Art of the Smart

How did you make your fortune?

This is a cross-post from Reddit where I wrote down some brief thoughts on building wealth. A few things to think about as I'm rounding another corner on my own journey.

1. Have parents willing to sacrifice for you and whip you into shape you until you're ~17. Helps, but not required.
2. Hound a good college to get in. Don't settle for cut-rate education if you can.
3. Get a degree in something you can tolerate better than most, not something you love. Sorry, but this is work. If it were fun, they wouldn't pay you.
4. Hound companies to give you an internship over the summers. If the only options are unpaid, change majors.
5. Study your ass off and git gud. You don't need to be the best, just better than the next guy/gal.
6. Hound companies to give you a long term job (including those internship companies).
7. Do the job. Respect the boss, care for your colleagues, learn, get better, and show up on time.
8. Find mentors. 80% of people that are where you want to be are willing to help- just ask.
9. Pay down highest interest rate debt first (i.e. credit cards first, car loan last).
10. Buy what you need and a little of what you want; stay within your means.
11. Buy a house when you need the space and it's competitive with renting. Take care of it and collect your tax credits.
12. Work hard and keep your job during the bad times. Be indispensable but not trapped.
13. Live by r/frugal and r/fire and max out your 401(k) in due course. Go full mega backdoor Roth if you have the funds.

Do that and I guarantee you a million in net worth before retirement.

P.S. Find someone nice and marry them. That's another million right there.