We are all pursuing "freedom."
But often, the freedom we talk about is just a vague feeling. It wasn't until recently that I began to concretize it.
I'm a long-term globetrotter. Over the years, I've tried various ways to support myself and have been chasing so-called "freedom."
Recently, I realized that freedom is not just a slogan; it can be broken down into different stages.
And each level of freedom brings a completely different state of life.
Level 1: The Freedom of Having Savings
The first freedom is when you finally have a safety net in your bank account, say around 100,000 yuan.
Its greatest significance is not consumption, but that you finally have confidence.
When your boss annoys you, you dare to think about quitting. When work is unhappy, you don't immediately panic.
Level 2: Not Having to Rely Solely on a Job to Live
When your side income (with freedom of time and space) and passive income can already cover part of your living costs, even if it's just rent or daily expenses.
At this point, you begin to have the freedom to "take a gap."
You are no longer completely defined by work; you can proactively press the pause button for yourself. You can choose to travel, recharge, and seriously do things you truly want to do. You can also choose not to work overtime every day or engage in long-term draining work.
Level 3: Freedom of Space
This is a major turning point.
When your passive income, or a career with freedom of time and space, can fully cover your reasonable living costs.
Then what you gain is true spatial freedom.
You can move to another city. You can travel long-term. You can stay in places you like. The world truly opens up to you.
Level 4: Time and Space Belong to You
When your income mainly comes from:
- Passive income
- Products with marginal costs close to zero
- A sustainable, automatically operating system
And it stably covers your living costs.
Then what you truly gain is: time freedom + spatial freedom.
From this moment on, your motivation for everything is no longer survival.
But for: passion, meaning, curiosity, and life experiences.
Beyond that, it's often no longer about freedom, but about desire.
Of course, everyone wants a different life. But at least now, these are no longer what I most want to pursue.
If you are also exploring a free life, feel free to check which level you are at now? Which level do you most want to reach first? Welcome to discuss in the comments!