From Burnout to Bombfire: My MBA on FIRE adventure

Let’s face it, my life was stuck on repeat. Same job, same exhaustion, different day. I was a hamster on a career wheel, and the scenery wasn’t exactly inspiring. Burnout city, population: me. The worst part? I couldn’t even use my brain, my greatest weapon, because I was too darn tired to think straight.

Here’s the kicker: I wasn’t just sleep-deprived, I was a cancer survivor (five years strong!) who then went toe-to-toe with Long Haul COVID just nine months later. Talk about a double whammy. My health was a precious commodity, and this relentless grind was threatening to steal it all over again. Remember that saying, “If God gives you lemons, make lemonade?” Well, in my case, God gave me lemons the size of watermelons, and I was starting to fear I wouldn’t have the energy to even squeeze them.

So, I did something crazy. I quit. Unemployed? Absolutely. Terrified? Maybe a little. But here’s the secret weapon that kept the fear at bay: FIRE. Yes, the Financial Independence, Retire Early movement. Turns out, I was a (slightly underachieving) follower, and my little nest egg could handle a temporary dip while I invested in myself.

Here’s the other thing: tired of being rejected for jobs that required a Master’s degree? You bet I was. Lightbulb moment: maybe a well-placed MBA could be the key to unlocking a career I could actually be passionate about, one that lights a fire under me instead of leaving me feeling like a damp match.

See, I have a problem with overthinking. It’s like I’m constantly in a mental death spiral, analyzing every decision like it’s the difference between winning the lottery or plummeting to earth. But this time, I decided to use that overthinking for good. I calculated the risk of pushing myself another seven years versus the potential payoff of an MBA that could land me a dream job in 2025.

So, I bailed. Not like a scared teenager, but like a seasoned farmer – strategically deploying my resources (my IRA) to rescue my passion and keep the fire of life burning bright.

Join me on this adventure! We’ll be “bailing” in two ways: holding things together financially with some serious frugality and using my education to “rescue” my love for work. Get ready for tips on frugal living, the trials and triumphs of an accelerated MBA, and maybe even a glimpse into the side hustles I’ll be cooking up along the way. This is gonna be a wild ride, and you’re officially invited!