I think runway is a bad choice of terms. I think altitude is a better analogy. The higher you are, the more altitude you have the longer you can glide before you crash.

I think trajectory is important. Your rate of climb or rate of decent matters a lot.

Retirement is just another name for freedom. Retirement does not mean you don't work or earn, it means you don't need to work or earn.

Money in a savings account or checking account is losing value. The real (inflation adjusted) risk free rate of return is negative. Sadly the risk premium is also insufficient with market risk being at an all time high.

I am losing money because I am in cash because the market is too risky. I have plenty of altitude and can glide out this situation for years and recover with plenty of altitude to spare. Cash loses about half a percent a year depending on if you are in situation where you can get a half decent return. If inflation spikes and the market has not corrected that situation will get more critical.

If you are a wage and debt slave life will be precarious. If you are a slave to a lifestyle it is not much better but you don't have to go thru bankruptcy to be freed from a lifestyle.

TEK