[sweeps]

What if financial freedom isn't about accumulating enough income/assets to be able to make the choices we want, but instead about wanting less. (In other words, lowering the bottom line instead of raising the top line.)

One could argue that a homeless person is financially free if he is satisfied living in a cardboard box and eating food from a dumpster. He doesn't have to worry about earning money, saving money or making any other financial choices.

At the same time, one could argue that Bill Gates is not financially free. His entire day is dictated by how he's going to buy, sell, spend, save, invest, and donate. His activities affect millions of people, so he must be very deliberate in his financial decision-making.