How do you know if your hair is on fire?

[God or Mammon?]

Are there any general guidelines or metrics senior mustachians use to identify when someone's situation is extreme and needs urgent attention?

Income to expense ratio, net worth vs income (adj for age), expected FIRE date (if ever)?

If so, which ones are relevant and what are some red flag levels?  What is your level?

[Pooperman]

Do you have a car loan? Your hair is on fire.
Do you have credit card debt you can't pay off at the end of the month? Your hair is on fire.
Do you have 2 mortgages on your house and no equity despite living there 10 years? Your hair is on fire.
Do you have medical debt? Your hair is on fire.
Do you have a mortgage and no other debt? Your hair is not on fire (unless the rate is seriously high like 7% or something, in high case refinance).

[marty998]

If you're not in FIRE, your hair is on fire?

[Exflyboy]

You don't have a surplus at the end of each month.. Your hair is on fire.

If you have the same as the above but don't realize your hair is on fire.. Your an idiot!

[skunkfunk]

Do you feel the burning?

Technically I meet none of Cathy's criteria, but hair is definitely on fire. Working hard to extinguish.

[skunkfunk]

Do you feel the burning?

Technically I meet none of Cathy's criteria, but hair is definitely on fire. Working hard to extinguish.

Haha, yeah I was being a bit tongue in cheek. Personally I'll think of my hair on fire until I have enough millions to achieve all of my wildest goals... but that's not everybody.

I think we may have a misunderstanding!

(i)   My net worth is >0. Passed.
(ii)  Is increasing too.
(iii) I am employed, so as I'm not withdrawing it will increase (correcting for any market fluctuations, of course.)

However, I'm a flaming wreck. Too much debt. I would add (iv) Non-mortgage/invested debt.

[Zikoris]

If you think your hair might be on fire, it probably is.

[Argyle]

Any debt apart from a mortgage you can afford — your hair is on fire.

[slugline]

MMM's original "hair on fire" situation is having any debt for "anything other than your primary house or a profitable investment":

http://www.mrmoneymustache.com/2012/04/18/news-flash-your-debt-is-an-emergency/

My opinion: If the above doesn't apply to you and you still smell something burning, it's probably the burning desire to be FI/RE.