Welcome to 35 Ryan! I’m a few months ahead of you. I’m writing this from my basement where I’m flushing our house’s 20 year old water heater. It’s all glamour on this side of 35.
When I was 20 I set a goal to be a millionaire by the time I was 30. Here’s the thing though… the goals we set for ourselves when we’re younger have none of the perspective we gain as we get older.
Cash is just a tool. You don’t hear carpenters talking about their goals in terms of how many saws and hammers they own.
As I get older, I recognize the utility of cash as a way to buy time and convenience. Have too little cash and you spend all your time worrying about how you’re going pay your bills or that your landlord is kicking you out for not paying rent and you need a new place to live.
There’s a baseline (different depending on where you live) where you have enough cash that you can trade some for time and reducing stress.
The thing that makes me feel rich today isn’t hoarding cash (I still don’t have a lot in the bank). It’s being able to spend more time with family. It’s about creating the time to buy good ingredients and cook meals at home rather than getting delivery or take out. It’s about having a little extra money to travel for fun. The thing I was missing at 20 were the people in my life who I wanted to trade money for time to be with.
Cheers to you! Hope the next 35 are even better than the previous 35.
