Author Topic: I made $15 million before I was 30, and it wasn't as awesome as you'd think  (Read 12142 times)

Natural Man

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That's the best you got? I'm by no means poor, but not rich. I'd say we are very comfortable. And what do you mean by "slave"? 
are you self employed? if not you re a modern slave.

Dr.J

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Mr. AZ 2003

SamoanIrishman

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are you self employed? if not you re a modern slave.

I'm a contractor so yes. Are you suggesting that someone is a modern slave because you are not the boss? Even if you are self employed then by your "logic" we are a "slave" to our clients. So either we are all "slaves" in your definition in some form or you just simply don't know what the f uck you are talking about.

Parker

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How could you trust any of these women not to run some type of predatory scam on you?  Extortion, bribery, blackmail, slip and fall lawsuit, getting knocked up, marriage, etc.  The potential financial ramifications are endless.  Pretty pussy makes most men very stupid.  You would have to be extremely careful/smart not to fall for any of this shit.
3 heart attacks probably means that they are more eye candy than anything else.

rooseveltdunn

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Money buys happiness, those that can't be happy with money usually have other underlying issues and would be unhappy no matter what they have or don't have.

Parker

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Isn't he a succesfull poker player?
It's easy to be "successful" when someone left you millions to begin with.
Money buys happiness, those that can't be happy with money usually have other underlying issues and would be unhappy no matter what they have or don't have.
Happiness is a state of mind. That is why that there are people who don't have money and are happy.
You can not by a state of mind like happiness. Money can provide a peace of mind.
I posted an article a whole back (this may be it) that was about how people who bought things were happy for a brief moment, and then unhappy, so they bought something else. So, it can be like that with money. You get more, and then your goal is to focus on getting more still. Kinda like a gluttonous person, their purpose is more or less obtaining more, which makes them momentarily happy. But, the happiness is fleeting.

http://lifehacker.com/why-were-so-materialistic-even-though-it-doesnt-make-1486081424
http://io9.com/why-are-materialists-less-happy-1544139588

240 is Back

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How could you trust any of these women not to run some type of predatory scam on you?  Extortion, bribery, blackmail, slip and fall lawsuit, getting knocked up, marriage, etc.  The potential financial ramifications are endless.  Pretty pussy makes most men very stupid.  You would have to be extremely careful/smart not to fall for any of this shit.

true, but he also has enough $ to handle any BS they may throw at him.

All it takes is for one of his managers to tell the girls "you'll be paid well, but if you try some BS, we're rich enough to ___"  Insert whatever they fear.  Or maybe he straight up asks them for compromising info... if they have an illegal habit or family member, whatever to create the bond they can't break.

Or, he can just use the combination of 1) vasectomy 2) signed sex waivers 3) videotape everything.  Problem solved!

Eric2

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Classmate of mine made over 60 million in the 1990s tech bubble. He died just a couple weeks after one of our class reunions in a single car accident. Hit a tree on the way home to his parents house. Living there while in the middle of a divorce. Money is not the answers to life's problems.
h

Frank Clairmonte

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Classmate of mine made over 60 million in the 1990s tech bubble. He died just a couple weeks after one of our class reunions in a single car accident. Hit a tree on the way home to his parents house. Living there while in the middle of a divorce. Money is not the answers to life's problems.


Karma is a bitch.
1

James28

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How could you trust any of these women not to run some type of predatory scam on you?  Extortion, bribery, blackmail, slip and fall lawsuit, getting knocked up, marriage, etc.  The potential financial ramifications are endless.  Pretty pussy makes most men very stupid.  You would have to be extremely careful/smart not to fall for any of this shit.

Smart? Hardly need to be 'smart' to see they're all gold-digging whores.
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Agnostic007

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I agree it is a good post. While money doesn't buy happiness, it can sure make misery tolerable. Being rich removes a myriad of potential problems like not being able to pay a light bill, or afford dependable transportation, but it also adds a myriad of problems that are unique to being rich. But at the end of the day, if I get to choose which set of problems I have, I'd go with the rich problems.   

joswift

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Earning money as opposed to being born into money brings its problems
What do you do when you start out earning all your friends, do you go on the same hoilidays with them or go on your own?
You can pay for friends but they soon come to resent you for it

Same for lottery winners, you either maintain your lifestyle or lose everyone around you

Me, I would leave people behind but some cant

Henda

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Earning money as opposed to being born into money brings its problems
What do you do when you start out earning all your friends, do you go on the same hoilidays with them or go on your own?
You can pay for friends but they soon come to resent you for it

Same for lottery winners, you either maintain your lifestyle or lose everyone around you

Me, I would leave people behind but some cant

I wouldn’t tell a soul if I won the lottery and would even still cry hard up

Flexacon

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I made a small fortune a year-and-a-half ago when I dumped my Netflix stock. Yes, being financially secure has its benefits; being able to drive a Mustang convertible off the dealership lot paid in full is always nice. But it wouldn't mean nearly as much without faith in God and a great family.

 Money is just one part of a larger puzzle.

I wonder how this guy feels today about his 2013 dumped Netflix stock. x20 if he held..

Theoak*

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Just as happy at 30million than at 15million.....

Mayday

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So for the guys with oodles, what is some of the dumb shit you have bought?

Doesn't have to be something crazy but i'm looking to hear a WTF type of thing. Doesn't have to be a jet, maybe it's a 2k pair of sunglasses. Something where even you thought WTF  :D

G_Thang

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Become friends with a popular youtuber, ride his coat-tail and sell $64 Target ($15) mesh shorts to his followers, acting like you have a legit business.  Looks like easy money if you can hook up with a youtuber with a ton of fanboys. 

IroNat

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Earning money as opposed to being born into money brings its problems
What do you do when you start out earning all your friends, do you go on the same hoilidays with them or go on your own?
You can pay for friends but they soon come to resent you for it

Same for lottery winners, you either maintain your lifestyle or lose everyone around you

Me, I would leave people behind but some cant

Good post, Swifty.


gib

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OK, I'll comment on this as I am in quite a similar situation. Started with literally nothing as a kid, and through a range of repeatedly good (lucky?) investments, and damn hard work, got myself into the same position (albeit in my late 30s onwards).

***

I made $15 million in my mid-20s after I sold a tech startup. I talked to a lot of people about this question, and thought a lot about how to stay the same person I was before and after making money.

IN MANY WAYS I AM STILL THE "SAME PERSON". SAME MORALS, SAME FRIENDS ETC BUT JUST WITH A MORE WORLDLY AND SOPHISTICATED VIEW ON THINGS DUE TO LIFE EXPERIENCES AND PEOPLE I HAVE MET ALONG THE WAY.

Here's my answer: being rich is better than not being rich, but it's not nearly as good as you imagine it is.

The answer why is a bit more complicated.

First, one of the only real things being rich gives you is that you don't have to worry about money as much anymore. There will still be some expenses that you cannot afford (and you will wish you could), but most expenses can be made without thinking about what it costs. This is definitely better, without a doubt. ALL TRUE ALTHOUGH I HAVE EVERYTHING I WANT. NOT REALLY KEEN ON STATUS TOYS SUCH AS YACHTS AND JETS OR FANCY WATCHES ETC.

Being rich does come with some downsides, though. The first thing you are thinking reading that, is, "cry me a river". That is one of the downsides. You are not allowed to complain about anything, ever. Since most people imagine being rich as nirvana, you are no longer allowed to have any human needs or frustrations in the public eye. Yet, you are still a human being, but most people don't treat you like one. NOT REALLY. MANY "RICH" PEOPLE ARE ABLE TO LIVE VERY MUCH UNDER THE RADAR. IN MY CASE ONLY THOSE CLOSER TO ME KNOW ROUGHLY MY LEVEL OF WEALTH.

There's the second downside. Most people now want something out of you, and it can be harder to figure out whether someone is being nice to you because they like you, or they are being nice to you because of your money. If you aren't married yet, good luck trying to figure out (and/or always having self doubt) about whether a partner is into you or your money. NOT REALLY, ALTHOUGH ON A FEW RARE OCCASIONS I HAVE HAD PEOPLE ASK TO BORROW MONEY. I POLITELY BUT FIRMLY DECLINE, AND HAVE ONLY LOST A FEW "FRIENDS" OVER THIS STANCE.

Then you have friends & family. Hopefully your relationship with them doesn't sour, but it can get harder. Both can get really weird about it and start to treat you differently. They might come and ask for a loan (bad idea: if you give, always give a gift). One common problem is that they don't appreciate Christmas presents the way that they used to, and they can get unrealistic expectations for how large a present should be and be disappointed when you don't meet their unrealistic expectations. You have to start making decisions for your parents on what does and does not cost too much, and frankly, it's awkward. SEE ABOVE. NOT REALLY BEEN A PROBLEM IN MY CASE.

Add all of these up and you can start to feel a certain sense of isolation.
You sometimes lay awake at night, wondering if you made the right investment decisions, whether it might all go away. You know that feeling standing on a tall building, the feeling you might lose your mind and jump? Sometimes you're worried that you might lose your mind and spend it all. NO DON'T HAVE THAT, BUT AM ALWAYS CONSCIOUS OF THE NEED TO PRESERVE WEALTH AND NOT LOSE IT, BE IT THROUGH TAXES, BAD INVESTMENT DECISIONS, SCAMMERS, ETC.

The next thing you need to understand about money is this: all of the things you picture buying, they are only worthwhile to you because you cannot afford them (or have to work really hard to acquire them). Maybe you have your eye on a new Audi — once you can easily afford it, it just doesn't mean as much to you anymore. NOT REALLY IN MY CASE. EVERYTHING I HAVE I REALLY DO APPRECIATE AND ENJOY AND DON'T TAKE FOR GRANTED.

Everything is relative, and you are more or less powerless to that. Yes, the first month you drive the Audi, or eat in a fancy restaurant, you really enjoy it. But then you sort of get used to it. And then you are looking towards the next thing, the next level up. And the problem is that you have reset your expectations, and everything below that level doesn't get you quite as excited anymore. I UNDERSTAND THE POINT, BUT NOT REALLY APPLICABLE IN MY CASE.

This happens to everyone. Good people can maintain perspective, actively fight it, and stay grounded. Worse people complain about it and commit general acts of douchebaggery. But remember this: it would happen to you, too, even though you might not think so. You'll just have to trust me on this one.

Most people hold the illusion that if only they had more money, their life would be better and they would be happier. Then they get rich, and that doesn't happen, and it can throw them into a serious life crisis.

LIFE IS DEFINTELY WAY BETTER WITH MONEY. THAT SAID, IT DOES NOT OF COURSE SOLVE ALL PROBLEMS, AND I AGREE ULTIMALY YOU CAN ALSO BE HAPPY WITH VERY LITTLE. INDEED THE GREAT THING WITH ME IS MUCH OF WHAT I ENJOY IS ALMOST FREE, BUT HAVING SAID THAT, MONEY GIVES YOU GREAT OPTIONS AND OPPORTUNITIES. SOMEONE SOME TIME AGO ONCE DOUBTED MY WEALTH WITH THE VIEW THAT "IF HE WAS THAT RICH WHY WOULD HE BE POSTING ON GETBIG". TO ME THIS REALLY WAS A RIDICULOUS COMMENT, FIRST BECAUSE "RICH" IS A RELATIVE CONCEPT, AND SECOND BECAUSE IT ASSUMES THAT RICH PEOPLE DON'T LIKE ORDINARY THINGS (WHICH REALLY IS QUITE ILLOGICAL).

If you're part of the middle class, you have just as many opportunities to do with your life what you want of it. If you're not happy now, you won't be happy because of money. AGREE. ALSO I AM NOT SURE I WOULD DEFINE "MIDDLE CLASS" BY WEALTH. TO ME IS MORE ABOUT INTELLECT AND SOPHISTICATION. I VIEW "CLASS" MORE ABOUT INTELLECT, DECENCY AND MORALITY AND AS SUCH CLASSIFY SOME "RICH" PEOPLE AS "LOWER-CLASS" AND SOME "POOR" PEOPLE AS "UPPERCLASS".

Whether you're rich or not, make your life what you want it to be, and don't use money as an excuse. Go out there, get involved, be active, pursue your passion, and make a difference. AGREE.

Pray_4_War

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OK, I'll comment on this as I am in quite a similar situation. Started with literally nothing as a kid, and through a range of repeatedly good (lucky?) investments, and damn hard work, got myself into the same position (albeit in my late 30s onwards).

LIFE IS DEFINTELY WAY BETTER WITH MONEY. THAT SAID, IT DOES NOT OF COURSE SOLVE ALL PROBLEMS, AND I AGREE ULTIMALY YOU CAN ALSO BE HAPPY WITH VERY LITTLE. INDEED THE GREAT THING WITH ME IS MUCH OF WHAT I ENJOY IS ALMOST FREE, BUT HAVING SAID THAT, MONEY GIVES YOU GREAT OPTIONS AND OPPORTUNITIES. SOMEONE SOME TIME AGO ONCE DOUBTED MY WEALTH WITH THE VIEW THAT "IF HE WAS THAT RICH WHY WOULD HE BE POSTING ON GETBIG". TO ME THIS REALLY WAS A RIDICULOUS COMMENT, FIRST BECAUSE "RICH" IS A RELATIVE CONCEPT, AND SECOND BECAUSE IT ASSUMES THAT RICH PEOPLE DON'T LIKE ORDINARY THINGS (WHICH REALLY IS QUITE ILLOGICAL).

If you're part of the middle class, you have just as many opportunities to do with your life what you want of it. If you're not happy now, you won't be happy because of money. AGREE. ALSO I AM NOT SURE I WOULD DEFINE "MIDDLE CLASS" BY WEALTH. TO ME IS MORE ABOUT INTELLECT AND SOPHISTICATION. I VIEW "CLASS" MORE ABOUT INTELLECT, DECENCY AND MORALITY AND AS SUCH CLASSIFY SOME "RICH" PEOPLE AS "LOWER-CLASS" AND SOME "POOR" PEOPLE AS "UPPERCLASS".

Whether you're rich or not, make your life what you want it to be, and don't use money as an excuse. Go out there, get involved, be active, pursue your passion, and make a difference. AGREE.

I believe you. 




Loan me a million dollars.   ;D

Howard

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Become friends with a popular youtuber, ride his coat-tail and sell $64 Target ($15) mesh shorts to his followers, acting like you have a legit business.  Looks like easy money if you can hook up with a youtuber with a ton of fanboys.

I made 100 million from a tech start up and bought a  house on Malibu Beach.
The guy who owned it died and his brother Allen  and his kid Jake were living in there.
I figured WTF and let 'em stay.

I pretended to be piss broke to find the right girl.
I ended up telling her I was rich, so wtf that ended and I moved back in with Allen and Jake

Now we're just 2 and 1/2 happy men .



Theoak*

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Gib, do you have kids?

IroNat

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"I make myself rich by making my wants few."  - refridgerator magnet

harmankardon1

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Good post army, I agree with pretense.

honest

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Earning money as opposed to being born into money brings its problems
What do you do when you start out earning all your friends, do you go on the same hoilidays with them or go on your own?
You can pay for friends but they soon come to resent you for it

Same for lottery winners, you either maintain your lifestyle or lose everyone around you

Me, I would leave people behind but some cant

Whether you choose too or not, people get left behind. If you end up doing well in life, just be humble, whether through hard work or good fortune understand not having enough money is the main issue for the majority of people, they will never understand your problems or even want to understand them. At that point stay humble but move on, family the same once you have done well and they haven't, your as good as dead to them, they just don't tell you that as they might need a loan, lol.