LEARN MORE?

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Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justindavidcarl

SHOW SPONSORS:

I am incredibly passionate about Fitness and Money & have reached a substantial degree of mastery in these domains, and now I'm looking to help others do the same! Interested in taking your Fitness, Money & Life to the next level? Book your Free Consultation today or drop me a DM on Instagram https://instagram.com/justindavidcarl to coordinate a time to connect with me.

From Pre-Workout to Protein, if you desire to lead a happy, healthy, fit life, go to https://vedgenutrition.com/dragon and grab your plant-based healthy essentials. Use the code DRAGON to save $$!

Thanks for tuning in!

If you liked my show, LEAVE A THUMBS UP, share, and subscribe!

Sathish Gajula started tracking his household net worth at zero in 2017. It took six years to reach $234,000 — and only three more to cross $1 million. He's a senior pharmaceutical engineer, the host of the Compounding Project Podcast, and living proof that compounding applies to a lot more than money.

In this episode, Sathish shares the $380 phone call that revealed he was living paycheck to paycheck on a $70,000 salary, how one job change came with a negotiated 50 percent raise and a remote arrangement, why automation beats willpower every time, and why the first $100,000 ended up meaning more to him than the million.

We also explore the 40 pounds he lost and the visible 6-pack he built using a $10 food scale, the parallels between compounding health and compounding wealth — plus the one place they diverge — how he got his wife on board with financial independence using two books and a library, and why he'd rather be a millionaire with a 6-pack in a Toyota than an unhealthy millionaire in a Ferrari.

Sathish and Justin also dig into W-2 careers versus entrepreneurship, survivorship bias in the creator economy, growing your career income as the single biggest lever, and the cost of over-optimizing your life — including Justin's case for protecting your leisure.

Connect With Sathish Gajula:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/compoundingproject/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CompoundingProject

Get a FREE copy of my Money Guide: https://mwob.fitrichlife.com/

Full Show Notes w/ Links to resources: www.fitrichlife.com/podcast/

In This Episode:

• The year-by-year net worth chart from $0 to $1 million • Why the first $100,000 took three years and mattered most • How a single job change produced a 50 percent raise • Earning a Boston salary while living in North Carolina • Why he never bought individual stocks • Automation as the most underrated wealth-building habit • How automated investing creates dollar cost averaging for you • Lifestyle creep at $70,000 a year and why raises don't fix saving • When to stop doing everything yourself and start buying back your time • Growing up in rural India where the stock market was considered gambling • The $380 phone call that started his FI journey • Why a W-2 job may be a better path to FI than entrepreneurship • Getting a reluctant spouse on board without starting a fight • Losing 40 pounds and building a six pack with a $10 food scale • Why protein at every meal changed his fitness results • The Compound Effect story: 125 calories a day for 31 months • Identity-based habits in both fitness and money • When optimizing your life starts shrinking it

Chapters:

00:00 — Meet Sathish Gajula 01:36 — Zero to $1 million: what actually happened 04:05 — The job change that came with a 50 percent raise 07:33 — Which number meant more, $100K or $1M 09:57 — The net worth chart, year by year 13:21 — Why index funds instead of stock picking 16:37 — VOO, VTI, and why index funds are self-cleansing 18:06 — Finding JL Collins and The Simple Path to Wealth 19:31 — Why automation beats willpower 21:13 — What paying yourself first actually looks like 24:03 — Automation as built-in dollar cost averaging 26:23 — Lifestyle inflation at $70,000 a year 28:27 — Time in the market vs. timing the market 34:35 — When to start buying back your time 40:02 — Building the wealth snowball 46:08 — The cost of waiting five years to start 48:11 — Growing up in rural India: land, savings, and taboo 52:16 — The $380 phone call 54:55 — Googling "how to stop living paycheck to paycheck" 56:47 — Justin's own FI awakening 59:02 — W-2 career vs. entrepreneurship 01:09:16 — Career income is the biggest lever 01:15:29 — Getting his wife on board with FI 01:21:18 — Optimizing housing, food, and transportation 01:28:24 — Three years without eating out 01:30:14 — Lifestyle creep is real 01:32:34 — A millionaire with a six pack in a Toyota 01:35:29 — Losing 40 pounds 01:36:33 — The $10 food scale 01:43:04 — Do you still track your food? 01:45:55 — Principles that transfer between health and wealth 01:50:40 — 125 calories a day for 31 months 01:56:07 — Identity-based habits 02:04:26 — When optimization starts shrinking your life 02:06:49 — The case for leisure 02:12:02 — Ted Lasso, Shrinking, and Billions 02:19:06 — Fitness: protein at every meal 02:24:08 — Money: don't quit before compounding kicks in 02:26:44 — Life: never stop learning 02:31:02 — Where to find Sathish

FIT RICH LIFE NEWSLETTER

Get fit, get rich, and live your best life in 10 minutes a week. Join 6,100+ smart readers who are leveling up their Fitness, Money & Life.

Join here: https://fitrichlife.com/newsletter

WANT TO LEARN MORE?

Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/justindavidcarl

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Follow me on Twitter/X: https://x.com/justindavidcarl

Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justindavidcarl

SHOW SPONSORS:

I am incredibly passionate about Fitness and Money & have reached a substantial degree of mastery in these domains, and now I'm looking to help others do the same! Interested in taking your Fitness, Money & Life to the next level? Book your Free Consultation today or drop me a DM on Instagram https://instagram.com/justindavidcarl to coordinate a time to connect with me.

From Pre-Workout to Protein, if you desire to lead a happy, healthy, fit life, go to https://vedgenutrition.com/dragon and grab your plant-based healthy essentials. Use the code DRAGON to save $$!

Thanks for tuning in!

If you liked my show, LEAVE A THUMBS UP, share, and subscribe!

Justin Taylor reached financial independence around age 30 and retired from his W-2 career at 33 after building wealth through a remarkably repeatable strategy: increasing his income, keeping his annual spending near $24,000, reaching an 80–90% savings rate, and consistently investing in index funds.

In this episode, Justin shares how he went from earning roughly $40,000 in the Air Force to $230,000 in corporate tech without inflating his lifestyle — and why his net worth has grown by more than $1 million since he stopped working.

We also explore the psychological challenges of early retirement, why spending can feel harder than saving, and how to shift from maximizing your net worth to maximizing your net life.

Justin also breaks down how he and his wife traveled through Southeast Asia and Europe for six months for approximately $9,000 per person while staying in beautiful places, having bucket-list experiences, and maintaining their fitness. He shares how slow travel, house swapping, travel rewards, geographic arbitrage, home cooking, and flexibility made it possible.

Finally, Justin explains how that experience inspired Life Well Worth It — fitness and wellness retreats built around travel, physical challenges, intentional living, and in-person community.

Connect with Justin Taylor:

Life Well Worth It: https://lifewellworthit.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/saving_sherpa/

Substack: https://lifewellworthit.substack.com/

In This Episode:

• How Justin reached financial independence around age 30

• Why he retired from his W-2 career at 33

• How he increased his income without inflating his lifestyle

• Why he kept his annual spending near $24,000

• How an 80–90% savings rate accelerated his path to freedom

• Why his net worth grew by more than $1 million after retirement

• The challenge of transitioning from saving to spending

• How Justin and his wife manage their money together

• How they traveled for six months for approximately $9,000 per person

• How house swapping, travel rewards, and slow travel reduce costs

• How Justin maintained his fitness and gained lean muscle while traveling

• Why tracking your food and finances creates freedom and intuition

• How running became a way to experience new places

• Why framing frugality as a fun challenge changes everything

• The origin of Life Well Worth It retreats

• Why physical quests create confidence, connection, and purpose

• How community accelerates your fitness and financial journey

• Why you should design your life instead of defaulting to what is normal

Chapters:

00:00 — Justin's journey into early retirement 01:09 — Leaving the 9-to-5 with a severance package 04:55 — Justin's income journey from the Air Force to tech 07:39 — Reaching financial independence around age 30 08:21 — How Justin kept his expenses near $24,000 13:24 — Reaching an 80–90% savings rate 14:48 — Justin's FI number and growing wealth after retirement 20:08 — Managing money within a marriage 22:47 — How Justin funds his early-retirement lifestyle 28:12 — Reframing frugality as a fun challenge 31:43 — Traveling for six months for approximately $9,000 37:05 — Maintaining fitness while traveling the world 38:39 — What is HYROX? 47:17 — Tracking food before transitioning to intuitive eating 55:52 — Why tracking reduces mental energy 59:49 — House swapping, travel rewards, and affordable accommodations 01:10:03 — The origin of Life Well Worth It 01:14:50 — Creating their first fitness retreat in Spain 01:24:52 — Why beginners belong in fitness communities 01:30:08 — How to join a Life Well Worth It retreat 01:41:27 — Fitness: Make it part of your lifestyle 01:46:18 — Money: Create your rules and stop negotiating 01:51:41 — Life: Design what works for you

Get a FREE copy of my Money Guide: https://mwob.fitrichlife.com/

Full Show Notes w/ Links to resources: www.fitrichlife.com/podcast/

FIT RICH LIFE NEWSLETTER

Get fit, get rich, and live your best life in 10 minutes a week. Join 6,100+ smart readers who are leveling up their Fitness, Money & Life.

Join here: https://fitrichlife.com/newsletter

WANT TO LEARN MORE?

Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/justindavidcarl

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Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justindavidcarl

SHOW SPONSORS:

I am incredibly passionate about Fitness and Money & have reached a substantial degree of mastery in these domains, and now I'm looking to help others do the same! Interested in taking your Fitness, Money & Life to the next level? Book your Free Consultation today or drop me a DM on Instagram https://instagram.com/justindavidcarl to coordinate a time to connect with me.

From Pre-Workout to Protein, if you desire to lead a happy, healthy, fit life, go to https://vedgenutrition.com/dragon and grab your plant-based healthy essentials. Use the code DRAGON to save $$!

Thanks for tuning in!

If you liked my show, LEAVE A THUMBS UP, share, and subscribe!

Philip "PT Money" Taylor went from carrying roughly $70,000 in debt and working as a corporate CPA to becoming a full-time creator and building FinCon — the leading conference for personal finance creators and brands.

In this episode, PT shares how personal finance blogs changed his relationship with money, why documenting his journey helped him stay accountable, and how a simple idea to bring internet friends together grew into an event that shaped an entire industry.

We also explore the future of the creator economy, the impact of AI, the importance of finding your people, and why you should start creating before your brand, niche, or business plan feels perfect.

PT also explains when creators should form an LLC, separate their business finances, hire a CPA, and begin treating their content like a real business.

PT Money: PTMoney.com FinCon: FinConExpo.com Creator CPA: www.TheCreatorCPA.com

• How PT paid off approximately $70,000 in debt

• Why writing publicly creates accountability

• How blogging became a full-time business

• The origin story of FinCon

• Why beginners belong in creator communities

• How in-person relationships accelerate success

• The evolution of blogging, YouTube, social media, and AI

• Why creators should choose formats they genuinely enjoy

• When to form an LLC and hire a CPA

• How entrepreneurship accelerated PT's financial freedom

• Why freedom is about family, health, creativity, and meaningful work

00:00 — How FinCon shaped the creator industry 00:59 — The early personal finance internet 07:42 — What is FinCon? 11:03 — PT's CPA career and debt journey 21:30 — Why PT started creating online 25:03 — Writing, accountability, and financial progress 31:35 — How PT Money got its name 36:53 — The origin of FinCon 40:41 — The power of in-person community 46:30 — Why beginners belong at FinCon 55:59 — The evolution of the creator economy 59:30 — YouTube, AI, and independent creators 01:09:20 — The business side of creating 01:10:59 — Why PT created Creator CPA 01:14:32 — When should a creator hire a CPA? 01:18:27 — PT's evolving definition of financial independence 01:26:18 — Entrepreneurship and financial freedom 01:28:11 — Fitness: Prioritize protein 01:30:11 — Money: Open the account 01:32:04 — Life: Connect with something greater

Get a FREE copy of my Money Guide: https://mwob.fitrichlife.com/

Full Show Notes w/ Links to resources: www.fitrichlife.com/podcast/

FIT RICH LIFE NEWSLETTER

Get fit, get rich, and live your best life in 10 minutes a week. Join 6,100+ smart readers who are leveling up their Fitness, Money & Life.

Join here: https://fitrichlife.com/newsletter

WANT TO LEARN MORE?

Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/justindavidcarl

Follow me on Threads: https://www.threads.net/@justindavidcarl

Follow me on Twitter/X: https://x.com/justindavidcarl

Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justindavidcarl

SHOW SPONSORS:

I am incredibly passionate about Fitness and Money & have reached a substantial degree of mastery in these domains, and now I'm looking to help others do the same! Interested in taking your Fitness, Money & Life to the next level? Book your Free Consultation today or drop me a DM on Instagram https://instagram.com/justindavidcarl to coordinate a time to connect with me.

From Pre-Workout to Protein, if you desire to lead a happy, healthy, fit life, go to https://vedgenutrition.com/dragon and grab your plant-based healthy essentials. Use the code DRAGON to save $$!

Thanks for tuning in!

If you liked my show, LEAVE A THUMBS UP, share, and subscribe!

What does life actually look like after you hit your FI number? In this episode of the Fit Rich Life Podcast, Justin sits down with Cody Berman — who reached financial independence at 25 and just released his #1 bestselling book Retired by 30 — for an honest, peer-to-peer conversation about the messy, rewarding first years of early retirement. They took two different roads to the same place (Cody through entrepreneurship, Justin through a corporate sales career), and they compare notes on identity, decompression, building businesses that run without you, and why the real goal was never a number.

Connect with Cody Berman:

• Website: https://goldcityventures.com/

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/codydberman/

• Working in seasons instead of grinding 24/7/365

• The identity crisis that hits when you leave a high-performing career

• The decompression period nobody warns you about (and sleeping 10–12 hours a night for a year)

• Why you still need a quest — and how to find your North Star in early retirement

• Building scalable, systemized businesses (SOPs, delegation, passive income)

• The 1,200-day email sequence and the "leaky bucket" problem

• Structuring your days around your values — not a job

• The transition period and getting comfortable in the unknown

• Why community is an asset class, and "be the lighthouse, not the tugboat"

• Shifting from maximizing net worth to maximizing net life

• Books: Retire By 30 by Cody Berman · Traction by Gino Wickman· The 4-Hour Workweek by Tim Ferriss · Profit First by Mike Michalowicz · Retire Often by Jillian Johnsrud · Transitions by William Bridges

• People: Grant Sabatier · Paula Pant · Scott Trench · Jillian Johnsrud · Doug Cunnington (Mile High FI) · JD Roth (Get Rich Slowly) · Justin Welsh · Dan Koe · Ramit Sethi (money dials)

• Events: Camp FI · EconoMe · FinCon

• Tools: Kit (email) · Asana · Loom · Slack · Empower (formerly Personal Capital)

• Cody's business: Gold City Ventures

Get a FREE copy of my Money Guide: https://mwob.fitrichlife.com/

Full Show Notes w/ Links to resources: www.fitrichlife.com/podcast/

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I am incredibly passionate about Fitness and Money & have reached a substantial degree of mastery in these domains, and now I'm looking to help others do the same! Interested in taking your Fitness, Money & Life to the next level? Book your Free Consultation today or drop me a DM on Instagram https://instagram.com/justindavidcarl to coordinate a time to connect with me.

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In this episode of the Fit Rich Life Podcast, I'm joined for a third time by my friend, mentor, and bestselling author JL Collins, author of The Simple Path to Wealth.

When I first discovered JL's work in 2017, it fundamentally changed my financial life. In our previous conversations, we covered FU money, index investing, financial independence, bonds, market downturns, and staying the course. But this conversation explores new territory — including JL's recent shift toward adding international stocks to his portfolio.

We talk about why JL, after decades of primarily investing in U.S. index funds, has added VT, Vanguard's Total World Stock ETF, and what that means for investors who currently hold VTI, VTSAX, or the S&P 500. JL explains why this is not a dramatic change, why he still believes the most important decision is to invest in low-cost, broad-based index funds, and why investors should avoid creating unnecessary tax consequences just to make minor portfolio adjustments.

We also discuss market crashes, all-time highs, trading traps, stock picking, the danger of trying to predict the market, and why the stock market will always do whatever it needs to do to embarrass the maximum number of people. JL shares one of his own painful investing mistakes from the 1987 crash and why staying the course requires courage, humility, and a long-term perspective.

From there, we dive into financial independence, "one more year syndrome," and the difference between retiring from work you dislike and creating a life filled with autonomy, creativity, and meaningful contribution. JL shares why he prefers the term financial independence over FIRE, why retirement is often misunderstood, and why a flexible, low-cost lifestyle can create far more freedom than chasing a bigger portfolio number.

Finally, JL offers personal reflections on health, fitness, aging, and why it's never too late — or too early — to begin building a stronger, freer, and more intentional life.

This conversation is a powerful reminder that wealth is not about prediction, perfection, or complexity. It's about owning your freedom, staying the course, and building a life you actually want to live.

Topics covered include:

• JL Collins adding international stocks to his portfolio

• VT vs. VTI vs. VTSAX vs. the S&P 500

• How to think about portfolio changes without triggering taxes

• Why market crashes are a normal part of long-term investing

• The danger of trading, stock picking, and chasing hot sectors

• What to do if you sold during a downturn

• One more year syndrome and financial independence

• Why retirement is really about autonomy

• How FU money gives you options before full FI

• Lessons on health, fitness, aging, and living boldly

Resources Mentioned:

• The Simple Path to Wealth by JL Collins: https://amzn.to/4xuIdoN

• The Simple Path to Wealth Workbook: https://amzn.to/4ov8qiI

• Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund / ETF: VTSAX / VTI

• Vanguard Total World Stock ETF: VT

• Vanguard Total International Stock ETF: VXUS

• Quit Like a Millionaire by Kristy Shen and Bryce Leung: https://a.co/d/0j1g0k8a

• Parent Like a Millionaire Kristy Shen and Bryce Leung: https://a.co/d/0d8BqdnC

• Same as Ever by Morgan Housel: https://a.co/d/06pMELu2

Connect with JL Collins:

• Web: https://jlcollinsnh.com/

• X: https://x.com/JLCollinsNH

Get a FREE copy of my Money Guide: https://mwob.fitrichlife.com/

Full Show Notes w/ Links to resources: www.fitrichlife.com/podcast/

FIT RICH LIFE NEWSLETTER

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Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justindavidcarl

SHOW SPONSORS:

I am incredibly passionate about Fitness and Money & have reached a substantial degree of mastery in these domains, and now I'm looking to help others do the same! Interested in taking your Fitness, Money & Life to the next level? Book your Free Consultation today or drop me a DM on Instagram https://instagram.com/justindavidcarl to coordinate a time to connect with me.

From Pre-Workout to Protein, if you desire to lead a happy, healthy, fit life, go to https://vedgenutrition.com/dragon and grab your plant-based healthy essentials. Use the code DRAGON to save $$!

Thanks for tuning in!

If you liked my show, LEAVE A THUMBS UP, share, and subscribe!

What happens when financial independence gives you the freedom you always wanted—but also forces you to ask deeper questions about identity, purpose, time, health, and happiness?

In this episode of the Fit Rich Life Podcast, I sit down with Diania Merriam, founder of the EconoMe Conference, for a powerful conversation about building financial freedom without postponing your life in the process.

Diania shares how her dream of walking the Camino de Santiago—a 500-mile pilgrimage across Spain—became the catalyst for completely transforming her finances. After discovering the FIRE movement, she paid off $30,000 of debt in 11 months, began saving and investing roughly 60% of her income, and eventually left her corporate career in 2021.

We also explore the origin story behind EconoMe, the financial independence gathering Diania created after experiencing the power of community on the Camino. She explains why pursuing a countercultural path like FI can feel lonely—and why finding people who share your values may be one of the most important accelerators of financial freedom.

Diania and I also have a candid conversation about what happens after reaching financial independence: the pull to keep making more money, the identity crisis that can emerge when work becomes optional, and the importance of redirecting ambition toward health, relationships, creativity, play, and a life that feels deeply fulfilling.

We discuss:

• How Diania negotiated a two-month sabbatical to walk across Spain • Paying off $30,000 of debt in 11 months without feeling deprived • Why she does not believe in delayed gratification • How to train yourself to want what you already have • The story behind founding the EconoMe Conference • Why community is fuel on the path to financial independence • The difference between building wealth and building a rich life • How to navigate identity, purpose, and time freedom after leaving work • Diania's evolving relationship with fitness, strength training, running, and recovery • Her honest experience with mental health and the solutions she is currently exploring

This conversation is about far more than retirement. It is about using money to buy back your time—and then having the courage to use that time to build a life you genuinely love.

Connect with Diania Merriam and learn more about the EconoMe Conference: https://economeconference.com/

Get a FREE copy of my Money Guide: https://fitrichlifecoaching.com/blueprint

Full Show Notes w/ Links to resources: www.fitrichlife.com/podcast/

FIT RICH LIFE NEWSLETTER

Get fit, get rich, and live your best life in 10 minutes a week. Join 4,700+ smart readers who are leveling up their Fitness, Money & Life.

Join here: https://fitrichlife.com/newsletter

WANT TO LEARN MORE?

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Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justindavidcarl

SHOW SPONSORS:

I am incredibly passionate about Fitness and Money & have reached a substantial degree of mastery in these domains, and now I'm looking to help others do the same! Interested in taking your Fitness, Money & Life to the next level? Book your Free Consultation today or drop me a DM on Instagram https://instagram.com/justindavidcarl to coordinate a time to connect with me.

From Pre-Workout to Protein, if you desire to lead a happy, healthy, fit life, go to https://vedgenutrition.com/dragon and grab your plant-based healthy essentials. Use the code DRAGON to save $$!

Thanks for tuning in!

If you liked my show, LEAVE A THUMBS UP, share, and subscribe!

Cody Berman hit financial independence at 25 and went from zero to FI in just three years.

In this episode, Cody returns to the Fit Rich Life Podcast to talk about his new book, Retire by 30, and the exact mindset, money strategies, side hustles, real estate moves, and lifestyle decisions that helped him build wealth and gain freedom at an unusually young age.

We talk about the "American Nightmare," why Cody quit his $80,000 corporate banking job after only seven months, how he kept his expenses incredibly low, and why the gap between your income and expenses may be the most important metric on the path to financial independence.

Cody and I also explore cashflow FI versus traditional index fund investing, the power of real estate leverage, why most side hustles fail before one finally works, how mentors and networking can completely change your trajectory, and why financial independence is not about never working again. It is about having the freedom to choose work, projects, relationships, and experiences on your own terms.

This conversation is a powerful reminder that financial independence is possible at any age if you are willing to get intentional with your money, increase your income, control your expenses, invest consistently, and build a life around freedom instead of status.

In this episode, we cover:

• How Cody reached financial independence at 25

• Why he wrote Retire by 30

• The difference between looking rich and getting rich

• The "gap" as the engine of financial independence

• Cashflow FI versus the 25x rule

• Real estate, digital products, and side hustles

• Why frugality is a superpower early in your journey

• How to think about debt without shame

• The role of mentors, networking, and getting in the right rooms

• Fitness, money, and life strategies for living a Fit Rich Life

Connect with Cody on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/codydberman/

Order the "Retire By 30" book on Amazon: https://amzn.to/4dnI7at

Get a FREE copy of my Money Guide: https://fitrichlifecoaching.com/blueprint

Full Show Notes w/ Links to resources: www.fitrichlife.com/podcast/

FIT RICH LIFE NEWSLETTER

Get fit, get rich, and live your best life in 10 minutes a week. Join 4,600+ smart readers who are leveling up their Fitness, Money & Life.

Join here: https://fitrichlife.com/newsletter

WANT TO LEARN MORE?

Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/justindavidcarl

Follow me on Threads: https://www.threads.net/@justindavidcarl

Follow me on Twitter/X: https://x.com/justindavidcarl

Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justindavidcarl

SHOW SPONSORS:

I am incredibly passionate about Fitness and Money & have reached a substantial degree of mastery in these domains, and now I'm looking to help others do the same! Interested in taking your Fitness, Money & Life to the next level? Book your Free Consultation today or drop me a DM on Instagram https://instagram.com/justindavidcarl to coordinate a time to connect with me.

From Pre-Workout to Protein, if you desire to lead a happy, healthy, fit life, go to https://vedgenutrition.com/dragon and grab your plant-based healthy essentials. Use the code DRAGON to save $$!

Thanks for tuning in!

If you liked my show, LEAVE A THUMBS UP, share, and subscribe!