A Job Interview and an Insight About Independence

During a walk last week to the boulevard, something from the past came to mind. How I got on this thought, I don’t quite remember, but it was about a job interview about 25 years ago. It was an internal application, and at one point I got the inevitable question:

“What are you looking for in your career in general, and this position in particular?”

I’ve forgotten my exact answer, but it was probably something along the usual lines of “challenge” and “variety.” When I returned the same question to my interviewer, I got an answer (and strangely enough, I remember it precisely and it has stayed with me ever since):

Independence

That answer immediately made me think. Something like: “Why didn’t I think of that?” or “It’s also possible to think in such broad and abstract terms.” As I said, that response has stayed with me. I don’t remember the rest of the conversation exactly, but vaguely how that person thought they could realize this.

Now, some 25 years later, I can say that I am largely independent. Well, of course you’re never completely independent, let’s be honest. And that also has its advantages. But let me focus on the context in which it was mentioned back then, and how I now see it for myself: Being independent from an employer. More broadly: being independent of active income—in other words, the “hourly rate” or the fee you get for the time you actively work. I experience it as a luxury once this necessity no longer applies. That you don’t have to set an alarm clock to then fulfill all sorts of “obligations,” including showing up at work.

The most confronting thing for me now is that despite this new insight, I didn’t take action sooner.

In recent years, investing in passive income has become a very “hot” topic, but perhaps back then it wasn’t as relevant. Initially, you invest time, but eventually, there is no longer a direct relation between the time spent and the financial reward you receive. Suppose: you write a book. Initially, you have to invest a lot of time researching, writing, publishing, and marketing. During this time, hardly any income will come in. Once the book is published, you only need to invest relatively little time, and if it becomes a bestseller, the money will start flowing.

Pension is actually also a form of passive income. It’s usually the result of many years of work. Years of paying premiums, often by both the employer and, nowadays almost always, the employee.

Thinking in this framework, it might be interesting to develop a formula that expresses the relationship — the bridging period, so to speak — between the initial investment of time and the moment you can start “harvesting.”

Just to clarify, a few examples:

Activity	Initial Investment (time)*	Harvest
Labor	40 years	Pension → Passive income
Writing a book	1 year	Royalties → Passive income
Website (e-commerce)	1 month	Product sales → ‘Passive’ income

*Timeframes are examples and purely indicative

Independence is about more than just income. And let me express this somewhat bluntly: whether we are slaves to an employer, or to a bank (because of the mortgage), or to an energy provider — in all cases the power lies with the provider, and as an individual, you need to be very strong-willed to consistently break free and achieve your own independence.

As I said, Mildred and I have followed the traditional path of more than 40 years of labor, because at the time we didn’t have the knowledge or insights we have now. Or maybe we simply lacked the courage. I notice that the younger generation generally has a different mindset. Part-time or location-independent work has become more common, naturally within the realm of possibilities. The shortage of housing in many countries and the resulting high prices are on the one hand a limitation, but on the other hand a reason to look for creative solutions. Why not settle (location-independently!) in a cheaper country?

If you’re fortunate enough to have benefited from rising house prices, you can often buy a house in Spain with the equity you’ve built up — hopefully without a mortgage. Then the first important step towards independence is already taken!

Sunny greetings,

Carlo

P.S. By the way, I was hired for the position I applied for!

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Key takeaways:

• Independence as the ultimate goal — true freedom lies in freeing yourself from external pressures such as employers or financial constraints, giving you more control over your life.

• The power of passive income — investing your time and energy in creating passive income streams can lead to financial independence, without trading hours for money.

• Reevaluating the path to independence — it’s not only about financial freedom but also about the mindset and discipline needed to break free from traditional dependencies such as mortgages or job obligations.

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Click below to continue your journey toward independence and ensure these key points remain part of your life:

Life Inspiration (book recommendation): The 4-Hour Workweek, here

Life Hack (exercise): number 06, here