I told them the truth. My company actually isn’t all that profitable. I consider it a nice side gig that’s not too time-consuming, but unfortunately, it also can’t pay all the bills. That’s why I have to freelance as well.
So what do I mean by “semi-retired?” Am I wealthy?
Time wealth
Running my own company and freelancing allowed me to reclaim my time. I’m no longer stuck in an office 9-to-5 (and honestly, it was more like 8-to-8 in Taiwan’s tech industry). I make my own schedule, determine the projects I deem worthy of my time, and choose when to execute these projects.
I don’t mind working hard. I just want to have more control over when, where, why, and how I work hard.
With the way-too-early passing of loved ones in recent years, I’ve realized that the most finite resource is time.
You could say I have developed a mild case of chronophobia, a healthy fear that I’m wasting time on meaningless work and inconsequential people when there are countless more worthy pursuits.
I’m not monetarily wealthy, but I’ve accumulated time wealth.
I still work daily, but I get to decide when to get started and when to call it a day. It’s liberating.