American Jamal Robinson joined the workforce with a single objective: to achieve retirement at the earliest opportunity.
The individual, who is 40 years old, mentioned during his conversation that he established a retirement target for himself at a young age, specifically when he was a teenager. CNBC Make It .
Robinson stated, 'I always believed that condensing that period of my life into less time would be the most logical approach.'
'At the age of 17, I decided to aim for early retirement by 45, but surprisingly achieved this goal six years ahead of schedule.'
Having retired, Robinson has been enjoying a comfortable life in Dubai from his $3.5 million savings.
What are the keys to achieving success? It involves saving money, making investments, and concentrating on sustaining your financial independence.
Nevertheless, it took Robinson some time to achieve his objective, during which he earned $5.15 per hour at Taco Bell.
Robinson acknowledged that his upbringing without significant financial resources influenced the way he managed and accumulated wealth later in life.
"I felt quite alone in the world without substantial backing, so I believed it was crucial to accumulate as much wealth as possible, just in case anything went wrong and I needed to fend for myself," he elaborated.
This taught him about the 'importance of money' early on and secured his first employment as a church custodian at just 14 years old.
When he was 16, he started doing lengthy shifts at Taco Bell while going to school.
Robinson received a full scholarship to attend Tennessee Tech where he obtained bachelor’s degrees in both computer engineering and mathematics.
After graduating, the technology specialist started his initial full-time position with an annual salary of $41,000, which eventually grew consistently to reach $225,000.
His compensation increased to $400,000, then $727,000, and ultimately reached $1 million.
As he worked, he continued his education to obtain additional qualifications. nine post-graduate certifications in business and technology along with an MBA.
Robinson collaborated with firms such as Amazon , Microsoft , IBM And prior to his retirement from Intel, he went on to become a data science professor at UC Berkeley.
Nevertheless, despite his resume and salary being at an all-time high, he never saw himself as a major spender.
"I still see myself today as just a minimum-wage worker earning $5.15 an hour," Robinson confessed.
'I'd earn $1 million annually, yet find it challenging to splurge more than $50 on a single purchase.'
Rather than indulging in costly purchases, he continued to save his funds, realizing it would only hasten his path to retiring.
"I progressed from saving 30 percent to 50 percent, then to 80 percent and even up to nearly 90 percent," Robinson stated.
'This would have excited me even more, as I realized it sped up my journey toward eventually retiring.'
As a tech leader with expertise in generative AI, he decided to resign after amassing a portfolio worth $3.5 million, even though he was earning $1.1 million annually.
'Many believe it's insane for me to depart from AI when it holds such significance,' Robinson stated.
'For me, it has always been crucial to concentrate on achieving my retirement objective so I can dedicate time to personal growth and ensure that I am contributing positively to making the world a better place.'
Upon retiring, Robinson adopted a four percent withdrawal strategy, enabling him to generate an annual income of $185,000.
This total amounts to roughly $15,400 per month; however, the ex-tech executive typically expends between $9,000 and $12,000 within that period.
"If you maintain a disciplined and responsible approach towards [the money you have earned], then using it for experiences that simplify your life or positively influence others' lives — these actions are not detrimental," he emphasized.
Robinson easily adjusted to life in Dubai, stating that it isn’t more costly than residing in major American cities he has previously lived in.
"If I invest the same amount of money here, I usually have a far more enjoyable time. Alternatively, if I choose to spend less, I still receive an equally satisfying experience," he mentioned.
Even though he lives under those conditions, Robinson stated that he wouldn’t be paying taxes in Dubai but intends to settle with the IRS because he’s an American residing overseas.
Robinson is striving to adjust his investment portfolio, which includes multiple technology-based stocks.
He likewise has a passion for DJing and is presently engaged in authoring a book along with crafting a podcast.
"I am concentrating on my own spiritual development," he stated, mentioning that his current emphasis is on the present moment rather than speculating about the future.
His work visa will end in July with his previous employer, and he intends to depart from Dubai after that.
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