Why Your Brain is Hardwired to Keep You Working (and How to Fix It) | Aubrey Williams | 214
May 17, 2026
What if the thing keeping you from Financial Independence (FI) isn't your income, your portfolio, or your math. It's probably the quiet belief that you still need "one more year" when you actually don't. Our guest on this episode is Aubrey Williams, a former particle physicist, radar-tech leader, debt-slayer, and now advice-only financial planner. In this conversation, he flips some of the FI community's favorite assumptions on their head. This is the first of a 2-part episode with Aubrey so be sure to follow the podcast to be notified of the second part of this fascinating conversation.
This episode covers:
- How Aubrey rebuilt after divorce and $90,000 of debt
- Why savings rate is nonlinear and more powerful than most people realize
- How a higher savings rate can erase working years faster than expected
- Why our brains are wired for survival, not modern investing and retirement decisions
- How to build evidence that you can safely spend instead of just hoard
- Why living smaller can sometimes create more freedom and more joy
- How Aubrey reached FI in high-cost Santa Barbara without leaving California
- Why the FI community itself often knows more than the average advisor
- The difference between fee-based, fee-only, flat-fee, and hourly advice
- Why Aubrey believes many FI people are still working too long
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RESOURCES MENTIONED ON THE SHOW
Aubrey's EconoMe Talk (2026): Coming soon!
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⏰ Related Episodes
Founder of 'Catching Up to FI' Just Hit Financial Independence, Now What? | Bill Yount | 196
Enoughness: Your Life or Your Money | Vicki Robin | 95
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📌Disclaimer: Our content is for general education and information purposes only. We are not providing financial, legal, or tax advice. Always do your own research or consult a professional before making important decisions.