I turned 25 last year. My investments will leave me a millionaire at 60.

Last year, before my summer birthday, I wrote the following sentence to myself:

I turn 25 this year, and I’m done saving for a traditional retirement.

And NO, I have nowhere close to a million saved. Not even close to a quarter-million. I only graduated college 3.5 years ago, yet I’m guaranteed to retire before I’m 65 years old (or as guaranteed as anything can be in this world).

“Duh, Darcy!” you might want to cry out at me. “ANYONE can get there when they’re a child of millionaires/started the next Uber/currently blackmailing world leaders!”

Yeah, that’s true. Too bad none of that applies to me. ZERO percent of my money came to me through inheritance, owning a business, or criminal activity. The bulk of it (>90%) is via good old-fashioned savings, which ballooned to its current six figures via lowering my expenses, increasing my income, and optimizing what expenses I did have.

The Numbers

The amount of money a 25-year-old needs invested to be a millionaire by 65 is the eye-watering figure of $22,500, assuming that million will be in today’s money and that $22k-ish returns 10% every year.

I have even more than that. 1.5 times more, roughly speaking, to the tune of $100,000.

It’s small potatoes to some, and, to others, an inconceivable amount of money.

Because I have $100k I know I’ll be a millionaire, even if I spend every penny of my paycheck moving forward. This is all thanks to the power of compound interest, and of financial education.

Which is a massive indicator of wild success.

Let’s talk about that financial education for a minute, which, for me, was self-taught via finance blogs, forums, and conferences I had access to. Without my understanding of finance my life would be so much worse off: I’d likely still be in my crappy post-college job as a lowly receptionist, living in a shitty attic space without heat or AC, and trying to avoid thoughts about the future to stave off another panic attack. It’s mind-boggling how much money can change your life. You knew this already, but to see it in action to change yours is a whole new level of shook.

What This Means For Me

Only three years later, I marvel at how nice life is. I have my own nice apartment just outside of Boston, with beautiful amenities like heating and zero broken appliances.

I have a cushy job that pays me $90k, triple what my first post-college job paid.

Of that salary I only spend $30k; if you take out the amount I pay in rent I spent less than $10k the whole twelve months, yet still enjoy delicious restaurant dinners, nights out with friends, and exciting vacations.

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I’m not just living the life, either, I’m saving for it! If I didn’t add another penny to my investments, I could still happily retire with over one million dollars. All of this is possible only because I learned how to make it possible.

What This Means For You

Yes, you, the Internet surfer, wisdom-seeker, and hopeful winner at life. I see the struggle that you and the people around you have to deal with. Hell, I was one of them until I wised up and did this incredible thing. Sometimes people can’t replicate it, or can only replicate a part of it. You won’t be one of them. I’ll detail everything about what I did to get to six figures at 25 years old; your job is to steal my work and make your life the better for it. Where else do you get permission for that!

To start things off, remember that the goal, firstly, is to survive. Once you’re surviving, move forward. Once you’re moving forward, the goal is to thrive.

So how do you do that?

The only way to get started, continue the momentum, and finish strong is by believing you can do it. I respect you too much to pity you, so we’re going to acknowledge your hardships and then find success despite them.

Doing this is like climbing a mountain. Whether you’re at the base of the mountain or already climbing upwards, reaching your goal at the mountaintop is also the hope, the dream. The higher you go, the more shadows you leave behind. It takes time and the right equipment to do it, especially with the changing terrain and the threat of bad weather. Yet you’re propelled by the promise of the peak, gripping the rocks and hoisting yourself up towards that glittering possibility high above the clouds. You’re doing this so you can, one day, look behind your shoulder to see the dizzying heights you’ve just conquered. You do this so you can stand on that peak and feel the sun hug you in its happy light, in its own way a congratulations for earning the reward you’ve just claimed.

That feeling will follow you for the rest of your life, once you reach that mountaintop. The higher up you go, the closer it will be. The struggles you started with will fade away; the accomplishment you’ve dreamed about will then be there for the taking.

Survive, then thrive.

We got this.