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.
It wasn’t because of lack of knowledge
I played many video games as a kid, and money was always something you needed to leverage in many video games.
What happens if you don’t use (save) your money in a video game? It accumulates.
People who wanted to buy new shoes and clothes as kids had to use money to buy them.
What did they do to get money?
They worked for money or asked their parents.
And if they saved their money, they could buy more things and experience more financial freedom.
At a relatively young age, we all realize that money is necessary.
The Concept of Investing Introduces Itself To Us At Some Point
We also come across the concept of investing at some point. We hear people mention:
“Get the car later.”
“Save for a rainy day.”
“Save up to buy that.”
“Spend less than you earn.”
“I’m putting my money to work.”
“Never put all your eggs into one basket.”
“Save so you don’t have to work all your life.”
“Put your money to work so you don’t have to work as hard.”
“Why don’t you think about it a little longer before pulling the trigger.”
Sh*t, you will likely hear some of these phrases even if you come up in a broke environment and family.
And if you don’t know what they mean, you can look them up or ask about them from someone who will likely have some form of an opinion.
People talk about money in books, shows, video games, etc.
Our friends, family, and people we don’t even know talk about money.
It’s impossible not to overhear conversations about money at some point.
Many people claim they didn’t start investing until later in life because they were completely unaware, didn’t have access to knowledge, and other bullsh*t.
There are some cases where this might be true, but most of us grew up in economically challenging times. We saw that money is essential and can lead to hard times if you don’t have it.
We all had a choice.
We could make a new decision or follow in the footsteps of what we saw unfold before us.
Something you must stop doing is blaming your financial circumstances on something other than yourself.
If you walk into the mirror right now, that’s the person you need to blame for your lack of financial progress; this isn’t harsh. It’s the plain truth.
If you waited until later in life until you invested, own it and get on the wagon now because that is the only thing you can do now.
To shift your financial outcomes, you must take action and become curious.
You might have been curious about video games, celebrities, TV, or shopping as kids and teenagers (the best time to start investing).
But you could have chosen to be curious about money just as well.
We all have the power of choice.
Youthfulness doesn’t make you dumb.
I’m black and didn’t come from an economically strong family background, yet I started reading personal finance books as a kid.
Did I master investing as a kid? Nope, but I did master the art of saving. And I still played video games. You can do both!
This content is for informational purposes only — not professional advice. Consult a qualified professional before making any major decisions.