Many Australians share the dream of retiring early.

And while winning the lottery would help, it’s not the only way to do it.

Making smart investment choices in ASX dividend shares today could set up a steady stream of passive income tomorrow, allowing for an early retirement.

Here’s a simple five-step process to get you started.

Step 1: Set your income target

Retiring early means replacing the salary you will no longer earn. Start by deciding how much annual income you will need to cover your lifestyle. For some, that might be $40,000 a year to cover essentials. For others, it could be $80,000 to fund a more comfortable retirement.

Once you’ve got your number, you can work backwards to calculate how much capital you will need invested in dividend-paying shares.

Step 2: Choose high-quality ASX shares

Not all ASX shares are created equal. The key is to focus on companies with reliable earnings, strong balance sheets, and positive growth outlooks.

But importantly, and perhaps counter-intuitively, our focus at this stage is not so much on dividends and more on capital growth.

Investors may want to invest in high-quality blue chips and growth shares like Goodman Group (ASX: GMG), ResMed Inc. (ASX: RMD), and Xero Ltd (ASX: XRO), or ASX ETFs like the Betashares Nasdaq 100 ETF (ASX: NDQ).

Doing so, you are more likely to compound your investments at a stronger rate than you would with a basket of ASX dividend shares.

Step 3: Reinvest while you’re still working

If early retirement is your goal, don’t spend any dividends you do receive straight away. Reinvest them to buy more ASX shares and harness the power of compounding. Many shares even offer dividend reinvestment plans (DRPs), making this process seamless.

Over time, reinvesting builds your base and increases the size of your future dividend payments — accelerating your journey toward financial freedom.

Step 4: Add regularly to your portfolio

Dividends alone won’t get you there. To hit your target faster, make consistent contributions — whether that’s $500, $1,000, or more each month.

Regular investing smooths out the ups and downs of the market and steadily grows your capital base.

Combined with reinvested dividends and long-term compounding, these contributions can dramatically shorten the time it takes to reach your early retirement goal.

For example, $1,000 a month with a 10% annual return would turn into $400,000 after 15 years. And a 5% dividend yield from this figure would pull in $20,000 of passive income each year.

Keep the process going for longer and the rewards will become even greater.

Step 5: Transition from growth to income

As you near your retirement target, it makes sense to gradually tilt your portfolio toward more stable, higher-yielding dividend shares.

That could mean big names such as Telstra Group Ltd (ASX: TLS), Coles Group Ltd (ASX: COL), or Wesfarmers Ltd (ASX: WES).

But remember that diversification is important. Spreading your investments across sectors — banks, infrastructure, consumer staples, healthcare — helps ensure your income doesn’t dry up when one industry has a rough patch.

Alternatively, you might want to look at ETFs such as the Vanguard Australian Shares High Yield ETF (ASX: VHY).

Foolish takeaway

Retiring early with ASX dividend shares isn’t about luck — it is about planning, patience, and discipline. By setting a clear income goal, choosing quality dividend payers, reinvesting early, contributing consistently, and eventually shifting toward stable income stocks, you can build the financial foundation to call it a day sooner than most.