Fit Rich Life

In this episode of the Fit Rich Life Podcast, I sit down with Rusty (an anonymous guest) — a former Big Law attorney who reached financial independence at 36 and completely redesigned his life.  Rusty opens up about the dark period that pushed him to reevaluate everything, from career pressure to the deeper emotional struggles he had been avoiding for years. We talk about how discovering the FIRE movement gave him a financial path out, but real freedom came from doing the inner work — therapy, boundaries, and rebuilding his identity beyond achievement.  Rusty shares what it took to go from burned out and unhappy to physically fit, mentally grounded, and financially secure. We also dive into advanced wealth strategies like "buy, borrow, die," how high earners can think differently about taxes and leverage, and the practical habits that support long-term health and happiness.  This is a powerful conversation about reclaiming control of your money, your mind, and your life.   Get my FREE 29-Page Financially Fit Money Guide   In this episode: [00:00–04:54] Rock Bottom — Career Pressure, Unhappiness & Rusty's Turning Point [04:55–15:36] Discovering FIRE — The Path to Early Retirement & Living Below Your Means [15:37–36:16] Mental Health First — Therapy, Emotional Healing & Breaking Old Patterns [36:17–56:22] Addiction, Sobriety & Self-Awareness — Reclaiming Control of Your Habits [56:23–01:11:29] Nature, Sleep & Boundaries — Rebuilding Energy and Emotional Stability [01:11:30–01:33:39] Work, Layoffs & Identity — Letting Go of Career Labels and Finding Community [01:33:40–02:11:36] The "Buy, Borrow, Die" Strategy — Leveraging Assets, Managing Risk & Tax Efficiency [02:11:37–02:25:14] Coaching, Growth & Financial Confidence — Redesigning Life After FI [02:25:15–02:34:08] Fitness, Movement & Daily Habits — Staying Strong in Retirement   Key quote: "The financial independence piece and the therapy piece were really the things that dug me out of it." - Rusty Full Show Notes w/ Links to resources: www.fitrichlife.com/podcast/ FIT RICH LIFE NEWSLETTER Get fit, get rich, and live your best life in 10 minutes a week. Join thousands of readers who are leveling up their Fitness, Money & Life. Join here: https://fitrichlife.com/newsletter     WANT TO LEARN MORE?  Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/justindavidcarl  Follow me on Threads: https://www.threads.net/@justindavidcarl  Follow me on Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/justindavidcarl  Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justindavidcarl    SHOW SPONSORS: I am incredibly passionate about Fitness and Money & have reached a substantial degree of mastery in these domains and now I'm looking to help others do the same! Interested in taking your Fitness, Money & Life to the next level? Book your Free Consultation today or drop me a DM on Instagram https://instagram.com/justindavidcarl to coordinate a time to connect with me.   From Pre-Workout to Protein if you desire to lead a happy, healthy, fit life, go to https://vedgenutrition.com/dragon  and grab your plant-based healthy essentials. Use the code DRAGON to save $$!    My favorite regenerative clothing brand is One Golden Thread. Life-giving apparel that is stylish AF, comfortable enough to sleep in & versatile enough to work out in, attend a business meeting, or take someone out on a date. It's truly sustainable & actually regenerative as they plant a tree for every purchase. Use code DRAGON11 to save 11% & support this show.   Thanks for tuning in!  If you liked my show, LEAVE A THUMBS UP, share, and subscribe!