Gagan Sandhu

And I did some math, and not super rigorous. We are all pretty good at doing basic math. And I did that. I'm like, OK, five years. Our yearly spend is about this much. My kids, one of my kids is going to go to college in this much amount of time. So here's that. And also, while I build, I will not have an income.

And I did some math, and not super rigorous. We are all pretty good at doing basic math. And I did that. I'm like, OK, five years. Our yearly spend is about this much. My kids, one of my kids is going to go to college in this much amount of time. So here's that. And also, while I build, I will not have an income.

So my retirement account has to be in a certain shape or form so that I'm not insecure about that. So that's going to be another amount, let's say X. And Y is going to be the amount that is going to be needed for just maintaining and sustaining for five years while I build something. And Z is the amount that is needed to send, let's say, one or two kids to college during that time.

So my retirement account has to be in a certain shape or form so that I'm not insecure about that. So that's going to be another amount, let's say X. And Y is going to be the amount that is going to be needed for just maintaining and sustaining for five years while I build something. And Z is the amount that is needed to send, let's say, one or two kids to college during that time.

So X plus Y plus Z. I felt that once I reached that number, that would be my financial independence. And what I realized was that it was a number, right? I think the specifics are not super important. I think everybody's circumstances are different. And what I realized was that it was easy for me to do this almost like a mental math. But for a lot of people, it was a much hard calculation.

So X plus Y plus Z. I felt that once I reached that number, that would be my financial independence. And what I realized was that it was a number, right? I think the specifics are not super important. I think everybody's circumstances are different. And what I realized was that it was easy for me to do this almost like a mental math. But for a lot of people, it was a much hard calculation.

Not because the math is hard, but because I think the reason it's easy for me is because I'm able to keep track of things much, much better than an average person. For instance, I know pretty well what my monthly expenses are. I've known it since I was in college and I have always maintained spreadsheets. I can tell you what my monthly expenses were in 2005, for instance, right?

Not because the math is hard, but because I think the reason it's easy for me is because I'm able to keep track of things much, much better than an average person. For instance, I know pretty well what my monthly expenses are. I've known it since I was in college and I have always maintained spreadsheets. I can tell you what my monthly expenses were in 2005, for instance, right?

I'll maintain spreadsheets. So it's very easy for me to do that. It's just a habit. The second is I'm pretty decent at also managing cash flow and investing. So all of that combined, it became pretty, I would say, attainable and achievable goal for me personally and me and my wife as a family, as a unit. But what I realized is for a lot of people, it's much harder because

I'll maintain spreadsheets. So it's very easy for me to do that. It's just a habit. The second is I'm pretty decent at also managing cash flow and investing. So all of that combined, it became pretty, I would say, attainable and achievable goal for me personally and me and my wife as a family, as a unit. But what I realized is for a lot of people, it's much harder because

A, a lot of people don't know how much they actually spend in a month. B, a lot of people do not really start investing early enough to actually gain the compounding effect, the magical compounding effect to actually see their savings grow. And that actually also stops them. Or C, This is relevant very much to the question you specifically asked.

A, a lot of people don't know how much they actually spend in a month. B, a lot of people do not really start investing early enough to actually gain the compounding effect, the magical compounding effect to actually see their savings grow. And that actually also stops them. Or C, This is relevant very much to the question you specifically asked.

A lot of people actually go in directions that they are told that will lead them to financial independence, but it's not. For instance, a lot of people are like, hey, I only buy real estate because somebody told me that's what I should do. If you're going to own only real estate doesn't yield cash returns, which means you'll be cash poor, but asset rate. That's not financial independence.

A lot of people actually go in directions that they are told that will lead them to financial independence, but it's not. For instance, a lot of people are like, hey, I only buy real estate because somebody told me that's what I should do. If you're going to own only real estate doesn't yield cash returns, which means you'll be cash poor, but asset rate. That's not financial independence.

So understanding those things helped me build my viewpoint. And now my goal is to help others see that viewpoint and build financial independence in a way that works for them. And actually in that respect,

So understanding those things helped me build my viewpoint. And now my goal is to help others see that viewpoint and build financial independence in a way that works for them. And actually in that respect,

Another thing that, you know, because you and I went to a really good school and some of the things were hammered into us completely while we were at Booth, which is the stock market returns, right? I think you can wake up any UChicago Booth alum in the middle of the night and say, hey, what are long-term S&P 500 returns?

Another thing that, you know, because you and I went to a really good school and some of the things were hammered into us completely while we were at Booth, which is the stock market returns, right? I think you can wake up any UChicago Booth alum in the middle of the night and say, hey, what are long-term S&P 500 returns?

And I think before they even gain a little bit of sense of the world, they'll be like 10%. Right? It's fit. That's the healthiest thing. And I think what I realized is that very few people actually know this very fundamental thing that you can get these kind of returns. And also, if you diversify a little bit better, you can probably get a little bit more.

And I think before they even gain a little bit of sense of the world, they'll be like 10%. Right? It's fit. That's the healthiest thing. And I think what I realized is that very few people actually know this very fundamental thing that you can get these kind of returns. And also, if you diversify a little bit better, you can probably get a little bit more.