The rat race refers to the situation that the vast majority of people find themselves in.  In essence it is the seemingly endless cycle of working to live.

Most employees go through life having to work.  There is no choice.  If they do not work, they do not have sufficient income to meet their outgoings.  So they continue working until they are either no longer able, or until they reach retirement.

At retirement, if they have played the money game in a conservative way, they will probably be living on various pensions at a reduced income from their working days.  Many end up being poor, fearing potential medical expenses and disasters.

Becoming financially independent means getting out of the rat race.  Escaping the rat race is my goal.

Someone who is outside the rat race is able to live their dreams.  They no longer need to work  as their investments provide them with more than enough money to live on.  They can live a generous lifestyle without fear of financial disasters.

There are several investment vehicles you can use to exit the rat race.  The most popular are Real Estate, owning businesses and investing wisely in the stock market.

A great way to train yourself to get out of the rat race is by playing a game called “Cashflow 101″.  It was created by Robert Kiyosaki, the author of Rich Dad Poor Dad and many other books on financial literacy.