The flames of the FIRE (Financial Independence Retire Early) movement can spread rapidly. Just like a campfire stacked with kindling, the flames are tall, flickering, and bright at first, but over time, these flames subside leaving the dull glow of smoldering coals.
But you don’t cook on the flickering flames. This short blast of high heat would scorch the outside, leaving the inside raw. You do your cooking on the coals, sustaining just the right level of heat over a longer time.
Having an open mind, self evaluation, and taking bold action are critical to igniting the FIRE and the bright dancing flames of the initial burn.
Can you take cues from a rocket launch to enjoy the benefits of F.I.R.E. on an accelerated timeline? 
We’ve all heard the phrase “Keeping up with the Joneses”. That is the arms race of measuring one’s worth by comparing one’s possessions and status with one’s peers. It means acquiring the biggest, the best, the newest, and the most expensive things. You look down the street and see the family with the new car and you set your sights to figuring out how you can buy one yourself. A friend gets a new job or promotion and you feel the pressure to improve your own career standing. You have to be the first among your friends to buy the newest iPhone model. It is an insatiable pursuit of more and better. If you look around, it appears that we are surrounded by the Joneses. Do we have to keep up with the Joneses? Is there another way?