This piece is part of my 2016–2026 archive migration. Some original formatting, content, and external links may be missing, changed, or not be optimized.
Endless priorities in the short term barricade your investment journey
Who wants to wait around for years or decades to build wealth?
At face value, there doesn’t seem to be much reward in investing long-term.
There is no end in sight.
It’s just another gruesome process you have to get through.
In The Short-Term, There Are Endless Priorities
In the short term, it’s astronomically easier and painless not to invest.
There are so many competing priorities for your resources.
It could be school, family, your partner, food, travel, debt, transportation, legal fees, health expenses, pet expenses, self-care expenditures, clothes, games, books, collectibles, furniture, movies, experiences, investment losses even, and everything else under the sun.
In The Long-Term: There Are Only A Few Priorities
In the long term, it’s astronomically painful if you don’t invest.
I remember this quote: “The time will pass you by anyway.” The reference was for individuals considering pursuing their MD or another type of higher degree.
Some people cry, “That’s eight plus years, bro.” Well, what else are you going to do with your time? If you want something or you have a goal tied to a degree, go for it. If you can find a way to do what you want without the degree, forego the educational path and do something else meaningful with your time. But time is constant, so whatever you want to do, get started.
There weren’t many meaningful results for me in the early stages of investing. It’s just boring numbers. Endless losses and steady gains. There’s no fun in it.
In the long term, fewer things matter:
Health
Peace of mind
Resources
It’s easy to struggle with affording investments. I was there. I had a shit load of debt, no emergency fund, student loans, no consistent income, not enough income, and nothing to my name except desire to change it.
There was no incentive for me to start investing. If anything, investing would just put me further in the hole. But I’ve never been the biggest fan of rules. If I didn’t start investing and stick with it, I knew my situation would never change.
Most people aren’t born with resources, but most of us have at least one resource: our minds – use it to change your financial story.
Start investing with 1 fucking penny and then go up from there.
Your future self won’t regret it.
And if you can’t afford it, I challenge you to get creative.
Final Note: Not investing long-term is also like not working out, not eating well, not going to the doctor regularly, not stretching, not flossing or brushing your teeth regularly, not protecting your skin against the sun, not investing in relationships, not investing in your dreams, not educating yourself personally and professionally, and not investing in the things that matter most to build a meaningful life in the long term.
If you never start, you won’t be able to build the life you want.
If you never start, your future self will be negatively impacted.
If you never start, you won’t be able to fund the life in your dreams.
The time will pass you by anyway. So just start. But more importantly, don’t stop.
This content is for informational purposes only — not professional advice. Consult a qualified professional before making any major decisions.