Let’s be honest. The idea of early retirement sounds incredible, but the path to get there? It can feel like staring at a mountain you’re supposed to climb without a map. The FIRE (Financial Independence, Retire Early) movement offers a blueprint, but the actual building materials—your investments—are what truly matter. For many, a dividend growth portfolio isn’t just a pile of stocks. It’s an income-generating engine, one you build brick by brick while you’re still…