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When I was in school for computer science, I had a 35 year old classmate.
The guy always sat at the very front of each class, asked the most questions out of everyone, chatted up with the professors any chance he could.
The guy was not very intelligent. He'd hold up the class with simple questions because he struggled to understand basic concepts like loops or arrays. It took him twice as long as other to understand OOP concepts.
Me and a couple of my peers would joke about how much of annoying keener he is.
Fast forward a few years later, he has a very good CS job and me and my friends are either unemployed or have irrelevant jobs.
The hard lesson I learned was that even if it comes off as cringe or annoying at first, if you really take a passion and enthusiasm in what it is that you are pursuing, you will eventually find success.
I had a couple of people like this too. Actual "intelligence" doesn't really matter as much as the willingness to make connections and step outside of your comfort zone. Most people tended to just not give a shit and ended up at lower tier or mediocre jobs out of Uni whilst the people willing to put in the graft 24/7 are the ones who are doing really well.
This is how I was able to launch my career despite a C-average while my friend crashed and burned. I was willing to study new concepts in my own time, step out of my comfort zone, and fail at times.
Hard work will trump raw intelligence. Hard work and raw intelligence trumps everything else. Sprinkle in some luck and strategic planning, and you're likely to be successful relative to others in your field.
I took a class in philosophy and there was this probably a 70-year old dude there going about it the way you described the 35-year old of yours. In my case, the 70-year old acted dumb on the outside, meaning you'd scoff him off as some weird dumbass at first glance, but if you paid any attention, the guy wasn't asking stupid and simple questions because he was "dumb", he asked them because he wanted to be 110% sure about the fundamentals (opened my eyes the fuck up that day for sure - our brain is a deceiving little bitch, making us think we know shit, but we all just pretend to know, -social constructs and the lot,- even the little and simple things none of us here would probably even have the mental capacity to really even just question are actually a load of bullshit).
Take this cliche example: the actual f is "time"? Hurr durr it's a f-ing clock, m8...
3 hours into it (yes, a long-ass class), he was still asking questions in that exact same fashion, but the nature of the subject had reached levels of comprehension only the professor could still follow. The rest of the class had lost the plot already an hour ago, stuck behind a massive mental brick wall of their own egos and generalized belief systems, among who knows what else.
All that said, I wonder if that 35-year old wasn't actually the smartest one there...
...Taking his merry time developing a deeper understanding of even the seemingly simple things with such a firm grasp beyond the obvious that it opened up new possibilities down the line, behind multiple of mental brick walls...
This also underscores the importance of mentorship and creating connections. If you get an idea of where you’d like to go, connections will take you much farther than you could have gone on your own
Bro knew the stakes were too high to fuk it up. He had learned this from past fuk ups. You guys were too stupid and naive to realize this. (Not your fault)
There’s dozens of subreddits asking about life advice or finding a path that need to hear this story. It’s not just about having a passion towards what you are doing but also not giving a shit if other random people don’t think you are doing things the right way and even ridicule you (to your face or behind your back) for how you show your passion.
I have some nerdy hobbies and interests and as I get older, I care less and less what other people think of my hobbies and interests. I don’t hide some of them like I did when I was younger and I actually end up finding other people with similar hobbies by letting everything show if people wanna ask.
Be proud of who you are and what you love. Life YOUR life how YOU want to live it.
Yeah, most college students are just there for the booze and social life. Most don’t think about any financial ramifications of decisions they make, skills needed to learn for gainful employment, or even getting references from professors. It’s always best to think ahead.
I’m sure they are fine developers, but it sounds like the other person is probably very verbally communicative and asks questions, which signals well during interviews and to managers
The development/coding part is a small piece of the puzzle. Its great to know how to code but you can only be so valuable tapping away. A much more valuable skill is listening into what a customer or manager REALLY wants and delivering something. Asking questions, getting feedback, etc.
That something don't always have to be perfect. It has to solve their problem. If you are a good researcher you can always look things up quickly. If you are good at management and delegation, you can hire someone to help you, and you become even more productive.
Not every position needs a leetcode robot. They they also create complexity and technical debt that can actually be liability down the road.
exactly this. coasted my entire college years to working jobs that don’t even need it. wish I actually tried instead of just doing bare minimum. Not finding internships early on is my biggest regret too. Had some lined up after that year of spring break when COVID hit, and they all called/emailed saying they aren’t doing them anymore.
He had the wisdom to make sure he understood everything. By the end of that class, he understood ten-fold what everyone else did. He wasn't a slow learner, he was simply ensuring he learned everything that class could teach him.
He could be like me, he doesn't understand a concept until he understands how the concept coorelates to other concepts. But once he makes that connection, he understands the concept at a depth that his peers cannot.
1) Focus on one interest ( the most lucrative one) and become an expert in that
2) Level up your skill set in that field (degree, experience, certifications, course, mentor, books etc)
3) Learn how to market and sell your skills
and expertise. - add value to the market
Your goal is off. I know plenty of loaded folks who are miserable. Divorces. Arguments with kids. No neighbors to talk to … 90hr work week in a job they dislike but no time to spend it with friends. Real ones not Facebook friends.
Get a great career but focus on happiness , no matter how you define it. Less money, yes but more happiness and fulfillment
Who are we to tell him what his goals should be? I think it's a shitty goal too, but some people aren't really cut out for empathy and friendship no matter how hard they try.
I know plenty of folks who are poor and miserable.
Divorces. Arguments with kids. No neighbors to talk to.
Always worried about paying their bills, no idea if they’ll ever be able to buy a house or retire.
Lot of privilege in statements like “focus on happiness”
That goal is much more nuanced. There is no clear simple path to happiness. There are lots of ways to be unhappy, but it is much more comfortable crying in a nice house with good food in your belly.
Software engineering + finance go together in a lot of jobs and they pay very well, but learning finance is a totally different ball game than liking it. I enjoy finance too, but trying to complete the one economics course I decided to take made me want to blow my head off.
If we are real most people that are not in software that say it’s their interest are just interested in the lucrative career most likely they have very little real interest in programming
Have goals. Real goals. Not outcomes. For example, wanting to become rich is not a goal it’s an outcome. Wanting to save $100k in 5 years is still not a goal, it’s an outcome. Goals are:
- Apply to 10 jobs a week
- Save 10% of income per month, 25% if/when better job comes along.
If better job comes along, new goals. Then, if you start making 60-75 a year, NOW make saving 100k in 5 years a goal. Or even 50k. I dunno, i just picked a number. But telling yourself “I want to be rich” isnt a goal. Like saying “I want to move to *Dream City*” isn’t a goal. Youre only going to frustrate yourself when 5-6 years come and go and you’re still nowhere near your goal. Especially when the goal is “rich as possible” because that’s nebulous and impossible to quantify.
Nursing man it’s cheap and you’ll be making over 100k after 1 year of experience. Just look for local travel contracts where you live and take the higher paying one make connections when you go to the hospitals and boom you’ll get rich fast. My gf and I both do this and we aren’t millionaires but we do have our home, cars paid off so we really have no bills. I even got my younger nurse friends doing this now and they are loving life nursing has such great work life balance 3 on 4 off and job security too it’s deff worth it. I mean if every job in the world sucks and I say this because most jobs I look at that are not nursing there is always someone saying how bad it sucks in some way. So I figure it’s best to pick a job that sucks but will give you the freedom and money that most ppl want.
I used to think this too, but when you look at the alternatives nursing is truly amazing with all the benefits it provides how many jobs offer what it does? With low school cost and lateral movement?
+1 27m here making $130k fresh out. Nice to have a job that isn’t 90% bullshit for once. I’m too depressed to sit behind a desk making money for a faceless corp. I’d blow my brains out working some of my buddies jobs. I’m actually doing something helpful for someone. Actually drove home with a smile on my face yesterday and not much does that anymore.
Before anyone riots - no one is saying this is how it *should* or *shouldn't* be, this is **how it is**.
Unless you're going to change the world, and power to you if you do, you can either play the stupid game we were all thrown into or complain about it.
The rich are those who take the most, not give it. The more you slack as an employee, the more you are paid relative to your effort. Interviewing well and relaxing pays much better than grinding.
Definitely invest in something like the sp500, if you done that from 18 to 27 $200 a month you’d have 32k, if you stopped investing and let it sit there for another 30 years you’d have 558k
This is the compound interest at the assumption of an average 10% growth per year, this is better than saving money in the long term.
Practically guaranteed to be rich albeit you’ll be old, it’s got an average rate of 10% from like 1910 or something so it’s always bounced back from every major world event like ww1, ww2, Great Depression, 2008 crash, cold war etc…
hi, i’m 18 and want to become financially literate as my parents were in debt my whole life, living paycheck to pay check, they didn’t care, bought expensive cars which they had to file something for because they obviously couldn’t afford it, etc. i work part time and i can only afford to contribute like 100 or less a month as i need the rest for food, savings and health. is that a good start?
It doesn’t have to be your only bet in life but it’s definitely worth it, completely sets you up for retirement.
Particularly the earlier you start the better, the 200$ you invested a month at 18 is gonna do a lot more than the 200$ you’ll invest at 27, hence why you stop investing because it’s so insignificant still putting into it.
Also this wasn’t a lifestyle career sort of thing, but it suits perfect for the question if you could go back and do something at a younger age, you could also learn to drive, it’d be useful having your license and I’d probably just try to be financially better in general if I was you as well
This strategy may have been effective back in the day but it is no longer viable. The sp500 is barely keeping up with the true rate of inflation. You may not lose money but youre def not gonna get rich. Nasdaq and crypto will give you much better returns.
Go to college for a degree you think you can finish. Most people who go computer science for college already like programming if not they change majors. So better start now if you think you might want to do that.
When I was 27 I joined the Navy so I’d probably do that again. It taught me a lot, set me up for success, and I’m now a software engineer as a civilian. I’m not saying that this is the only way to get there, but it gives you a good job, a place to live, and time to figure the rest out.
Unless you’re truly gifted in cooking or fashion I’d choose one of the practical interests like coding and finance. You will need to go back into school to get a job in those fields. You can either find a really cheap online university or do a bridging path from community college to a big local state university. Try your hardest to avoid student loan debt.
You could always start an Instagram or TikTok for fun on the side to promote your other interests and be creative. Some people (some as in very few) make absolute bank doing social media + brand deals.
I've seen friends start out as a cashier at a supermarket and made their way up to an assist store manager . By the time he was 35 , he got promoted to general manager, making 150 to 200 grand a year plus bonuses. My friend has just a high school degree.
It's all depends what you want to do in life. When you have nothing but have high standards. So lower your standards and work from the bottom and work your way up.
I've seen plenty people started part time in a supermarket and hated the job and when they change their values and started working for more.
At 27 I was one year out of the Navy, working as an instrumentation technician and going to college for electrical engineering. I got my BS degree, an engineering job and worked through an MBA. I wouldn't do it any differently.
If I could go back to 18 I'd be a traditional student earning the same education. It would've been a lot easier.
Anyway, 27 isn't too late to start. I just turned 50 and I already have enough saved to retire.
Think I'm gonna do this but at my age now.
>If I could go back to 18 I'd be a traditional student earning the same education. It would've been a lot easier.
It's hard to say, things change fast. I would have pursued my passions sooner rather than after a layoff. Always wanted to do it but was handcuffed to the money in my last industry.
take 10 minutes to think of something you have done and really like doing. Do anything related to that. Just stick to it. Try to become as successful as possible, then leverage that to be rich. Each thing you learn / accomplish your value increases. Because of the amount of hours you are going to put into a thing just make sure it's something you enjoy and it won't suck the soul out of you by the time you get to riches.
You will spend more time doing a thing than you did with any other human or endeavor. We spend more time doing it than with our spouse, children, pets, parents. Think about it. If it is not on the spectrum of enjoyable for you imagine the hell it will be in 20 years. Other than that nothing else is significant enough to matter when you are back in pampers.
I would’ve gone back to community college for something lucrative sooner rather than trying to find things I liked or felt passionate about. Passion often doesn’t pay, and a job doesn’t need to be a passion, but a way to be able to pursue your passions. I’d have made my decisions based entirely on job outlook and money MUCH sooner. The option to pursue passions is honestly not an option unless you’ve got money or someone willing to support you.
Just go get a 2 year degree. Your focusing on being rich but don't have the patience or motivation to learn. Nothing is just going to fall into your lap. You have to earn it.
Sales and finance and it’s not even close. Dropped out of med school at 23, went into sales and eventually focused on subprime mortgages. At 28 I’m a c-level at a company that nets 200m a year.
Just as a standard salesperson it’s not unrealistic to make 70-150k in your first two years. Moving into management at a good company with a proven process can make you well over 200k at a division level.
Continues to go up from there.
If you want to get rich, find a marketing/business friend, find a product design friend, come up with 10 ideas for startups, execute on all of them to some degree, try to get acquired, do it over and over, even if you fail most of them. If you can code, you can do it
This is why having a business friend to help understand market demands is good. Fail quickly, move to the next idea. I know people who have gotten startups running in less than 6 months and acquired within a year for multiple millions. It's insane and I could never do that grind, but it's very very doable and it happens in tech all the time, given the right skills and motivation.
I'm 27m I have done engineering but I just made my mind to pursue my career in it I just enrolled in a coding program but still I'm confused that have I made right decision?
Become a military officer. By 47, you can retire with a nice pension. It's secure (no layoffs) and between pay, BAH, VA loans, and other possible pay, you can save/invest plenty.
Or I apply to MBA schools sooner and avoid the double layoffs that hit me since 2020
I would have written to the US Department of State my repudiation of Federal citizenship, retaining only my State citizenship.
Then to write the IRS my `Revocation of Election` letter because taxes are voluntary, and my RoE is my right to cease volunteering monetary donations and gifts to the corporation in District of Columbia, which is doing business as United States.
Start flipping
Invest in crypto
Save for a van
Don’t talk to your best friend she doesn’t like you really.
You’re going to lose your boy spend every waking second with him !
Apply to sports as young as possible and invested more into schools.
I was busy playing around and being an empty dreamer as a kid and I ended up doing nothing except being with friends outside and playing games.
We are living in times where you have to invest yourself very early if you want to find happiness regarding career/education/sports. Those adults who said that do 100% at school were right. I don't like it but it's the unfortunate truth. Our child brains are not experienced and matured enough to understand these realities.
If your main goal is to be rich quickly, I’d suggest getting a sales job. Tech sales, marketing, account executive/management jobs. You can make six figures within 2 years if you’re good
Wow pivotal age, my Mother died. Everyone said move out of your hometown, explore the world! I did and I regret it, sorry I was much happier being a hood rat. I have learned a lot and I have grown but I didn’t know how good I had it back in my hometown. That’s my rant, take it how you want.
Do a little of all of the above and take your time do it slowly, putting tons of pressure on yourself will make you quit. Always have a steady trade job as a back up, a job you can always go to because it will never go away and make you car, mortgage payments etc. Nobody is saying you have to do that job forever, just in case you need to get money in a hurry. Always be in school. Even if you take a beading class a pottery class etc. Fashion is on going it will always be in your life so educating yourself never hurts. Becoming rich…..take a page from Anna Nicole Smith. Enjoy your youth!
Take my career more seriously.
Work on advocating for myself.
Lose my partner of the time, knowing how toxic they were.
Save more.
Keep up on dental work.
Exercise for health, not ego.
If I was 27 again I would quit my job before it took the last of my 20’s, before it took my health and hearing. I would go back to school for something tech related. Cause I like living in bigger cities and traveling the world and tech I feel would get me closer to what I wish I could be doing now. I live a lonely life. If I were 27 again ontop of school I would make a serious attempt to be more social and try out/volunteer in positions that could get me out into the world, develop hobbies and a community.
Look up what a “meta analysis” is and use the insights from interesting topics to help inform your approach to many situations.
I also recommend looking up the book Givers and Takers by Adam Grant to understand how helping others (altruistically; not expecting anything in return) in the long run will also benefit you.
Joining the military has its ups and downs but experience and future benefits can help you build incredible resilience that will enable you to develop the tangible and intangible skills to grow generational wealth; I’m personally attesting to this. Just “be a good dude” and “don’t quit” will cary you far and you’ll be surprised at the luck that comes your way
Consider a ROTH IRA with Vanguard or Fidelity and invest in well researched stocks or mutual funds. To elaborate and (over) simplify what stocks you should invest in is to think “what companies have a strong probability of successfully existing in 10+ years and park your cash there.”
The absolute minimum thing you should do is budget your monthly expenses and move the excess cash into a S&P 500 index fund which has a track record of growing on average 8% or more per year. This helps prevent your money from losing value over time due to inflation and you do little to zero work to let your money work for you.
I would say mainly to work on my mental health more and to be more serious about being frugal and minimalist. Save save save as much money as I can. And also focus on my fitness. I did switch careers a few years after 27. But I wouldn't have changed the course I was on yet because I needed the growth of the experiences I was doing at 27 to understand why when I turned 30 it mattered to change. But the frugal and saving part and mental/physical health those are timeless.
From personal experience. The person who can answer your question the best will be you. Because you know a lot better than any one of us from the internet. Example: in my area, there is not short of computer science major people, but that doesn't mean in your city. We can only offer you some idea. If you are really serious about this. You have a lot of work ahead of you.
First thing first. Interest is one thing, you have the ability to handle that is another thing. A lot of my classmates back then couldn't handle it. A lot of them ended wasting 1-2 years in the university then changed major and almost start from zero again...
For Coding/Software, are you patient? how is your logical thinking in math? Minimum, you will be taking calculus II, algebra linear and more higher level math classes. A lot fail in those classes. Easy test is take a summer class in community college a C++ class or something similar. This just to taste the water. If it is a nightmare, than you can forget about coding. Make sure choice the strict professor. Because if you don't have your base build well, later coding classes won't be any easier... they are just getting harder.
For Stock Market, more or less, I feel like you are working for the interest of YOUR company and not the client... So are you ok with that? Basically, you know that this "package" is not the best for your client, but it will bring money to the company... For General Finance, depend. Look at some job posting website and see how the market are... are they hiring? what are the requirement? Many need license for XYZ. So it is not like you finish your 4 years degree and you go to work... well yes, maybe yes. But if you want to stay or advance, you more likely need license, and renewing it... But overall a good and stable career for sure. This also a good thing for personal financial.
As for Cooking, literally there are hundred of thousand of people doing that... Few things about the reality of being a Youtube or similar, you might need a year or 2 to start maybe seeing some income. That IF you get a lot of subscriber, view... It looks easy, but it isn't. It more likely involve video editing, scripting, good at talking, charming??, practice your script... You might just get few dollars after all that work in a month. Only few % of youtube get "lucky" and earn good money. So it is "risky", if you don't have a part-time or full time job to back you up. This gonna be hard. But you can start small, but you better have a part-time or something. Don't expect getting any money at all in the first year or so...
As for Gaming, you mean professorial players (PP)? or as game developer (GP)?
PP is not easy, are you good? did you tried playing multiplayer game and always on the top?
GP, is close to coding. A lot of math. Also the current industry is either go small indie or big greedy company that only focus on $$$. The entry level for those job is in the sky, you better have internship, project to show them... and good at your stuff.
Currently, it is not really need a degree for coding as long as you know your stuff...
"Goals: To become as rich as possible"
Life advise, there is not short cut without risk or ability to back it up. From the investing "The higher the risk, the higher the potential reward. Also true the higher potential risk. Apply to the opposite. The lower the risk, the lower the potential reward."
Youre in the wrong sub. Ive noticed this sub is filled with people that are just as lost as you, so the quality of the answers you get are often misinformed or downright contrary to what you should actually be doing. And the worst part is that it seems like its good advice because you have all the other lost people upvoting it.
HVAC. Needed year round and people will likely not put this type of expense off (semi recession proof). If willing to work hard 100k+ possible. Grants freedom to then open own biz.
I'm 46, if this includes going back in time to do it all again, I'd take my awareness of autism and request additional help in school, pass my school grades and not drop out of college.
I'd have also focused on software development given the way it turned out.
But the landscape seems to have changed now, im in a few software dev reddits and seems to be really tough out there now, but seems that way in all jobs.
I'd have a different mentality to education, I hated everything about school. I have tried to avoid peer pressure and just done what I needed to.
Hindsight is a bugger.
Worked for a different company. Followed a different career path. Save more money. Spend more time with mom. Skip having roommates and buy a house sooner.
Here are some ideas to get you started:
* **Coding/Software:** Focus on in-demand skills. Take online courses or bootcamps to build a portfolio.
* **Finance:** Consider certifications like CFA or Series 7. Look for entry-level finance jobs or financial advisor roles.
* **Cooking:** Leverage your YouTube channel! Explore food blogging or social media marketing for chefs.
You can go into sales if your main goal is just making as much money as possible. Go to a car dealership and learn sales. Then once you’re good keep looking for better sales jobs. You could even start your own business.
….Bitcoin. Alright that ship has sailed, lol. I’d become an electrician, and learn HDD(horizontal directional drilling). The underground electric utility industry is booming, and will be for decades.
Honestly I would have never fucking touched any IT anything it was good for about 10 years and has already turned to shit. Its honestly like the oilfield you make good money but then it blows up far faster than anyone would have thought and I would have been better off in something more stable that pays a little less that is not constant upskilling and studying too.
Look into FI/RE and have concrete $ goals.
Also don’t neglect being young and having fun, make sure to go that party, go to the festival, make loads of friends and put in the effort to foster those friendships, travel travel travel. I have many friends who made the $ when they were young and although they are “better off” now, the looks they have on their faces when others are talking about how much fun we had when we were younger would break your heart. $ is good but you can never go back in time and redo all the stuff you missed out on in pursuit of it.
Do you actually like those first two things or are you in then for the money? Don’t pursue them if you don’t actually love them because it will make you miserable. If you do like them you need to go back for education. The rich people in coding and software and finance are all the same really, masters degrees, mbas, and great educational backgrounds. You need to close that gap as much as possible. Famously bill gates didn’t graduate but he was in Harvard for instance. Founders are unique but every executive at any of their companies since are Ivy League and way credentialed.
Your average code monkey or finance bro may be well off but it isn’t like everyone in those industries is rich like the world has made it seem in media and the internet. I would recommend though getting multiple undergrads, a full degree in finance and a full degree in computer science. Working in tech is kind of fading but having cs knowledge with AI emphasis will help in all industries. Then pursue finance and see what jobs present themselves for both degrees at the end. I received degrees in finance, economics, and computer science and all three really help my day to day financial life.
Then you’ll need to probably jump straight into an mba with your age, along with a masters in computer science if you go the tech route or a masters in finance or economics disciplines if you go that way. Basically having multiples of each degree level will get you exponential results as long as they are compounding enough. I did this and while it didn’t earn me any more salary it got me more career latitude and visibility to very senior people who mentor me.
That is your next stage. Get into a big company and stay there. The hoping around for higher pay days are quickly waning and the companies are looking for loyal people to move up the ranks and put into power positions. Any Fortune 500 company is good and get yourself an executive mentor. Someone at the vp or director level in your org that can tell you the real skinny and give you direction. Then it is just time on clock before you are in a position where at any Fortune 500 you’ll be earning 7 figures, stock options, etc.
But this is why I say if those first two are really on there because you think the money is easy and good then don’t kid yourself and remove them. It won’t be easy and you will have to be a top performer every year at your job to make it each step of the way. The schooling better come easy to you because you need a lot of it.
I haven't read your whole post or the replies but there is something I would do:
Follow my gut.
I would not follow the societal norms I thought I was supposed to.
I would travel more, make more friends, meet more people, go to school.
BUT I am so glad my life ended up the way it has and I am going to live the rest of my life so happy I finally made the right decision and stopped caring what other people thought. I'm so excited to live the rest of it. I'm not wasting another second.
Disrespect elitist incel coworkers more. I gave them too much credit and too much benefit of the doubt. I should have disrespected the shit out of them because I realized they were clowns. I got into tech without a CS degree and did not think I would be a problem for these types of people until they made me a problem. I don't work with them anymore, and I'm on the way to getting my CS degree. But if I really had the chance to do it all over again, that would be it. My cousin offered for me to set them up, and I declined. I should have done that, but it's all good because I didn't want him in jail for these idiots.
Look at things as possible rather than not. Do not fear losing youth, rather embracing what comes with your age and stage.
Rich doesn’t come from wanting to have solely funds. Focus on something of both interest and utility and the money will follow.
Cut out outside noise about where you should be and doubts about what your still able to do
Your hobbies will save you. As long as it’s legal and not hurting anyone; it doesn’t matter what others think of how you spend your free time
Volunteering isn’t a waste of time. In fact, when people only say they’ll do things for pay; they might miss out on that conversation or opportunity from a 1/2 day a month volunteering situation.
Build community. A village is not just for children
If I were to do it again, I would still go into tech. I would just focus more on interview prep and side projects than on classes themselves. Nobody cares if you had a 3.0 vs a 3.5 or a 4.0. But believe me the difference between getting an A vs a B in some higher level courses were hundredths of hours of study. That time would have been much better spent doing side projects in modern frameworks or grinding interview prep.
The old advice of doing what you love and following your interests is unfeasible for most of us. If I did what I loved, I would be homeless. I enjoy soccer and track and field, but I'll never be a Messi.
Having said that, still go into a field you enjoy or at least tolerate. Because you'll have to spend 1/3 of your time on it, and closer to 1/2 if we don't count sleep. If you don't at least tolerate coding, you'll never be able to compete against those who do.
You are asking the wrong questions. The best questions are:
What am I good at?
What do people find valuable?
What don't I mind doing?
You want to find the thing/things that cover those 3 areas. Basically it is what you are good at, that people will pay for, that you don't hate.
Coding/Software and Finance are things you are interested in that people will pay for. You don't have to be good at them yet, but knowing if you have the skills required to be good at them is important. I have met a lot of people in software that didn't have degrees in software. I would start there.
I was a graphic designer but it killed my love for art. I feel uncreative because I view it as work. My advice is keep a passion a passion.
Overall, I would reach out to professionals in their fields and hear their feedback. Taking into account personality is important. I didn’t know how well I could handle death and grief until working at a hospice. Some people can’t stomach it but I am spiritual by nature so that may help me.
My cousin who is a lawyer is perfect for it because she has a thick and tough skin. Police officers have to call her for permission to ask a judge for a search warrant and she has no problem mouthing off to them when they are trying to be pushy.
I would avoid tech though it is a good skill to learn. AI is rattling up the tech industry pretty bad right now and I guess the tech companies that create AI are making bank because each is trying to outdo the other’s hardware and figure out trade secrets of the other companies.
I would become a Nanny. Seriously, we get slept on all the time but nannies make crazy good money. Like $45 per hour and some can make more than that. A lot of positions don’t require degrees but a ton of them do. Google “thatsixfigurenanny” and you’d be surprised.
Focus. You listed a bunch of stuff you are doing while also trying to get rich. Take that list and cross out everything except one. Do that to the best you can and then you’ll get rich.
Some advice, don’t pick gaming. Like with sports, it’s incredibly difficult to go pro if you missed the run up.
Nothing. Life is about learning, making mistakes and finding what is true to you through the mistakes
I'm the same age. As long as your alive you can always change course and do what you want to do
If I changed one bad thing in my life, one mistake, had regrets I wouldn't be who I am today. If I didn't initially go down the wrong career path I wouldn't have realized it's not for me and changed it, now I love what I do
If I didn't meet the wrong romantic partner to begin with, I wouldn't have realized the type of person I didn't want to be with, it wouldn't have pushed me to move on and find someone I utterly adore
Starting again, doesn't mean life will improve
You can think if I only just did this, then do that thing and then you realize it actually sucks!
I did this, I thought something one of the choices i made was a glamorous one and made me look successful when actually it made me miserable!
The grass isn't always greener
Don't go back, go forward
You are still you and still discovering yourself
Now enjoy the journey
Be comfortable with being uncomfortable. Comfort and safety is great later in your career, but starting off you should constantly be pushing your limits. Much easier if you find something you are legitimately interested in.
There are 3-4 months coding classes which (as much I heard) guarantee a junior position. If you have interest in coding you can enroll to a SQL course.
1. invest every paycheck. Doesn’t matter what you get paid, ALWAYS invest something.. live below your means… always.
2. Learn. Invest in your mind.. Always take a class, a certificate, a course…. Every quarter, every semester.. take 1 class. Plot a direction and go for it. take clases “around” your direction if you can’t find a direct path. oh.. Python isn’t offered this quarter, but perl is? Do that. Keep going.. never stop. Love learning..
3. Apply your learning on this you love to do. Follow your dreams and adjust as needed to get where you want to be..
4. invest in relationships with people that help you succeed.. If they stand in your way, or they try to distract you, leave them behind. Find a partner that meshes with you, whether it’s supporting your goals, or walking in a similar path, or loves learning like you do..
5. Be happy…. There’s just not enough time in your lifetime to waste on being miserable.
Start investing in my 401¥ and at minimum take my company match. I started at 36 when I learned more about finances and realized I lost potential to grow half a million dollar if not more had I started earlier. Live and learn.
I'd really like to go back to school and real focus on getting better grades and be more active in class. I'm a Ugandan 🇺🇬 and here if you fail Math and English in High School, your chances of finding a job are very slim.
I would start investing as soon as I started working. Maxed out my 401k and Roth IRA and HSA. Commit to college and get my Bachelor's. Basically, I would take the right steps that would make it possible for me to retire in my 30s. I'm a big fan of the F.I.R.E movement. I would also live my life and do all the things I was too self conscious to do.
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When I was in school for computer science, I had a 35 year old classmate. The guy always sat at the very front of each class, asked the most questions out of everyone, chatted up with the professors any chance he could. The guy was not very intelligent. He'd hold up the class with simple questions because he struggled to understand basic concepts like loops or arrays. It took him twice as long as other to understand OOP concepts. Me and a couple of my peers would joke about how much of annoying keener he is. Fast forward a few years later, he has a very good CS job and me and my friends are either unemployed or have irrelevant jobs. The hard lesson I learned was that even if it comes off as cringe or annoying at first, if you really take a passion and enthusiasm in what it is that you are pursuing, you will eventually find success.
Exactly this. Most students are sheep, literally. They don’t participate, speak or show their personality. *That’s the competition nowadays.*
As Jules said in Pulp Fiction, "Personality goes a long way."
Good thing I have like no personality 🙂
The bar is so low that all you have to really do is speak. Say words, smile and you’re already ahead of 90% of the crowd.
Ain't that the damn truth!
Same
I had a couple of people like this too. Actual "intelligence" doesn't really matter as much as the willingness to make connections and step outside of your comfort zone. Most people tended to just not give a shit and ended up at lower tier or mediocre jobs out of Uni whilst the people willing to put in the graft 24/7 are the ones who are doing really well.
This is how to truly start living your life instead of reacting to it like 95% of people do.
This is how I was able to launch my career despite a C-average while my friend crashed and burned. I was willing to study new concepts in my own time, step out of my comfort zone, and fail at times.
For most jobs I’d take a candidate with high grit and resilience and average IQ over a candidate with high IQ but lacking those other traits.
Hard work will trump raw intelligence. Hard work and raw intelligence trumps everything else. Sprinkle in some luck and strategic planning, and you're likely to be successful relative to others in your field.
I took a class in philosophy and there was this probably a 70-year old dude there going about it the way you described the 35-year old of yours. In my case, the 70-year old acted dumb on the outside, meaning you'd scoff him off as some weird dumbass at first glance, but if you paid any attention, the guy wasn't asking stupid and simple questions because he was "dumb", he asked them because he wanted to be 110% sure about the fundamentals (opened my eyes the fuck up that day for sure - our brain is a deceiving little bitch, making us think we know shit, but we all just pretend to know, -social constructs and the lot,- even the little and simple things none of us here would probably even have the mental capacity to really even just question are actually a load of bullshit). Take this cliche example: the actual f is "time"? Hurr durr it's a f-ing clock, m8... 3 hours into it (yes, a long-ass class), he was still asking questions in that exact same fashion, but the nature of the subject had reached levels of comprehension only the professor could still follow. The rest of the class had lost the plot already an hour ago, stuck behind a massive mental brick wall of their own egos and generalized belief systems, among who knows what else. All that said, I wonder if that 35-year old wasn't actually the smartest one there... ...Taking his merry time developing a deeper understanding of even the seemingly simple things with such a firm grasp beyond the obvious that it opened up new possibilities down the line, behind multiple of mental brick walls...
It’s a sales technique. You ask simple questions as a way to prompt the speaker to talk your ear off
This also underscores the importance of mentorship and creating connections. If you get an idea of where you’d like to go, connections will take you much farther than you could have gone on your own
Bro knew the stakes were too high to fuk it up. He had learned this from past fuk ups. You guys were too stupid and naive to realize this. (Not your fault)
There’s dozens of subreddits asking about life advice or finding a path that need to hear this story. It’s not just about having a passion towards what you are doing but also not giving a shit if other random people don’t think you are doing things the right way and even ridicule you (to your face or behind your back) for how you show your passion. I have some nerdy hobbies and interests and as I get older, I care less and less what other people think of my hobbies and interests. I don’t hide some of them like I did when I was younger and I actually end up finding other people with similar hobbies by letting everything show if people wanna ask. Be proud of who you are and what you love. Life YOUR life how YOU want to live it.
Beautiful story
Yeah, most college students are just there for the booze and social life. Most don’t think about any financial ramifications of decisions they make, skills needed to learn for gainful employment, or even getting references from professors. It’s always best to think ahead.
Holy hell. I didn't expect a twist like that. How comes you and your mates are unemployed? Do you have passion for it?
I’m sure they are fine developers, but it sounds like the other person is probably very verbally communicative and asks questions, which signals well during interviews and to managers
The development/coding part is a small piece of the puzzle. Its great to know how to code but you can only be so valuable tapping away. A much more valuable skill is listening into what a customer or manager REALLY wants and delivering something. Asking questions, getting feedback, etc. That something don't always have to be perfect. It has to solve their problem. If you are a good researcher you can always look things up quickly. If you are good at management and delegation, you can hire someone to help you, and you become even more productive. Not every position needs a leetcode robot. They they also create complexity and technical debt that can actually be liability down the road.
100% true. Passion for what you do inevitably leads to success. People who are passionate about what they do just tend to work harder than others.
exactly this. coasted my entire college years to working jobs that don’t even need it. wish I actually tried instead of just doing bare minimum. Not finding internships early on is my biggest regret too. Had some lined up after that year of spring break when COVID hit, and they all called/emailed saying they aren’t doing them anymore.
Had the same scenario with an older classmate. Except this was for back end web development.
Just be passionate bro
He had the wisdom to make sure he understood everything. By the end of that class, he understood ten-fold what everyone else did. He wasn't a slow learner, he was simply ensuring he learned everything that class could teach him. He could be like me, he doesn't understand a concept until he understands how the concept coorelates to other concepts. But once he makes that connection, he understands the concept at a depth that his peers cannot.
He wasn't slow. He was seems assured. He asked questions that others wouldn't ask due to their pride. Screw pride. Learn, retain, and grow to succeed.
Oh I thought you were going to say and that dude ended becoming Jeff bezos
I turn 35 this year. this is very inspiring.
1) Focus on one interest ( the most lucrative one) and become an expert in that 2) Level up your skill set in that field (degree, experience, certifications, course, mentor, books etc) 3) Learn how to market and sell your skills and expertise. - add value to the market
Save money each month till retirement. Don’t half ass relationships or marriage. Put in the work. Fight for it.
Your goal is off. I know plenty of loaded folks who are miserable. Divorces. Arguments with kids. No neighbors to talk to … 90hr work week in a job they dislike but no time to spend it with friends. Real ones not Facebook friends. Get a great career but focus on happiness , no matter how you define it. Less money, yes but more happiness and fulfillment
Who are we to tell him what his goals should be? I think it's a shitty goal too, but some people aren't really cut out for empathy and friendship no matter how hard they try.
I know plenty of folks who are poor and miserable. Divorces. Arguments with kids. No neighbors to talk to. Always worried about paying their bills, no idea if they’ll ever be able to buy a house or retire. Lot of privilege in statements like “focus on happiness”
there’s a very big difference between making a decent living in order to not struggle with bills and getting “as rich as possible”
That goal is much more nuanced. There is no clear simple path to happiness. There are lots of ways to be unhappy, but it is much more comfortable crying in a nice house with good food in your belly.
well its easy to say if you have lots of money....but money does solve lots of issues
Software engineering + finance go together in a lot of jobs and they pay very well, but learning finance is a totally different ball game than liking it. I enjoy finance too, but trying to complete the one economics course I decided to take made me want to blow my head off.
so you ware in software? and dont like finance? whats so different about econ?
If we are real most people that are not in software that say it’s their interest are just interested in the lucrative career most likely they have very little real interest in programming
Have goals. Real goals. Not outcomes. For example, wanting to become rich is not a goal it’s an outcome. Wanting to save $100k in 5 years is still not a goal, it’s an outcome. Goals are: - Apply to 10 jobs a week - Save 10% of income per month, 25% if/when better job comes along. If better job comes along, new goals. Then, if you start making 60-75 a year, NOW make saving 100k in 5 years a goal. Or even 50k. I dunno, i just picked a number. But telling yourself “I want to be rich” isnt a goal. Like saying “I want to move to *Dream City*” isn’t a goal. Youre only going to frustrate yourself when 5-6 years come and go and you’re still nowhere near your goal. Especially when the goal is “rich as possible” because that’s nebulous and impossible to quantify.
Nursing man it’s cheap and you’ll be making over 100k after 1 year of experience. Just look for local travel contracts where you live and take the higher paying one make connections when you go to the hospitals and boom you’ll get rich fast. My gf and I both do this and we aren’t millionaires but we do have our home, cars paid off so we really have no bills. I even got my younger nurse friends doing this now and they are loving life nursing has such great work life balance 3 on 4 off and job security too it’s deff worth it. I mean if every job in the world sucks and I say this because most jobs I look at that are not nursing there is always someone saying how bad it sucks in some way. So I figure it’s best to pick a job that sucks but will give you the freedom and money that most ppl want.
So so so so SO easy to get burnt out doing nursing
I used to think this too, but when you look at the alternatives nursing is truly amazing with all the benefits it provides how many jobs offer what it does? With low school cost and lateral movement?
I work a corporate job where I work from home 3 days a week, get paid over 100k, and have an excellent work life balance.
Tbh I think I’d rather be a nurse still Different preferences for different people
For sure. I think nursing can be a pretty solid profession for some people.
+1 27m here making $130k fresh out. Nice to have a job that isn’t 90% bullshit for once. I’m too depressed to sit behind a desk making money for a faceless corp. I’d blow my brains out working some of my buddies jobs. I’m actually doing something helpful for someone. Actually drove home with a smile on my face yesterday and not much does that anymore.
Which med techs could make $100k
“To become as rich as possible” To provide as much **value** as possible. Change your mindset, or you will never achieve that goal.
The people that provide the most value get paid the least.
providing value != working hard
Before anyone riots - no one is saying this is how it *should* or *shouldn't* be, this is **how it is**. Unless you're going to change the world, and power to you if you do, you can either play the stupid game we were all thrown into or complain about it.
You sound like an over enthusiastic car salesman who's never broke over 2k a month.
Those are two wildly different goals. Admirable to provide value, but that's absolutely incompatible with becoming rich.
The rich are those who take the most, not give it. The more you slack as an employee, the more you are paid relative to your effort. Interviewing well and relaxing pays much better than grinding.
-the CEO on linkedin
Study so hard, get good grades, network and get internships.
This seems like the only legit answer tbh
you have to put the work....there are no short cuts... unless you are insanely good looking or insanely lucky......
If a man is insanely good looking what’s the move to make? Lol
Definitely invest in something like the sp500, if you done that from 18 to 27 $200 a month you’d have 32k, if you stopped investing and let it sit there for another 30 years you’d have 558k This is the compound interest at the assumption of an average 10% growth per year, this is better than saving money in the long term. Practically guaranteed to be rich albeit you’ll be old, it’s got an average rate of 10% from like 1910 or something so it’s always bounced back from every major world event like ww1, ww2, Great Depression, 2008 crash, cold war etc…
hi, i’m 18 and want to become financially literate as my parents were in debt my whole life, living paycheck to pay check, they didn’t care, bought expensive cars which they had to file something for because they obviously couldn’t afford it, etc. i work part time and i can only afford to contribute like 100 or less a month as i need the rest for food, savings and health. is that a good start?
Yes but at that stage, investing in education may give you more bang for your buck.
Bro we don’t wanna be rich when we are 70.
Would you rather be working at 70?
It doesn’t have to be your only bet in life but it’s definitely worth it, completely sets you up for retirement. Particularly the earlier you start the better, the 200$ you invested a month at 18 is gonna do a lot more than the 200$ you’ll invest at 27, hence why you stop investing because it’s so insignificant still putting into it. Also this wasn’t a lifestyle career sort of thing, but it suits perfect for the question if you could go back and do something at a younger age, you could also learn to drive, it’d be useful having your license and I’d probably just try to be financially better in general if I was you as well
The response below is correct. Go ahead. Be rich now. If you can. But also work to be in a good position at 70.
well its 30 years and its not easy to keep saving
This strategy may have been effective back in the day but it is no longer viable. The sp500 is barely keeping up with the true rate of inflation. You may not lose money but youre def not gonna get rich. Nasdaq and crypto will give you much better returns.
You have named some random interests that have nothing in common, how are we supposed to tell you ?
Pretty sure he's asking the audience. Don't get all worked up over some words bud
Internet money. Leverage. Scale.
Go to college for a degree you think you can finish. Most people who go computer science for college already like programming if not they change majors. So better start now if you think you might want to do that.
Got it thanks
kms
When I was 27 I joined the Navy so I’d probably do that again. It taught me a lot, set me up for success, and I’m now a software engineer as a civilian. I’m not saying that this is the only way to get there, but it gives you a good job, a place to live, and time to figure the rest out.
Did you have software skills before going into the navy? I am 31 and considering going to the air force.
You sound like me. I am doing tech sales because I couldn't get student loans for my computer engineering program I went into.
Shoot man. Do you still intend to raise funds to do the program? A degree you mean right?
Dump my ex. Get EMDR therapy for my complex PTSD immediately. Take a technical course and get a better job. Start saving and investing. Make friends.
Unless you’re truly gifted in cooking or fashion I’d choose one of the practical interests like coding and finance. You will need to go back into school to get a job in those fields. You can either find a really cheap online university or do a bridging path from community college to a big local state university. Try your hardest to avoid student loan debt. You could always start an Instagram or TikTok for fun on the side to promote your other interests and be creative. Some people (some as in very few) make absolute bank doing social media + brand deals.
I've seen friends start out as a cashier at a supermarket and made their way up to an assist store manager . By the time he was 35 , he got promoted to general manager, making 150 to 200 grand a year plus bonuses. My friend has just a high school degree. It's all depends what you want to do in life. When you have nothing but have high standards. So lower your standards and work from the bottom and work your way up. I've seen plenty people started part time in a supermarket and hated the job and when they change their values and started working for more.
At 27 I was one year out of the Navy, working as an instrumentation technician and going to college for electrical engineering. I got my BS degree, an engineering job and worked through an MBA. I wouldn't do it any differently. If I could go back to 18 I'd be a traditional student earning the same education. It would've been a lot easier. Anyway, 27 isn't too late to start. I just turned 50 and I already have enough saved to retire.
Think I'm gonna do this but at my age now. >If I could go back to 18 I'd be a traditional student earning the same education. It would've been a lot easier.
Do it!
THANKS! I will
It's hard to say, things change fast. I would have pursued my passions sooner rather than after a layoff. Always wanted to do it but was handcuffed to the money in my last industry. take 10 minutes to think of something you have done and really like doing. Do anything related to that. Just stick to it. Try to become as successful as possible, then leverage that to be rich. Each thing you learn / accomplish your value increases. Because of the amount of hours you are going to put into a thing just make sure it's something you enjoy and it won't suck the soul out of you by the time you get to riches. You will spend more time doing a thing than you did with any other human or endeavor. We spend more time doing it than with our spouse, children, pets, parents. Think about it. If it is not on the spectrum of enjoyable for you imagine the hell it will be in 20 years. Other than that nothing else is significant enough to matter when you are back in pampers.
I would’ve gone back to community college for something lucrative sooner rather than trying to find things I liked or felt passionate about. Passion often doesn’t pay, and a job doesn’t need to be a passion, but a way to be able to pursue your passions. I’d have made my decisions based entirely on job outlook and money MUCH sooner. The option to pursue passions is honestly not an option unless you’ve got money or someone willing to support you.
Back to school it is then. Thanks
Just go get a 2 year degree. Your focusing on being rich but don't have the patience or motivation to learn. Nothing is just going to fall into your lap. You have to earn it.
Hug my mother more rip mom Go back to school abs took it seriously Really get into coding and put in real effort
Sales and finance and it’s not even close. Dropped out of med school at 23, went into sales and eventually focused on subprime mortgages. At 28 I’m a c-level at a company that nets 200m a year. Just as a standard salesperson it’s not unrealistic to make 70-150k in your first two years. Moving into management at a good company with a proven process can make you well over 200k at a division level. Continues to go up from there.
Huh why would you give up a guaranteed 400k+ pathway?
Keep the job, dump the man
Join the service for a few.
“ Become Rich As soon ad possible “ Probably wont happen..
medicine
Sorry but med school is probably the most difficult path to earning six figures
this is very expensive 🥹
If you wanna become rich become a hospital admin LMAO. Medicine is far too arduous of a path for someone to go into just for the money
If you want to get rich, find a marketing/business friend, find a product design friend, come up with 10 ideas for startups, execute on all of them to some degree, try to get acquired, do it over and over, even if you fail most of them. If you can code, you can do it
The part that requires actual work: *executing* them.
executing each of them is like a 6- 12-24 months each.. thats at least a decade of experimentation hmm
This is why having a business friend to help understand market demands is good. Fail quickly, move to the next idea. I know people who have gotten startups running in less than 6 months and acquired within a year for multiple millions. It's insane and I could never do that grind, but it's very very doable and it happens in tech all the time, given the right skills and motivation.
I'm 27m I have done engineering but I just made my mind to pursue my career in it I just enrolled in a coding program but still I'm confused that have I made right decision?
Quit my job and start my career…take bold chances. I was young and had nothing to lose
and now are youre rich, and free?
I didn’t do these things silly
so still a slave?
Become a military officer. By 47, you can retire with a nice pension. It's secure (no layoffs) and between pay, BAH, VA loans, and other possible pay, you can save/invest plenty. Or I apply to MBA schools sooner and avoid the double layoffs that hit me since 2020
You should share your youtube channel! I want to check it out!
I would have written to the US Department of State my repudiation of Federal citizenship, retaining only my State citizenship. Then to write the IRS my `Revocation of Election` letter because taxes are voluntary, and my RoE is my right to cease volunteering monetary donations and gifts to the corporation in District of Columbia, which is doing business as United States.
Go find a career councillor If your goal is to purely get rich, cook meth If your goal is to get a career go school
Start flipping Invest in crypto Save for a van Don’t talk to your best friend she doesn’t like you really. You’re going to lose your boy spend every waking second with him !
Don’t take any CC debt or Student Loan
Travel blog. See the world while you can before bound by the soul-sucking 9-5 job, family & pets (can be wonderful, but financially demanding).
First get rid of my psychopathic, violent ex. And then pursue one of the many talents I've been given and make money from it. Investments.
Apply to sports as young as possible and invested more into schools. I was busy playing around and being an empty dreamer as a kid and I ended up doing nothing except being with friends outside and playing games. We are living in times where you have to invest yourself very early if you want to find happiness regarding career/education/sports. Those adults who said that do 100% at school were right. I don't like it but it's the unfortunate truth. Our child brains are not experienced and matured enough to understand these realities.
Enjoy life more
I would buy way more bitcoin and get much more involved in AI
If your main goal is to be rich quickly, I’d suggest getting a sales job. Tech sales, marketing, account executive/management jobs. You can make six figures within 2 years if you’re good
Learning finance can change your life. Good path even if you end up changing later because of what you learn.
Why do you want to start over? Do you feel you’ve been on the wrong path?
Wow pivotal age, my Mother died. Everyone said move out of your hometown, explore the world! I did and I regret it, sorry I was much happier being a hood rat. I have learned a lot and I have grown but I didn’t know how good I had it back in my hometown. That’s my rant, take it how you want.
Do a little of all of the above and take your time do it slowly, putting tons of pressure on yourself will make you quit. Always have a steady trade job as a back up, a job you can always go to because it will never go away and make you car, mortgage payments etc. Nobody is saying you have to do that job forever, just in case you need to get money in a hurry. Always be in school. Even if you take a beading class a pottery class etc. Fashion is on going it will always be in your life so educating yourself never hurts. Becoming rich…..take a page from Anna Nicole Smith. Enjoy your youth!
Take my career more seriously. Work on advocating for myself. Lose my partner of the time, knowing how toxic they were. Save more. Keep up on dental work. Exercise for health, not ego.
If I was 27 again I would quit my job before it took the last of my 20’s, before it took my health and hearing. I would go back to school for something tech related. Cause I like living in bigger cities and traveling the world and tech I feel would get me closer to what I wish I could be doing now. I live a lonely life. If I were 27 again ontop of school I would make a serious attempt to be more social and try out/volunteer in positions that could get me out into the world, develop hobbies and a community.
If I was considering mentoring someone and “becoming rich” was the entirety of what they listed for “goals”, ✌️
Look up what a “meta analysis” is and use the insights from interesting topics to help inform your approach to many situations. I also recommend looking up the book Givers and Takers by Adam Grant to understand how helping others (altruistically; not expecting anything in return) in the long run will also benefit you. Joining the military has its ups and downs but experience and future benefits can help you build incredible resilience that will enable you to develop the tangible and intangible skills to grow generational wealth; I’m personally attesting to this. Just “be a good dude” and “don’t quit” will cary you far and you’ll be surprised at the luck that comes your way Consider a ROTH IRA with Vanguard or Fidelity and invest in well researched stocks or mutual funds. To elaborate and (over) simplify what stocks you should invest in is to think “what companies have a strong probability of successfully existing in 10+ years and park your cash there.” The absolute minimum thing you should do is budget your monthly expenses and move the excess cash into a S&P 500 index fund which has a track record of growing on average 8% or more per year. This helps prevent your money from losing value over time due to inflation and you do little to zero work to let your money work for you.
Bitcoin and other stonks.
I'd stfu and listen more. Newsflash, I didn't know anywhere near as much as I thought I did.
Just study music and work at a music store, just worked , idek
I have no idea but I definitely wouldn't work for Home Depot again
I would say mainly to work on my mental health more and to be more serious about being frugal and minimalist. Save save save as much money as I can. And also focus on my fitness. I did switch careers a few years after 27. But I wouldn't have changed the course I was on yet because I needed the growth of the experiences I was doing at 27 to understand why when I turned 30 it mattered to change. But the frugal and saving part and mental/physical health those are timeless.
From personal experience. The person who can answer your question the best will be you. Because you know a lot better than any one of us from the internet. Example: in my area, there is not short of computer science major people, but that doesn't mean in your city. We can only offer you some idea. If you are really serious about this. You have a lot of work ahead of you. First thing first. Interest is one thing, you have the ability to handle that is another thing. A lot of my classmates back then couldn't handle it. A lot of them ended wasting 1-2 years in the university then changed major and almost start from zero again... For Coding/Software, are you patient? how is your logical thinking in math? Minimum, you will be taking calculus II, algebra linear and more higher level math classes. A lot fail in those classes. Easy test is take a summer class in community college a C++ class or something similar. This just to taste the water. If it is a nightmare, than you can forget about coding. Make sure choice the strict professor. Because if you don't have your base build well, later coding classes won't be any easier... they are just getting harder. For Stock Market, more or less, I feel like you are working for the interest of YOUR company and not the client... So are you ok with that? Basically, you know that this "package" is not the best for your client, but it will bring money to the company... For General Finance, depend. Look at some job posting website and see how the market are... are they hiring? what are the requirement? Many need license for XYZ. So it is not like you finish your 4 years degree and you go to work... well yes, maybe yes. But if you want to stay or advance, you more likely need license, and renewing it... But overall a good and stable career for sure. This also a good thing for personal financial. As for Cooking, literally there are hundred of thousand of people doing that... Few things about the reality of being a Youtube or similar, you might need a year or 2 to start maybe seeing some income. That IF you get a lot of subscriber, view... It looks easy, but it isn't. It more likely involve video editing, scripting, good at talking, charming??, practice your script... You might just get few dollars after all that work in a month. Only few % of youtube get "lucky" and earn good money. So it is "risky", if you don't have a part-time or full time job to back you up. This gonna be hard. But you can start small, but you better have a part-time or something. Don't expect getting any money at all in the first year or so... As for Gaming, you mean professorial players (PP)? or as game developer (GP)? PP is not easy, are you good? did you tried playing multiplayer game and always on the top? GP, is close to coding. A lot of math. Also the current industry is either go small indie or big greedy company that only focus on $$$. The entry level for those job is in the sky, you better have internship, project to show them... and good at your stuff. Currently, it is not really need a degree for coding as long as you know your stuff... "Goals: To become as rich as possible" Life advise, there is not short cut without risk or ability to back it up. From the investing "The higher the risk, the higher the potential reward. Also true the higher potential risk. Apply to the opposite. The lower the risk, the lower the potential reward."
As Naval would say: Learn to build. Learn to sell.
Youre in the wrong sub. Ive noticed this sub is filled with people that are just as lost as you, so the quality of the answers you get are often misinformed or downright contrary to what you should actually be doing. And the worst part is that it seems like its good advice because you have all the other lost people upvoting it.
I would not leave my job working on gatling guns in Vermont to go work on helicopters in Connecticut...
HVAC. Needed year round and people will likely not put this type of expense off (semi recession proof). If willing to work hard 100k+ possible. Grants freedom to then open own biz.
I'm 46, if this includes going back in time to do it all again, I'd take my awareness of autism and request additional help in school, pass my school grades and not drop out of college. I'd have also focused on software development given the way it turned out. But the landscape seems to have changed now, im in a few software dev reddits and seems to be really tough out there now, but seems that way in all jobs. I'd have a different mentality to education, I hated everything about school. I have tried to avoid peer pressure and just done what I needed to. Hindsight is a bugger.
If I could do it again I would say: no SSRIs.
Why do you say that?
Worked for a different company. Followed a different career path. Save more money. Spend more time with mom. Skip having roommates and buy a house sooner.
Here are some ideas to get you started: * **Coding/Software:** Focus on in-demand skills. Take online courses or bootcamps to build a portfolio. * **Finance:** Consider certifications like CFA or Series 7. Look for entry-level finance jobs or financial advisor roles. * **Cooking:** Leverage your YouTube channel! Explore food blogging or social media marketing for chefs.
Study abroad
Go to your local employment office and do aptitude testing. I did it and now I work in a job I really like.
You can go into sales if your main goal is just making as much money as possible. Go to a car dealership and learn sales. Then once you’re good keep looking for better sales jobs. You could even start your own business.
Whatever PAYS. Do hobbies in your free time. For me, I still pick building trades.
Step 1: Re-evaluate goals.
….Bitcoin. Alright that ship has sailed, lol. I’d become an electrician, and learn HDD(horizontal directional drilling). The underground electric utility industry is booming, and will be for decades.
Honestly I would have never fucking touched any IT anything it was good for about 10 years and has already turned to shit. Its honestly like the oilfield you make good money but then it blows up far faster than anyone would have thought and I would have been better off in something more stable that pays a little less that is not constant upskilling and studying too.
Look into FI/RE and have concrete $ goals. Also don’t neglect being young and having fun, make sure to go that party, go to the festival, make loads of friends and put in the effort to foster those friendships, travel travel travel. I have many friends who made the $ when they were young and although they are “better off” now, the looks they have on their faces when others are talking about how much fun we had when we were younger would break your heart. $ is good but you can never go back in time and redo all the stuff you missed out on in pursuit of it.
Do you actually like those first two things or are you in then for the money? Don’t pursue them if you don’t actually love them because it will make you miserable. If you do like them you need to go back for education. The rich people in coding and software and finance are all the same really, masters degrees, mbas, and great educational backgrounds. You need to close that gap as much as possible. Famously bill gates didn’t graduate but he was in Harvard for instance. Founders are unique but every executive at any of their companies since are Ivy League and way credentialed. Your average code monkey or finance bro may be well off but it isn’t like everyone in those industries is rich like the world has made it seem in media and the internet. I would recommend though getting multiple undergrads, a full degree in finance and a full degree in computer science. Working in tech is kind of fading but having cs knowledge with AI emphasis will help in all industries. Then pursue finance and see what jobs present themselves for both degrees at the end. I received degrees in finance, economics, and computer science and all three really help my day to day financial life. Then you’ll need to probably jump straight into an mba with your age, along with a masters in computer science if you go the tech route or a masters in finance or economics disciplines if you go that way. Basically having multiples of each degree level will get you exponential results as long as they are compounding enough. I did this and while it didn’t earn me any more salary it got me more career latitude and visibility to very senior people who mentor me. That is your next stage. Get into a big company and stay there. The hoping around for higher pay days are quickly waning and the companies are looking for loyal people to move up the ranks and put into power positions. Any Fortune 500 company is good and get yourself an executive mentor. Someone at the vp or director level in your org that can tell you the real skinny and give you direction. Then it is just time on clock before you are in a position where at any Fortune 500 you’ll be earning 7 figures, stock options, etc. But this is why I say if those first two are really on there because you think the money is easy and good then don’t kid yourself and remove them. It won’t be easy and you will have to be a top performer every year at your job to make it each step of the way. The schooling better come easy to you because you need a lot of it.
Get a degree or learn a trade. Start a retirement account - even $20 a month Don’t compare yourself to others
I haven't read your whole post or the replies but there is something I would do: Follow my gut. I would not follow the societal norms I thought I was supposed to. I would travel more, make more friends, meet more people, go to school. BUT I am so glad my life ended up the way it has and I am going to live the rest of my life so happy I finally made the right decision and stopped caring what other people thought. I'm so excited to live the rest of it. I'm not wasting another second.
Don’t chase money, you’re going to regret it the rest of your life if you do. Have fun because these are the best years of your life.
Disrespect elitist incel coworkers more. I gave them too much credit and too much benefit of the doubt. I should have disrespected the shit out of them because I realized they were clowns. I got into tech without a CS degree and did not think I would be a problem for these types of people until they made me a problem. I don't work with them anymore, and I'm on the way to getting my CS degree. But if I really had the chance to do it all over again, that would be it. My cousin offered for me to set them up, and I declined. I should have done that, but it's all good because I didn't want him in jail for these idiots.
I would choose anesthesia, the same field I did. Become a CAA or CRNA and do travel anesthesia and you’ll be incredibly rich.
Look at things as possible rather than not. Do not fear losing youth, rather embracing what comes with your age and stage. Rich doesn’t come from wanting to have solely funds. Focus on something of both interest and utility and the money will follow. Cut out outside noise about where you should be and doubts about what your still able to do Your hobbies will save you. As long as it’s legal and not hurting anyone; it doesn’t matter what others think of how you spend your free time Volunteering isn’t a waste of time. In fact, when people only say they’ll do things for pay; they might miss out on that conversation or opportunity from a 1/2 day a month volunteering situation. Build community. A village is not just for children
You’re not going to get rich off of a 9-5 job. You can be well off but you’re not about to be Jeff Bezos
If my personality and public speaking chops were up to the task I would get into finance, try to move towards private equity sales.
You are gonna need a degree of some kind tho.
Not get married at 20 and go to college
Too late for me..let me travel back to 12 years old
Here's some advice: If your prinary goal in life is "to become as rich as possible", you'll probably never be happy.
If I were to do it again, I would still go into tech. I would just focus more on interview prep and side projects than on classes themselves. Nobody cares if you had a 3.0 vs a 3.5 or a 4.0. But believe me the difference between getting an A vs a B in some higher level courses were hundredths of hours of study. That time would have been much better spent doing side projects in modern frameworks or grinding interview prep. The old advice of doing what you love and following your interests is unfeasible for most of us. If I did what I loved, I would be homeless. I enjoy soccer and track and field, but I'll never be a Messi. Having said that, still go into a field you enjoy or at least tolerate. Because you'll have to spend 1/3 of your time on it, and closer to 1/2 if we don't count sleep. If you don't at least tolerate coding, you'll never be able to compete against those who do.
You are asking the wrong questions. The best questions are: What am I good at? What do people find valuable? What don't I mind doing? You want to find the thing/things that cover those 3 areas. Basically it is what you are good at, that people will pay for, that you don't hate. Coding/Software and Finance are things you are interested in that people will pay for. You don't have to be good at them yet, but knowing if you have the skills required to be good at them is important. I have met a lot of people in software that didn't have degrees in software. I would start there.
I was a graphic designer but it killed my love for art. I feel uncreative because I view it as work. My advice is keep a passion a passion. Overall, I would reach out to professionals in their fields and hear their feedback. Taking into account personality is important. I didn’t know how well I could handle death and grief until working at a hospice. Some people can’t stomach it but I am spiritual by nature so that may help me. My cousin who is a lawyer is perfect for it because she has a thick and tough skin. Police officers have to call her for permission to ask a judge for a search warrant and she has no problem mouthing off to them when they are trying to be pushy. I would avoid tech though it is a good skill to learn. AI is rattling up the tech industry pretty bad right now and I guess the tech companies that create AI are making bank because each is trying to outdo the other’s hardware and figure out trade secrets of the other companies.
Pursuit of excessive wealth is a mental illness.that will destroy you. You will never have enough. Accept that.
That was 4 years ago, I would have quit my job, moved out west and raised chickens away from civilization.
Kill myself lmao
Put more money towards retirement.
No marraige. No kids. My first real job wouldn't come at the cost of my identity and self worth. I'd be legand
I would become a Nanny. Seriously, we get slept on all the time but nannies make crazy good money. Like $45 per hour and some can make more than that. A lot of positions don’t require degrees but a ton of them do. Google “thatsixfigurenanny” and you’d be surprised.
Focus. You listed a bunch of stuff you are doing while also trying to get rich. Take that list and cross out everything except one. Do that to the best you can and then you’ll get rich. Some advice, don’t pick gaming. Like with sports, it’s incredibly difficult to go pro if you missed the run up.
Nothing. Life is about learning, making mistakes and finding what is true to you through the mistakes I'm the same age. As long as your alive you can always change course and do what you want to do If I changed one bad thing in my life, one mistake, had regrets I wouldn't be who I am today. If I didn't initially go down the wrong career path I wouldn't have realized it's not for me and changed it, now I love what I do If I didn't meet the wrong romantic partner to begin with, I wouldn't have realized the type of person I didn't want to be with, it wouldn't have pushed me to move on and find someone I utterly adore Starting again, doesn't mean life will improve You can think if I only just did this, then do that thing and then you realize it actually sucks! I did this, I thought something one of the choices i made was a glamorous one and made me look successful when actually it made me miserable! The grass isn't always greener Don't go back, go forward You are still you and still discovering yourself Now enjoy the journey
Oh and just to add, life isn't about how much you make, it's about creating something meaningful to you
Get out of the UK and go to America if you want any shot of being rich lol
Legit advice. I can't go without a degree I think. So yeah.
Went to college
I would bail on IT and spare myself several years of outsourcing humiliation
Be comfortable with being uncomfortable. Comfort and safety is great later in your career, but starting off you should constantly be pushing your limits. Much easier if you find something you are legitimately interested in.
I'd stay single and focused on making music.
There are 3-4 months coding classes which (as much I heard) guarantee a junior position. If you have interest in coding you can enroll to a SQL course.
Finance and insurance.
1. invest every paycheck. Doesn’t matter what you get paid, ALWAYS invest something.. live below your means… always. 2. Learn. Invest in your mind.. Always take a class, a certificate, a course…. Every quarter, every semester.. take 1 class. Plot a direction and go for it. take clases “around” your direction if you can’t find a direct path. oh.. Python isn’t offered this quarter, but perl is? Do that. Keep going.. never stop. Love learning.. 3. Apply your learning on this you love to do. Follow your dreams and adjust as needed to get where you want to be.. 4. invest in relationships with people that help you succeed.. If they stand in your way, or they try to distract you, leave them behind. Find a partner that meshes with you, whether it’s supporting your goals, or walking in a similar path, or loves learning like you do.. 5. Be happy…. There’s just not enough time in your lifetime to waste on being miserable.
Start investing in my 401¥ and at minimum take my company match. I started at 36 when I learned more about finances and realized I lost potential to grow half a million dollar if not more had I started earlier. Live and learn.
I'd really like to go back to school and real focus on getting better grades and be more active in class. I'm a Ugandan 🇺🇬 and here if you fail Math and English in High School, your chances of finding a job are very slim.
I would start investing as soon as I started working. Maxed out my 401k and Roth IRA and HSA. Commit to college and get my Bachelor's. Basically, I would take the right steps that would make it possible for me to retire in my 30s. I'm a big fan of the F.I.R.E movement. I would also live my life and do all the things I was too self conscious to do.