561 | Mini-Retirements: Test Driving Financial Independence

ChooseFI | Financial Independence Podcast

Jonathan Mendonsa & Brad Barrett | Choose FI Media, Inc

Careers, Business, Investing

4.8 • 5.2K Ratings

🗓️ 25 August 2025

⏱️ 52 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Most people plan for retirement like it's an on-off switch—decades of grinding followed by one big leap into the unknown. But what if you've never practiced living without work? Jillian Johnsrud, author of Retire Often, challenges this all-or-nothing approach by introducing a framework that's gaining traction in the FI community: mini retirements. These aren't sabbaticals to binge Netflix or catch up on sleep. They're intentional breaks—one month or longer—designed to practice the life you're building toward while you still have the safety net of returning to work. Jillian argues that mini retirements serve as "capital investments" in experiences, relationships, and self-discovery, offering a way to test-drive retirement before you're locked in. For those navigating the "boring middle" of the FI journey, mini retirements provide a reset that balances short-term living with long-term financial goals. Brad and Jillian explore how life's unpredictability—aging parents, shifting health, fleeting opportunities—makes waiting for traditional retirement a risky bet. They discuss overcoming the fear of stepping away from work, focusing on one or two meaningful goals during a break (not 87), and why practicing mini retirements builds confidence for the eventual transition out of full-time work. Jillian also introduces the concept of leveraging "the fear of regret" as a motivator and shares how mini retirements can help you navigate life transitions, recover from burnout, and design a life that doesn't defer happiness. Timestamps: 00:02:43 - What is a Mini Retirement? 00:06:01 - The Importance of Seasons of Life 00:17:34 - Practicing Early Retirement 00:25:36 - Overcoming the Fear of Retirement 00:35:53 - Finding Balance in Life Experiences 00:48:42 - Conclusion and Resources Key Quotes: "Mini retirements are intentional breaks to enrich life experiences." [00:03:39] "Embrace life's unpredictability; seize the moment for experiences now." [00:05:10] "Practice mini retirements to master the art of living beyond work." [00:45:44] "Leverage the fear of regret as a motivator for action." [00:09:09] "Experiencing smaller financial adjustments prepares you for retirement." [00:21:05] "Cherish meaningful moments with loved ones; they may not last forever." [00:06:41] "Focus on a few key goals during a mini retirement for meaningful experiences." [00:35:40] Action Items: Negotiate for a month off work to try a mini retirement. [00:29:42] List down urgent and important goals for your next mini retirement for clarity. [00:35:40] Resources: Retire Often Book - Jillian Johnsrud's guide on incorporating mini retirements into life. [00:48:42] Retire Often Group Coaching - A supportive resource for individuals seeking guidance on financial independence and lifestyle design. [00:48:42] Related Episodes: Episode 451: Exploring Mini Retirements with Jillian Johnsrud Episode 472: Cure for the Boring Middle ▶ Listen Next: Ep. 562 — Navigating Financial Conflicts in Relationships | Essential Listening

Transcript

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0:00.0	Hello and welcome to Choose a Phi. Today on the show, we have her good friend Jillian Johns
0:03.9	Rood, who's back with a new book. The book is Retire Often, and she's been on the show
0:08.9	previously talking about many retirements. And this is a concept that has really taken hold
0:13.9	in the Phi community, largely because of Jillian's tireless work of bringing this to our attention.
0:20.1	It's really critical. And I think it'll
0:22.3	help us design a better life generally, especially on our path to FI. It used to be FI was this one
0:29.1	monolithic thing where we would just save, save, save, we'd wake up, we'd hit a number, and that would
0:35.4	be that. And what next was the question that a lot of us asked?
0:39.1	And I think what's really cool about the concept of many retirements is this helps you practice.
0:43.9	It helps you practice all along the journey of what is next. What do I want my life to look like?
0:49.6	I think this is really critically profound. I think you're really going to enjoy this episode.
0:54.6	And with that, welcome to choose that fine.
1:04.3	Gillian, welcome back to the show.
1:06.1	It is always good to see you.
1:07.4	It is always so lovely to see you.
1:10.2	Yeah, this should be fun. So we,
1:12.5	you and I talk quite often offline. So I was going through, I think the last time you're on the show
1:18.2	was episode 451, where we actually talked about many retirements, unsurprisingly. And I listened to
1:24.4	that episode this morning. And A, it was great. B, it was a nice overview of the whole conceptual framework of many retirements. But you actually floated, oh, I'm thinking about writing a book. I think I'm in the early stages of it. And lo and behold, that book has now come to fruition. It's publishing. Isn't that amazing? Oh, man. So it's coming out September 9th, and it's called Retire Often. Yeah. Very cool. So, yeah, it was neat kind of hearing that blast from the past. So for everyone who's interested, I think I'm not going to give you a ton of homework, but go back and listen to episode 451. It's absolutely fantastic. Many retirements, thanks to Gillian, have really become a central piece of the modern
2:07.2	financial independence movement. I think to me, two of the biggest changes in FI have been
2:13.0	the concept of Coast FI, which are friends over at at the Fineers, have helped coin and popularize
2:19.3	and mini-retirements, which are the brainchild of Gillian in our community.
	...

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