As I Approach 29 Years Old, I Can’t Wait to Get Older
The days until I reach 30 years old are numbered. I’ll be 29 soon, the last year of my twenties. As friends and family around my age reach the 30 mark, I often think to myself what it will be like when I get there. In some ways it will be sad, because my twenties are no longer and never will be again. It’s like how my college years, high school/teenage years and my childhood years are no more and never will be again. That part is sad. Those were great times of my life. But as I get further down my path, I look to the future and get excited.
The Older I Get, The Better My Life Will Be
People I know in real life joke a lot about how “negative” I am. Whether or not this is really true, I don’t know. I can’t judge myself from that viewpoint. I don’t believe that I’m really negative. I’m just stubborn and somewhat of a non-conformist. I just don’t like the “normal” ways that things are done. Here’s a few examples:
- As a kid, I didn’t like how I always had to do what my parents told me to.
- As a teenager, I didn’t like that I had to be in school every single day.
- At work, I don’t like to do things the way others tell me to.
- I don’t want to work at a “job” until I’m 65.
- I don’t want to borrow money to buy a house.
- I don’t want to be broke.
Every one of those sentences has a “didn’t” or a “don’t”. No wonder people think I’m negative. But it only sounds negative because I’m a lousy communicator. Here’s what I really mean when I say those things:
- As a kid, I wanted to explore, learn new things and have fun.
- As a teenager, I wanted to learn the way I learned best, by going out and doing.
- At work, I want to problem solve and figure out how to do things in a new way.
- I want to start my own business someday and work when/where/how much I want and retire early (if I choose to).
- I want to save up and buy a house in cash someday.
- I want the ability to work on what excites me everyday, spend my time where I can make the most difference to those I care about and give to others.
It’s all in my communication. I can say it positively in writing, but I stutter when I verbally communicate these things. Deep down, I think I’m a positive person instead of a negative person. I need to work on bettering my presentation of all this. Also, I left out the part where I have a dry and rough around the edges personality. That probably doesn’t help either, does it? Um, well maybe I’ll always come off “negative”. But, those who know me, know that I mean well. It just is who I am.
Financially, I’m Very Excited to Get Older
Here’s what’s more positive than ever about getting older from here. I’m 28 and pretty damn wise. In my twenties, I’ve learned that time is more important than money. I’ve learned that I can kick butt at things if I put my mind to them. I’ve learned that I’m not a failure, but instead am a driven, passionate and determined person, who’s got a lot of fight. I’m on a roll to a financially and professionally successful future, all of which I’ve learned in my twenties. Heck, almost everything I’ve accomplished in my life has been done in my twenties. It will be known as the decade where I learned how to climb uphill.
I have a goal set for my 30th birthday to have at least $100,000 in investments. Yes, it’s a crazy goal, but one that I think I’ll be able to hit. Do you know what getting older means when you’re on an awesome path of working towards the life you really want? It means getting closer and closer and further along towards all your goals. It means making your dreams a reality. Those things I’m working towards will be happening in the future. That’s why this stuff is so exciting.
Now, I’m just a regular guy. Just over two years ago, I paid off the last of my debt with the last of the money I had to my name. I’m on a trajectory where I hope to have a 6 figure investment portfolio built up in just over 3 years (over 80% of which I will have earned and saved). If I keep on this path, what will my future look like?
And This Little Blog Is Even Doing Well
This blog is just shy of 15 months old. By blog standards, it’s not a very big deal yet. But 15 months ago, it didn’t exist. Here’s where it’s at today:
- 6,000 unique visitors per month
- 650 Twitter followers
- 200 RSS/Email subscribers
- 10 or more comments per post
This blog is on an exponential growth trajectory and who knows where it will go in the next 15 months. As I look at the real-time analytics right now, there are 5 people, not including me, browsing this site. Earlier this afternoon, it had bursts of over 10 readers at a time. It’s exciting.
When you’ve got big goals set, are working like crazy to make them a reality and have figured out that life doesn’t have to suck, then getting older has a lot of excitement to it. After all, if we have an internal drive that no one can take away from us and a sense of hope in the future that’s indestructible, then the future has no chance of sucking and every chance of being awesome.
Category: Learning New Things
A lot of people think the non-conformist ways are negative because they aren’t the social norm. People are always afraid of what they don’t know. Don’t worry about that, just keep writing! Those stats look great too, keep up the good work!
Hey, thanks Johnny. I never really looked at it that way. And also, thanks for the words of encouragement on my blog. Have a great weekend!
I’m the same age as you… I am not sure if I am excited about getting older, but I know it’s inevitable so I might as well make the best of it! It is exciting to be more in control of one’s life, but I don’t think I enjoyed my early/mid 20s as best as I can (or accomplished as much as I could have) and I want to be more conscious and mindful of upcoming decade in building a life I love and building a career I am proud of.
Those are great goals. I didn’t do the best job I could in my twenties either, but starting at about age 25, I really started turning things around with my finances and even though I didn’t start until half way through my 20′s, it will likely be a very successful decade for me.
Sounds like you will be sure to make the rest of your 20′s and your entire 30′s a success and something to look back on and say, “I did well”.
The 30s are awesome Kriag. I am 35 going on 36 (next month) and I am having the best decade of my life.
Eddie
Hi Eddie,
That it OUTSTANDING to hear! Thanks for the positive encouragement. I’m really looking forward to my 30′s!
Kraig, you’ve got a great start on living the good life. You’ve turned your finances around and put yourself in an enviable position that most people will never find themselves in. You’ve started making great headway on saving for retirement, and you’ve started building a side income with your blog. You’re living different, and that’s good – so kudos on that.
I’m 36 now, and my thirties have been some of the best years of my life. So I wouldn’t worry about turning thirty, it’s just a number. You only live as fully as you choose to – no matter what age! So keep living the high life!
Thanks, Peter. I appreciate you stopping by and commenting. We need to get together again soon for coffee. I always enjoy talking with you. You’re sort of a mentor for me. Talk to you soon!
Coffee sounds like a plan, let’s do it! Course we need to do another FINCON meetup as well in early March, hopefully you’ll be there for that as well!
You bet, I’ll be there.
Kraig, I love your optimism and stick-to-it-ness. It’s people like you who encourage me to keep going with my own crazy investment goals in my 20′s, as well as keep doing the blogging thing. What do you think is the single biggest reason for your blog’s success thus far?
Hi Ross,
Thanks for the kind words of encouragement. Comments like this from you are what keeps me going. Sounds like a perfect cycle of positivity there, huh? Keep up the crazy investment goals. You’ll get farther than you would have ever thought possible.
I’d say the single biggest reason for my blog’s success is my internal drive to keep working at it. My stats aren’t very impressive for as many hours of work as I’ve put into this. I’ve likely spent over 500 hours on it. Most people wouldn’t do it because there hasn’t been a payout. The payout for me is what this may turn into. The trajectory keeps going up. I’m curious to know just how high I can push it. This blog also helps me talk about this stuff in a world where I can’t really discuss my finances. I see the bigger picture for this blog and I think that’s what kept me at it, which is in turn why it’s starting to do well.
I remember those days when I was eager to be older! Time goes by quickly so make every day count because before you know it you will be in your sixties.
That’s exactly what I’m trying to do. I’m already starting to see the years and decades go by fairly quickly. I’m feeling like it’s speeding up too as I get older.
I love how optimistic you are. You and your blog are doing great!
Thanks, Michelle. Now I’ll just need you to tell those people in my life who think I’m negative just how optimistic I am!
Kraig,
Keep up the great work man. You, your blog, your investments, your positive attitude…it’s all growing and it’s all for the better! Life, in turn, will also get better and better.
I couldn’t imagine where I’d be today had I not started getting a grip on the finances three years ago. I’m so glad that my past self (of three years ago) decided to make moves that the me of today is really reaping the rewards of. These exponential rewards will only continue far into the future.
The you of 29 is making all the right moves now so that the you of 35 or so can live a fantastic life. Keep going! I’m also looking forward to getting older..or at least I’d like to fast forward to about 38 years old and then just stop aging.
Best wishes.
DM,
If this blog is still around when I reach 38, here’s how that post will sound:
Can Time Please Stand Still Now, Forever?
Dear readers, I’ve reached financial independence and no longer need to work for money. I can do anything I want with my time and am excited to start living life to the FULLEST.
Now, if time could just stop, that would be great. The end.
Thanks for stopping by, DM. Let’s chat again soon!
Like you I’m also excited to get older, because the older I get the wiser I get too. And also I’m just less poor than I was when I was 20 so everything’s improving each year haha.
Being less poor is always a good thing, right? And being wiser is pretty darn great too.
Well you aren’t doing too badly at all for a 28 year old with a 15 month old blog! But if ever it begins to bother you, when you get to the ripe old age of 32, just start counting in hexadecimal.:-)
Kraig, you’ve totally got the right attitude. Albert Eistein said that “Great spirits often encounter violent opposition from mediocre minds.” Keep that in mind when you’re doing things that go against the societal grain, so to speak. And as far as age, you’re right on. I’ll be 46 this summer, and life only gets better, provided you’ve got the right outlook.
Thanks, Laurie. Thanks for the incredibly positive insight from a 46 year old. Knowing that things will be great if I have the right outlook makes me feel even more confident in all this.
Great post. We are traveling similar paths. I just turned 27 and I know my life will get better when I hit my 30s. I will still be in my physical and I will be entering my financial prime.
At the same time I feel a creeping mortality that my time is coming to an end. This gives me the urgency to live my life on my own terms.
Right on, Kevin. I’ll check your blog out. While we’re young, we have to take advantage of our ability to bring in a good income and save all we can of it. That means getting out of debt, building a savings, investing and eventually reaching the point where the need for more money doesn’t rule our lives.
I recently hit 29 myself back in January and I’m looking forward to this year being even better than the last. There’s so much promise and I’m very focused on reaching early FI that my 30′s will be great. Work towards FI, reach FI, stop working my current job. Not too bad of a plan.
Hi JC,
Congrats on turning the big 2 9. It sounds like you’re on a GREAT path to FI! Your plan sounds outstanding and similar to the one I’m on. I wish you good luck. I hope you accomplish all you’re setting out to.
I know someone who’s a little like you, a non-conformist. He didn’t finish college and he stated from the beginning that he don’t like working in a office, which I don’t find negative at all. He’s got a little business and is actually doing good.
The number of your blog is looking really good. I wish more power.
Hi KC,
Thanks for stopping by and for the good wishes. I hope to have a little business that’s doing well just like your friend one of these days. I’m working on it and plan on continuing work on it. It’s quite important to me in the scheme of things, as I’m sure you read.
Best wishes,
Hey Kraig,
I wanted you to know that you are such an inspiration to me. We are similar in age (I just turned 28), but our lifestyles are totally different as I am a married, mother of two who is in tremendous debt. Your blog posts give me some great ideas and lots of motivation to keep pushing forward, stick to my budget(which is the hardest thing for me) and save, save, save. Thank you for all your help. You’re the best
Adri
Hi Adri,
Thank you so much for stopping by and for saying those very kind things. I’m glad you were inspired by the things I wrote and hope you will continue to stop by and say hi as well.
Thanks again!
Nice to hear a young person’s perspective. As to retiring at 65, that is not going to happen for me and I doubt your generation will enjoy such a young retirement. Our world and finances generally will not allow for this.
You should be commended for your independent thinking as that never goes out of style. Your blog numbers are impressive as is your goals for financial independence.
Very thought provoking blog post, so thanks.
Steven,
Thanks for the comment and for the kind words. It’s too bad that most of us won’t be able to retire by 65. I feel like it’s feasible to make it happen much sooner if we start early. That’s what I’m trying to do, which I’m sure you read. It’s one of those things that’s important to me, at the cost of most of the luxuries that the majority enjoys.
Don’t wish away your years! I was totally scared of hitting 30 but actually its not that bad, although I do feel myself growing up a lot more.
Thomas,
I wish I could keep my years but still reach independence, but I’m not sure how feasible that it. What I’m doing requires time and lots of it, unfortunately. That means in a sense, I wish I was older, even though that doesn’t make much sense in all other ways. Thanks for the comment.
Thomas,
The best times of your life are in front of you. Every decade just gets better and better. The fun increases, the stress decreases. Your enjoyment keeps growing. Best of luck, Bud. Sounds like you’re on the right track.
Love the way you think mate. I guess I’m at the other end of this (short) spectrum having turned 20 in April. Any advice for someone my age? I’m currently at university and will probably have to wait 2 or 3 more years before I earn a FT income. Anyway, good to see someone who loves fostering independent thought (particularly when it comes to money) as much as I do.
Hi Michael,
The advice I have is to start being smart with your money now. I started at around 25. You have five years on me if you start now. This means, try to get through college with as little debt as possible. If you’re taking two majors, consider dropping one to finish quicker. Also, once you get a FT income, keep your lifestyle low, ideally, where it is now. Start tracking your spending now so you know what your spending levels are. If you can keep your spending under 20k/year and get a good income and keep increasing it, you’ll be very well off when you hit my position at 29. I’m on track to hit 100k soon, but at this point, if you start now, you could be on track for 150k or more. Consider the different between that and a normal person who indulges in their 20′s. They pass the 30 mark with nothing to show for 7-8 years of full time work. That’s a shame.
Good luck to you man!