Most people save and invest for specific life goals like owning a bigger home, sending their children to elite institutions, and preparing for the day that you no longer have to go to work. So what happens if right at the time you needed the money, the market takes a turn for the worse?

Strategies which reach for yield often lead to heightened volatility and magnified losses during times of market stress, and if emotions get the better of them, investors will inadvertently sell the assets at the worst possible time.

Is early retirement an unrealistic goal for most people? Here are some steps you can take to bring it within your reach.