A recent Reddit discussion has revealed the unvarnished truth about building wealth in America, sparked by a 25-year-old Swiss graduate’s candid confession: despite being “obsessed with getting wealthy” since childhood, his C-student record and general business degree have left him uncertain about his path forward.
The thread quickly attracted responses from self-made millionaires and experienced investors who shared practical strategies that challenge many popular wealth-building myths.
The Foundation: Boring Beats Flashy
The most consistent advice centered on a surprisingly simple formula: live below your means and consistently invest 10%-25% of income in low-fee, broad market index funds. Multiple respondents emphasized that this approach, while not glamorous, represents the most reliable path to wealth for most people.
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“Don’t wait for high income to start investing,” one commenter warned. “It’s a trap to wait until you have ‘enough’ to invest. Starting with what you can, even on $32,000 per year, is crucial because yesterday was the best day to start investing.”
The power of compounding was repeatedly highlighted with concrete examples. One user calculated that investing $1,000 upfront plus $100 monthly in the S&P 500 could grow to $686,000 by age 65. More aggressive savers investing $15,000 annually at a 10% return rate for 45 years could accumulate over $11.3 million.
The Specialization Imperative
Several successful entrepreneurs criticized the original poster’s general business management degree as insufficiently specialized. “Become more and more specialized in a particular area,” one respondent advised. “The fewer people who can do your job, the more valuable you become.”
The example given involved someone who started with an accounting degree, specialized in healthcare administration, and eventually built wealth by owning nursing homes. This progression from general skills to niche expertise emerged as a common theme among those who achieved significant financial success.
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Sales: The Underestimated Wealth Builder
Multiple millionaires pointed to sales as a frequently overlooked path to high earnings, despite its sometimes negative perception. Specific recommendations included selling insurance to businesses, medical equipment, and enterprise software-as-a-service solutions.
“Sales is frequently mentioned as a common and financially rewarding path,” according to the discussion, with several users noting that the original poster’s self-described pitching skills could be leveraged in this direction.
The Entrepreneurship Route
For those willing to take on higher risk, the entrepreneurship path was outlined in clear steps: secure employment, save aggressively, use savings to start a business, reinvest profits, create scalable operating procedures, and then diversify profits into traditional investments.
Business suggestions ranged from trades like HVAC and electrical work to service-based companies and specialized consulting. One respondent recommended identifying problems that need solving, determining who needs them solved, and developing unique solutions as the foundation for any business venture.
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Mindset Adjustments
Perhaps most striking was the disconnect commenters identified between the poster’s stated wealth obsession and his academic performance. “There’s a disconnect between your stated obsession with wealth and your C student academic record, suggesting a lack of actual effort,” one user observed.
The discussion emphasized that 29% of self-made millionaires were C students, suggesting that persistence and work ethic matter more than academic achievement. However, several respondents questioned whether the poster’s original goal of earning $100,000 monthly—placing him in the top 0.5% of earners—was realistic without first achieving more modest milestones like $100,000 annually.
The Time Factor
A recurring theme involved the importance of starting immediately rather than waiting for perfect conditions. “The first decade of investing can feel slow, but wealth snowballs quickly once you have a few hundred thousand dollars,” one experienced investor noted.
This urgency was particularly relevant given the poster’s age and recent completion of military service and education, with several respondents acknowledging that he had already lost valuable compound growth years.
The Reddit thread ultimately demonstrated that while the desire for wealth is common, the discipline to implement proven strategies remains rare. For the 25-year-old poster and others in similar situations, the message was clear: start now, specialize strategically, and let time work its mathematical magic.
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