Good for you. I used to want the big payoff myself too, but have come to set a similar goal to what you've ended up with.
£1m may not be "enough" in the UK, depending on how you want to live, but it's not that far off even in the UK if you structure your life accordingly (I recently reviewed my finances, and realised I spent more on trivial luxuries than what I used to live off total 10-15 years ago..).
In any case, it's "close enough" even in the UK - at least outside of the most expensive areas -, that it can get someone that big step from depending on a job to being able to take work now and again or pick more fulfilling options that might not be able to pay the bills on their own.
If you're in tech, as well, there's a lot of flexibility in picking up occasional well paid contracts. I just took on a contract from a guy in a similar position who'd just randomly travelling and doing contracts now and again to replenish his funds, who left the contract in question because he's going to spend 6 months somewhere he can't depend on getting an internet connection...
For my part I'm working my ass off at the moment, largely because I finally see an end-goal of a "modest" early "retirement" like yours in sight. For my part, I'll probably still keep "working", as I enjoy a lot of what I do, but there's a huge difference between "working" on projects that feel like you're playing and where there's no pressure to make it pay off, and having to deliver or not be able to pay the bills...
£1m may not be "enough" in the UK, depending on how you want to live, but it's not that far off even in the UK if you structure your life accordingly (I recently reviewed my finances, and realised I spent more on trivial luxuries than what I used to live off total 10-15 years ago..).
In any case, it's "close enough" even in the UK - at least outside of the most expensive areas -, that it can get someone that big step from depending on a job to being able to take work now and again or pick more fulfilling options that might not be able to pay the bills on their own.
If you're in tech, as well, there's a lot of flexibility in picking up occasional well paid contracts. I just took on a contract from a guy in a similar position who'd just randomly travelling and doing contracts now and again to replenish his funds, who left the contract in question because he's going to spend 6 months somewhere he can't depend on getting an internet connection...
For my part I'm working my ass off at the moment, largely because I finally see an end-goal of a "modest" early "retirement" like yours in sight. For my part, I'll probably still keep "working", as I enjoy a lot of what I do, but there's a huge difference between "working" on projects that feel like you're playing and where there's no pressure to make it pay off, and having to deliver or not be able to pay the bills...