Financial independence — having enough wealth to cover living expenses without employment income — is achievable for many professionals far sooner than they assume. This article covers the mathematics (savings rate matters more than income or investment returns), the psychology (hedonic adaptation, lifestyle inflation, the relationship between money and happiness), and the practical steps (calculating your FI number, optimizing the big three expenses, building multiple income streams). It argues that financial independence is not about retirement but about the freedom to do your best work without financial anxiety.