5 things I did to earn 6-figures in my 20s
Earning 6-figures in my 20s was life-changing.
That kind of income — once I started investing and using it effectively, set me up for the rest of my life. It enabled early retirement in my 30s. There’s no way I would have achieved financial independence when I did without a big salary.
But, here’s the catch: I didn’t just hope that my salary would keep going up. As a kid, I had no clue how all this worked, but I learned as I went.
Almost anyone can do this. You just gotta know how.
In my career, I did things that kept me earning more than most of my peers.
It wasn’t because I was “smart” or the hardest worker. I mean, yes, I showed up every day and did my job the best I could.
But, there was more to it than that. Most of us don’t build wealth simply because we got lucky. That’s a poor mindset.
The key to boosting income lies in your daily habits.
Here are 5 things I did to earn 6-figures in my 20s
1. Built trust with my bosses
My bosses always counted on me. I showed up early every day. I did my job. I attended meetings. I told my boss my true feelings. They counted on me.
Here’s a secret that you might not know: Good bosses don’t like “yes men”. They don’t like employees who tell them what they want to hear even if the truth is the opposite. Good managers respect employees who think. Who try new things. Maybe even question their tasks (in a nice way, of course).
I was this person. My boss knew that I would tell him the truth about each and every thing that I was doing. If something didn’t make sense, I would speak up. If you do this in a professional manner, your boss will respect that.
This technique got me opportunities that most of my coworkers didn’t get. New projects. Important meetings. High profile conferences. Being trustworthy propelled my career farther than I ever imagined.
2. Kept my friends high-quality
I had two circles of friends.
Circle #1: This was my “professional circle”. Smart people. My mentors inside and outside of the office. I kept this circle of friends high-quality and very neatly curated. I was extremely selective with who I brought into this circle. And, this was the circle that I’d rely on the most and spend time with during the week. The priority inside this circle: get better.
Circle #2: The other circle had “normal” friends. Bar friends. Poker night friends. Still high-quality. No low-value bodies in either circle. This was the circle of friends for “nights and weekends”. I laughed. I had fun. But, it was purely for comedic relief and relaxation after busy days and weeks of work.
Keep these circles separate and understand their differences. It’s easy to spend a little too much time around circle #2 without knowing it.
3. Never said no to an opportunity
Whenever I got an opportunity (a job, a project, a position, etc), I said “yes”, even if I didn’t know how to get it done. I said yes and figured it out later. I learned a ton by doing this, and my career skyrocketed.
I remember one day I was called into my boss’s office. But he wasn’t just my boss. He was the Executive Director of the organization, and he just fired an entire layer of management above me. I worked as a software developer, and the Director of IT and CIO of the organization were just canned.
And now, he wanted me to take over their roles.
Did I know how to be a CIO? Hell no. Not even close. But I said “yes” anyway. I told him I could do it. That nothing would stop me.
And that day, I jumped from a low-level software developer straight to the boss of a department of 25 information technology staff. That move instantly catapulted my career.
4. Pursued my strength, not my passion
Our passions don’t usually pay the bills, at least not as well as our strengths.
My strength was in computers. It paid the bills (and quite well!). I never loved working with computers, but I enjoyed it enough. I pursued my passions on the side without having to earn a full-time income from them.
You don’t need to love your job. You just can’t hate it.
And, that’s the magic of following your strengths instead of your passions.
We should never have to earn a full-time income from our passions. That’s why they are “passions”. They are things we love to do. And often, they include a good deal of creativity. Mine has always been photography. But, I’m thankful I didn’t make a career out of it or it probably would no longer be my passion. I use my camera because I love it, not because I need income.
5. Switched companies every three years
Every time I jumped companies I got a 15 to 20% raise. Switching companies is a great way to earn more money, gain experience and expand your network.
One caveat to this technique: Don’t move around too much. If your resume shows new jobs every year, that could hurt your career advancement and chances of being hired. Companies don’t want people who will quickly bail.
In technology, I found switching companies every three to four years was the sweet spot.
Your salary is within your control. Do the things necessary to get paid more.
- Follow your strengths
- Say “yes” to opportunities
- Build a high-quality network
- Move around within your industry
- Be a valued and trusted person in the office.
This pays off…literally!
In conclusion, making 6-figures in my 20s was something that I worked hard to achieve. Yes, working in computers gave me a giant leg up. It’s a high-paying career field, and computers happens to be something I am good at.
And, that is all part of it. Find something you’re good at inside an industry with well-paying jobs and good career prospects (hint: that’s not just the computer industry). Show up every day. Do your job well.
Money is in your future.
