I want to FI because I don't want to end up like my parents. Before 2007, my father was in his 50s. He had a decent job working as an electrical engineer, though he usually has to work out of state and he's sometimes unemployed back then with periods of unemployment last a few years. Unfortunately, he's not financially intelligent so he didn't prepare saving up for his retirement and he spends like he has no budget. After the Great Recession hit, he's unable to find a job. It frustrated me seeing my father stay home every day while my mother had to work overtime at her medical billing company every day to support her family.  

Being around them filled me with anxiety that I had trouble landing my first job for 6 years. Fortunately, I found one and I've been putting as much money as I could in my 401k and Roth IRA. I may not reach FI, but I'll try for CoastFire.

I wish I started working 6 years earlier. I would've needed to work another 3 years to have enough money to retire by 67,