Why do you care about Financial Independence?

[Scott Trench]

I have to admit that I was drawn to BiggerPockets in a somewhat roundabout way.  You see, I'm not so much interested in Real Estate as a business that I want to get into, but as a means to an end.  That end of course being Financial Independence. 

Now I'm convinced that my job is the best way to continue to earn money, that lifestyle design is the best way to save money, and that Real Estate is the best way to invest my money.  

So I guess I'm only a fan of Real Estate Investing in that it is an awesome path to generating high returns to put me on the path to Financial Independence faster.  If I thought that there was a better chance of generating high returns in Stocks or Bonds, I might be spending my time investing in those assets instead.

I'd imagine there are at least a few people out there that agree with this line of thinking, which brings me to the next question:

Why do it all in the first place - what does wealth accumulation and Financial Independence actually mean to you?

For me, this is an easy answer - I think its about freedom.  At my last job, I remember sitting in a cubicle and thinking to myself, "man, if things go INCREDIBLE for me, in 15-20 years I'll be the CFO of this company!"  Then I realized that if I were to become CFO and reach the pinnacle of the corporate finance world, the only difference would be me spending my days in a slightly larger office, reporting to slightly different people, with a slightly larger salary.  I'd STILL be spending the best part of my day sitting at a desk working for something that I didn't truly care about, and the way that I spent the best part of my day wouldn't truly change.

I lucked out by getting my next job, a job that I currently love and am passionate about, but the fact remains the same - even a job I love would be made that much better if I didn't need the money.

What do you all think?  Why, from a philosophical perspective, do you strive for Financial Independence?  AND Why do you think that some people don't?