I think we are all interested in taking control of our financial lives.
For sure, although I feel like many are interested but actually do little to nothing about it. I've occasionally tried to bring up the topic with friends, especially those that
really need it, but nobody
really wants to discuss it. Too much effort. Much easier to poke around on that smart phone, consuming rather than producing. (or at least consuming more than they produce)
I have a good 20+ years on you (I've circled the sun a few times) so you get points for not waiting.

... Oh, I forgot to mention, I'm 50 now, so been of this mindset for ~15 years now. Wish I 'd started at 30. Or 25. No, 20. Hell, let's say 15. Coulda woulda
shoulda started at 15 when I first started lugging my dad's lawn mower behind my bike to mow neighbors' lawns at $15-$20 each. I wasted a looot of money in that 20-year period

I think what also hit me at age 35, for whatever reason, I saw a pay stub that showed my cumulative pay for that year, which while my salary wasn't great, over the course of almost it year it looked
significant to me ... and then UH OH I started thinking about how much money I'd made working fulltime
for close to 20 years, and how comparatively little I had to show for it. That actually hurt

... but it was a motivator.
Or, at least not waiting as long as "the other guy/gal" who is living in regret and is stuck there.
I have a couple friends like that. Yet they do nothing. It's really disappointing ... disheartening. At this point I realize SWMBO and I will very likely be traveling and enjoying a very nice life while friends we would enjoy traveling with will probably be forced to continue working.
Even if you don't get many bites on this thread it appears that you have your attitude lined up.
Good luck.
