Stuff Bubbling Up

Something happened when I woke up this morning. Some memories bubbled up to my conscious mind, memories about the times I "failed" at trying to create income outside of my job. Trying to create financial independence. Ahhh, it's like my other-than-conscious was serving me up stuff I need to clean and clear in order to be successful at that this time around. I reiterated my mantra: I make at least $90,000 annually in passive income after taxes for the rest of my life. I have more money and higher income than I will ever need to maintain my current lifestyle and more. Back in the day when I had these supposed failures, I didn't focus on any of that, didn't focus on what I wanted... at least not enough, and actually just did the action stuff first. I coulda woulda shoulda gotten another job after General Dynamics cut my hours or asked me to relocate to Arizona. I should have tried that because it was all I was good at at the time.  I was too stubborn and wanted to work for myself and do real estate. Even if it wasn't fully set up yet. That is how I ended up being bankrupt. I didn't have a good plan. I really didn't even have a plan.  Same thing in 2006 when I got let go by USC Dentistry. I wanted to make money doing stock investing but I was far too distracted starting the big romance of my life with Lisa wasn't I.  I was trying to learn but really all I cared about was that I had that lump sum vacation money to sit on while I had the best July of my life. At least I got another job to support myself after I couldn't make money for a month or so. And for sure the pattern continued in 2013 when I had a job even BEFORE my last day at USC Stevens. Even kept getting paid months after. And so how is it going to be DIFFERENT this time around. Because I have a plan and I am going to work my plan AND I already have a backup. A year's worth of savings and over $800K in my 401K. I want to have much more of a cushion of course which is what I am working on now.

Do I really need a job?  I think I did back then because it's all I knew. I did not focus enough on creating passive income like I should have. I mean I did have some success with real estate didn't I. Not enough, but there was some evidence that it could have worked. Same thing with stock market investing. But I was dabbling. Now it is time to transition again to doing something else, working for myself full time. OR increase my assets enough so there is absolutely NO DOUBT I can live off dividend income and pay the least amount of taxes possible. THAT is my definition of FINANCIAL INDEPENDENCE. THAT is the goal.