START HERE

This is a journal of my search for the freedom to pursue the important things in life – health, relationships, and personal satisfaction. In order to truly be able to address my real priorities, I have realised that I first need to build assets that compound over time and to gain financial independence.

Over the last year, I’ve looked intently at the rise of the FIRE movement in the North America. A pithy summary of the movement could be: life-hackers committed to frugality and riding the bull market in stocks since 2009 in order to be able to qut jobs that they hate.

Well that isn’t me. I really like my job, I like where I live, and I have three young kids. I searched for something that was a closer match to my situation and I couldn’t find it; so I started this site in order to help me to crystallise my thoughts, and hold myself accountable, and hopefully contribute something to the community.

I feel that we in the UK can learn something from the US attitude towards intentional decision making when it comes to investing. People tend to be reluctant to discuss personal finances – it is considered somewhat uncouth. It is often easier to talk about many money matters with strangers online that it is in person. Generally, attitudes in the UK seem over-cautious about investing in the stock market. But look around at the stagnation of the middle classes going on around you – there may be a greater risk in doing nothing that in taking intentional steps towards an audacious goal.

I’m not so interested in money as I am in the freedom that it can facilitate.

I also have a different attitude to the stock market to most opinions that I have read in the Financial Independence community.

I agree index funds are solid and a sensible choice for many investors.

BUT

I also think that it is indeed possible to beat the market by focusing on leading companies in new, emerging markets with secular tailwinds.

I believe it so much that I am willing to fund my portfolio with debt in order to show it. About £40k of it.

I have a concentrated portfolio of about 12 stocks and no index funds.

Unconventional? Yes

Foolish? I think not, but I can understand why you would think so.

Let’s find out together.