ChooseFI Podcast Summary

Episode: Bias Towards Action: The Adventure List(s) | Ep 572
Air Date: November 10, 2025
Hosts: Brad and Jonathan (ChooseFI)
Guests: Emily W. and Emily C.
Episode Theme: Building an intentional, adventure-filled life before reaching Financial Independence (FI), using actionable frameworks: “The Adventure List” and “Little Adventures.”

Episode Overview

This episode brings together Emily W. and Emily C., two remarkable members of the FI community, to discuss how intentionally bringing adventure into everyday life can supercharge your FI journey—long before reaching “the number.” Brad explores how their “adventure lists,” from large-scale dreams to nearby novelty, add meaning, connection, and growth to the years leading up to FI. The conversation covers overcoming social fears, leveraging constraints, running mini-experiments, and practical strategies for meaningful relationships and unique experiences.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Rapid-Deepening Friendships in the FI Community

• Meetups as Connectors: Brad and the Emilys met at a ChooseFI local gathering in Richmond, realizing how quickly FI-oriented friendships get deep (03:00–04:10).
• Emily W.: "You get so deep so fast...everyone wants more friendships. If you're vulnerable about that, it helps." (04:07)
• Friendship Muscle: Emily C. shares, “It’s a muscle...just dare yourself to ask someone out, even platonically. Everyone wants community.” (06:00–06:35)

Notable Moment

• Emily C.: “I ended up in Iceland with a stranger because of this.” (05:48)

“Be Weird” – The Power of Authenticity and Vulnerability

• Brad’s Advice to His Daughter: “People remember you when you’re unique...show up authentically you...it starts with be weird.” (07:39–08:22)
• Emily C.: Shares her former self-story as “not social” and flipping that narrative: “Give yourself permission to be a beginner.” (08:22–09:17)

Notable Quote

• “You can be whoever you want. You guys don’t know who I am—you only know the version of me that I show.” – Emily C. (10:21–11:35)

Maintaining and Deepening Adult Friendships

• Intentional Networking: Emily W. recommends, “If you meet somebody interesting, invite them once...put yourself out there.” (04:07–05:25)
• Follow-Up Framework: Send people articles or opportunities related to their interests to keep loose ties strong. (12:11–12:52)
• It’s OK to Reconnect After Gaps: “It’s okay to have some time go in between and still pick it up from there.” – Emily W. (13:29–14:06)

Hard Transitions: Shedding and Unwinding Old Identities (Emily C.’s Story)

• Letting Go for Growth: Emily C. describes leaving behind her horses/life on a farm: "Sometimes it's easy to get into something, hard to get out of it...hard decisions lead to new freedom." (16:11–19:53)
• Constraints Aren’t Just Physical: We all have anchors—could be a job, relationship, location—that shape our possibilities.

Memorable Anecdote

• “I spent three weeks in Portugal, three weeks in remote Maine low-key held hostage by a porcupine in a dry cabin..." – Emily C. (18:21)

Importance of Mini-Experiments and “Trying On” New Lives

• Don’t Wait for FI ‘Number’: Emily W.: “We realized we could do what we wanted before hitting a spreadsheet number.” (20:32–22:35)
• Mini-Retirements & Experiments: Try out life changes in low-risk, short-term ways to see if they fit you (e.g., renting a place for a month before selling your house and moving).
• Bias Towards Action: “In the past couple years, I’ve really focused on ‘How can I say yes?’” – Emily W. (22:01–22:35)

Framework Quote

• “It’s about living into a life that you really want to experience—but it takes practice, it takes iteration, it takes as you both said...failure. But failure isn’t failure. You’ve learned something...” – Brad (41:00–42:15)

The Adventure List: Four Levels of Experience (30:11–36:32)

• Genesis: Inspired by a podcast conversation (Retire Often/Jillian Johnsrud) about brainstorming 20 mini-retirement ideas; adapted to be “20 things I want to do” of any size/scale.
• The Four Levels:
  1. Level 1—Go/See/Do: Typical vacation; see the big sight or do the thing (e.g., see the Pyramids in Egypt).
  2. Level 2—Class or Retreat: Structured experience; e.g., a week-long Egyptology class.
  3. Level 3—Longer Stay/Self-Directed: Slow travel, renting an apartment for a couple months and immersing.
  4. Level 4—Work/Volunteer: Deep commitment; working a job, volunteering, really “living” local life.
• No Hierarchy: Important insight—none of these is better; they’re simply different experiences.
• Application: Use these levels to break down big dreams into approachable, testable steps.

Quote

• “It’s just a tool to help you dream and give more context and imagination to dreaming of...really fun and interesting things...” – Emily W. (36:32)

The Little Adventures List (42:15–50:44)

• What It Is: A running Google Doc of small, local things to do—parks, festivals, unusual attractions (Atlas Obscura, local newsletters), etc.
• How to Build One:
  • Stay curious, keep your “ear out”
  • Collect recs from friends/meetups
  • Use online resources (Atlas Obscura, local event calendars/newsletters like Axios, social groups)
  • Log both TO-DO and DONE for a gratifying sense of progress
• Why It Matters: Creates daily novelty and breaks the routine—important for making the “boring middle” of FI memorable.

Notable Quote

• “Having fun and adventure...should not be whatever is left over at the end in terms of your energy. It has to be something you prioritize and budget for.” – Emily W. (50:44)

Stack, Experiment & Debrief—How to “Level Up” Your Adventure Life (50:44–59:37)

• Stacking: Combine multiple goals (e.g., travel + learning a language + trying new activities).
• Measure the Intangible: Use a paper or digital calendar, commit to X social activities or adventures per month, create accountability.
• Give Yourself Permission: “Dream as big as you want...Life will add constraints, but start with the ordering of what you’ll regret not doing.” – Emily C. (55:35)

Real-World Mini-Experiments & Adventures

• Emily C.’s Progress: From a lifetime of “not traveling” to 60–80 days of travel since July, including solo trips, house swaps, hostel stays, and drive-across-country dog weekends (56:58–59:37).
• Emily W.’s List in Practice: Top-of-mind items are what matter (not just ticking off 20). Upcoming—“Going to an intensive on making and aging goat cheese,” planning to run a bookshop in Scotland, slow travel via house sitting, and leveraging credit card points to offset cost/time constraints (60:41–62:05).
  • On Memory Dividends: “How interesting are the people you get to spend a week with...maybe it’s friendships that continue!” (62:54)

Constraints as Gifts

• Take What You Have: If you have 2-3 weeks off, use the Adventure List to prioritize the most meaningful experiences—for YOU.
• Interrogate Limiting Beliefs: Use friends as ‘mirrors’ who can see your strengths/dreams before you do (64:33–66:13).
• Create Novelty: “How can you create differences that...you can remember?” – Emily C. (43:17)
• Invite Others: Don’t just do it solo. “Invite people—that’s when it really becomes fun.” – Emily W. (68:35)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “Be weird. Everyone wants more friendships. If you’re vulnerable about that, it helps.” – Emily W. (04:07)
• “Give yourself permission to be a beginner.” – Emily C. (09:17)
• “Constraints can be a gift...” – Emily C. (31:13, 38:03)
• “What gets measured gets managed.” – Emily W. (49:21)
• “Having fun and adventure and friendship should not be whatever is left over...It has to be something that you prioritize and budget for.” – Emily W. (50:44)
• “How can you create novelty in your life?” – Emily C. (43:17)
• “It’s about the memory dividends.” – Emily W. (62:54)
• “FI is better with friends.” – Referenced by Brad (69:04)

Timestamps for Important Segments

| Time | Segment | |-------------|---------------------------------------------------------------| | 00:00–03:00 | Introduction and setting up the premise of the episode | | 04:07 | “Be weird.” Vulnerability & building FI friendships | | 08:22 | Changing self-narratives and “permission to be a beginner” | | 16:11 | Emily C.’s story: Shedding old constraints, unwinding a life | | 20:32 | Mini-experiments and actionable steps before hitting FI | | 27:47 | Origin of the adventure list & levels framework | | 30:11–36:32 | The Four Levels of Adventure—building a scaffold for your dreams | | 42:15 | “Little Adventure List”—novelty in everyday life | | 49:21 | Measurement and intentional design for adventure/friendship | | 56:58 | Real examples of mini-experiments (Emily C.) | | 60:41 | Practical use of the adventure list + travel hacks | | 66:13 | Invite friends along—FI is better with friends |

Actionable Frameworks & Takeaways

1. Adventure List Framework

• Brainstorm 20 experiences you want to try—big or small, no editing!
• Sort each into one of four levels (short/long/deep/shallow engagement).
• For each level 3 or 4, also design a “shift left” version (try on the dream at a smaller scale first).
• Start with what excites you most—this is not a to-do list, but a living, evolving fuel for action.

2. Little Adventures List

• Keep a running list (digital or analog) of free/local/low-cost activities.
• Add “done” items for reflection and motivation.
• Find new ideas via newsletters, friends, Atlas Obscura, social calendars, and serendipity.

3. Bias Toward Action

• Don’t wait—start with what you can do now.
• Stack goals for maximum effect—travel, try new skills, invite friends, keep learning.
• Regularly check in: am I doing what I wanted? Am I stuck in routine?

4. Friendship & Novelty as Priorities

• Budget time and energy for connection and novelty—not just money.
• Be intentional and a bit “weird”—vulnerability is a social superpower.
• Say yes, invite others, and don’t be afraid to reconnect even if much time has passed.

Final Inspirational Thought

“Create as much novelty and adventure as you can, with the time, resources, and constraints in your life right now. Be intentional, be a beginner, and build your life alongside friends—FI is always better that way.”