Hey little buddy. Just wanted to share an article about some youngsters that have likely freed themselves from the chains of financial worry for rest of their lives:
I was just telling your mother how I wish I would have made this one of my top priorities growing up (achieving financial independence at a very young age). Instead, I chose to spend way too much time chasing a good time and/or proving my manhood (e.g. trying to hang with gangster types, etc.). Moreover, I shunned pursuing an education in certain areas that were known for generating an extremely solid income because they just weren’t cool enough for me.
But perhaps most importantly – and this is why I share this article with you – I wish I would have set myself up with the opportunity to go to school at places like Stanford and to hang out with highly motivated youngster that were more into setting themselves up with long-term success than partying.
Mind you, there’s nothing wrong with having a good time. In fact, that should be a top priority through life.
However, as with most things in life, balance is key. And when it comes to making connections that can help set you up for financial independence, getting into the right schools and hanging with the right circles is definitely something that should not take a back seat to almost anything. Mind you, the right school and the right connections aren’t a guarantee of success or a prerequisite for it, but as my old childhood friend used to say, “it’s not who you know, it’s who knows you.”
Therefore, I would recommend that you make your education a priority, and hang out with kids who are equally committed to educating themselves and setting themselves up for long-term success while still maintaining a strong moral/ethical approach to treating you and others. Doing so will do two things:
1) keep you out of trouble
2) put you on a path to living a life that you truly want to live as opposed to one that is dictated by financial concerns (trust me when I tell you, that’s not the optimal way to live)