1: We ignored the hate.

Funny how people dish hate when you're living a purposeful life. You're not drowning in debt, buying a boat, going on pricey vacations. You're living your life. Building wealth. Those hateful people are still working today.

2: Tracked cash flow. We knew where every dollar was going. Using spreadsheets, we had complete visibility over everything, and it made saving money uber simple. Track your spending.

3: Maxed out for our Pension Fund For the last two years of our working careers, we maxed out our

major contribution in Pension Fund. Retirement savings add up fast with maxed-out accounts.

4: Nixed restaurants. This was the toughest change for me because I LOVE going to restaurants. But, restaurants are expensive, and we wanted early retirement more. Cut restaurant spending.

5: We talked about future goals. Every night, my wife and I would take a walk and talk about our future. This helped us develop a plan. Decide what we wanted. Estimate expenses. Talk about your future.

6: No credit card debt, ever! Your credit card is a convenience, not a way to spend money that you don't have. And, it KILLS your ability to build wealth. Never accumulate credit card debt. Ever.

7: No more weekly bar runs. I used to drink with my coworkers at a bar every week. I'd easily drop 2700/- to 4100 per visit.

That's almost 14000/month for the privilege of drinking. STUPID.

8: Chose high-paying careers. My wife is a rocket scientist (seriously). I worked in software. We purposely chose high-paying careers - not because IT was our passion, but because it was our strength. High-paying careers make it easier to retire young.

9: Always said "yes". If I was doing the same job I did a year ago, that was a failure. I always kept moving. Trying new things. This exposure kept me learning, improving, and succeeding. Keep your eyes open. Take your opportunities.

10: Switched companies every 4 years. Move around in your industry. Each time I switched companies, I got a 15 to 20% raise. This works. Don't let company loyalty harm your retirement.

11: Cut losers from our life. This sounds harsh, but it works. I ignored coworkers that were dead weight. I didn't want to be associated with them. Choose your network wisely. Keep it high quality.

12: Ignored the Craving/Desiring/wanting/seeking people. Don't keep up with the Craving/Desiring/wanting/seeking people because these are broke people. Focus on you and your family. Your needs. Ignore your neighbor's buying decisions. Focus on your family instead.