10 Years of Honest Finance Advice In 12 minutes

I left my day job at 24 because of these money lessons.

I used to have a lot of doubt about whether anyone would want to listen to me, but I realized that I needed to change my mindset. Today, I’m determined to give it a shot and work harder to produce high-quality content while pursuing what I love. At 24, I left my day job, relying on a few side hustles and investments, and since then, I’ve built a six-figure business and reached a level of financial freedom. It wasn’t something glamorous—it was self-education through reading over 100 books and experimenting with different ideas. Today, I want to share the key lessons that made this possible.

When I first heard about reaching financial independence in your 20s or 30s, it felt impossible. Seeing YouTubers with 100,000+ subscribers felt as unlikely as winning the lottery. But then I read The 4-Hour Workweek, which was full of real-world examples of people achieving financial freedom in simple, non-glamorous ways. I began reading more books, listening to podcasts, and networking, meeting people who had done what I wanted to do. It made me realize that if I never took the first step—like starting a YouTube channel—I’d never achieve my goals. Five years later, I now run a YouTube channel with over half a million subscribers and have turned it into a multiple six-figure business.

One lesson I learned was that hard work doesn’t always equate to financial success. While working in office buildings, no matter how hard I worked, it didn’t change my finances significantly. However, if I shifted that effort to scalable opportunities, like building my own business, the rewards grew exponentially. That’s one of the best things about owning your own business—you can work hard upfront and eventually run it with minimal effort while still reaping the benefits. It’s not just about working hard; it’s about working on the right things.

Networking also played a massive role in my success. After attending VidSummit, a conference for creators, my YouTube channel saw an enormous spike. I made invaluable connections, and one person I met at the event even helped me generate $100,000 through collaborative projects. This experience taught me the power of investing in yourself—whether through conferences, events, or education—and how a single connection or idea can transform your career.

I also learned that finding your “freedom number” is crucial. Inspired by The 4-Hour Workweek, I realized that if I could make between $3,000 and $5,000 a month from investments and businesses, I could do whatever I wanted for the rest of my life. Once I hit that number, I was able to leave my day job and live a life of financial freedom much faster than traditional routes, like saving 25 times my annual expenses.

Finally, obsession is a powerful driver of success. When I became obsessed with financial independence, I listened to audiobooks and podcasts nonstop, soaking up as much knowledge as I could. I applied what I learned by taking action—buying real estate, starting businesses, and never wasting time on things that didn’t lead to my desired outcomes. This obsession, even though it may have seemed unhealthy at times, is what led me to build the life of my dreams.

In conclusion, one of the biggest lessons I’ve learned is that you don’t need to reinvent the wheel to achieve success. You can simply copy what works. Most of the things I’ve accomplished, whether in real estate or YouTube, were inspired by ideas I got from others. It’s about following proven methods, staying focused, and not trying to get too creative. Success doesn’t come from being overly original—it comes from action and consistency.

Another key realization for me was that success doesn’t come solely from hard work—it comes from focusing on the right things. For example, when I used to clean office buildings, no matter how hard I worked, it didn’t change my financial situation much. Sure, it helped the company and ensured I kept my job, but it didn’t move the needle for me personally. On the other hand, when I directed even half that effort into building something scalable, like my own business, the rewards grew exponentially. That’s the beauty of entrepreneurship—you can pour your energy into building something, and eventually, it can run with much less effort while still growing.

Owning a business allows you to scale your efforts. What took 40 or 50 hours of work a week can, over time, become something that only needs five hours to maintain, yet the income keeps increasing. Contrast that with a regular 9-to-5 job where you’re essentially trading time for money. No matter how hard you work, your income is usually capped. I realized that if I wanted to break free from that model, I had to put my energy into creating something that could grow beyond the hours I put in.

Networking was another game-changer. Initially, I was skeptical about investing time and money into attending conferences like VidSummit or FinCon. It seemed risky to spend thousands of dollars on tickets, flights, and hotels with no guaranteed return. But the results were transformative. After attending VidSummit, my YouTube channel saw a massive spike in growth. More importantly, I made connections that led to projects that earned me significant income, including one partnership that brought in $100,000 from a single contact I met at the event. This experience taught me that networking isn’t just about meeting people—it’s about opening doors to opportunities that you might not even know exist.

Another powerful lesson I learned is that self-education is crucial, but action is where real progress happens. There’s a concept I follow called the 3:1 rule: for every hour you spend learning, spend three hours doing. Early on, I was stuck in the trap of consuming tons of self-improvement content without actually applying it. Once I started taking real action, that’s when things began to change. It’s easy to get caught up in learning, but implementation is where you’ll see the biggest results. If you read a book about decluttering, spend three hours actually decluttering rather than just reading more books about it. Action beats knowledge when it comes to success.

One of the more controversial lessons I’ve learned is that not all advice works for everyone. For example, Dave Ramsey has helped countless people with his conservative approach to personal finance, but I realized that his methods weren’t for me. His advice of avoiding debt and saving conservatively didn’t align with my goals. I was willing to take more risks, invest in real estate, and create my own path to financial independence. For me, it wasn’t about waiting until I was 65 to enjoy financial freedom—I wanted to achieve it in my 20s or 30s. This was a key turning point, as I realized there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to success.

Copying what works has been one of the most effective strategies I’ve used. Whether it’s real estate investing, starting a YouTube channel, or building a business, I’ve often borrowed ideas from people who have already succeeded. I didn’t invent house hacking or the concept of passive income, but I applied those strategies to my own life. Similarly, when it came to growing my YouTube channel, I followed what the experts said, step by step. I wasn’t trying to reinvent the wheel—I was just copying what worked.

Ultimately, if you want to achieve something, look at what others have done before you and replicate it. There’s no need to be overly creative or try to outsmart the process. Most successful people didn’t get there by doing something revolutionary—they simply followed proven methods and stuck with them. The path to success is often about consistency, not brilliance.

Lastly, one of the most important lessons is to be deliberate with your obsessions. I’ve seen this in my own life and the lives of other successful people. Whether it’s building a YouTube channel, investing in real estate, or growing a business, the people who succeed are often obsessed with what they’re doing. I was obsessed with learning about finance and real estate, listening to audiobooks and podcasts non-stop, even while working my old jobs. This constant immersion helped me learn quickly and stay motivated. My obsession with growing my YouTube channel, even to the point where I worked on it every day for five years, is what allowed me to achieve the life I have today.

If you find yourself obsessed with something that’s not productive—whether it’s social media or another distraction—try redirecting that obsession toward something that can change your life. It could be a business, an investment, or a project that aligns with your goals. Over time, that obsession can turn into real results, and when you look back after a few years, you’ll see how much your life has changed.

In the end, success isn’t about being the smartest or the most talented—it’s about taking action, staying consistent, and being obsessed with your goals. If you can do that, and follow the path others have laid out before you, you can achieve things that once seemed impossible.

As I continued my journey, one of the most liberating realizations was that failure is a necessary part of the process. Early on, I feared failure and played it safe, avoiding risks that could lead to losses. But over time, I came to understand that failure isn’t the end—it’s feedback. Every time I failed, whether it was a bad investment, a business idea that didn’t work, or a YouTube video that flopped, I learned something valuable. Each failure brought me closer to success because it taught me what not to do next time.

One of my favorite concepts is the idea of “failing forward.” It means that each failure pushes you forward in your journey, as long as you learn from it. I’ve found that the most successful people in any field are those who have failed the most. They’re the ones who didn’t let failure stop them—they embraced it and used it to improve. I’ve had investments that went south and business ventures that didn’t pan out, but in every case, I emerged stronger, with more knowledge and insight to apply to my next venture.

It’s important to develop a healthy relationship with risk and uncertainty. When I was younger, I used to believe that stability was the key to happiness. I wanted a secure job, a steady income, and a predictable life. But as I ventured into entrepreneurship, I realized that stability can also be a trap. If you’re too afraid to take risks, you miss out on opportunities for growth.

The reality is that nothing is ever 100% stable. Jobs can be lost, investments can fail, and life can change in unexpected ways. I found more freedom in embracing risk, knowing that even if things didn’t go as planned, I could pivot and adapt. Risk doesn’t have to be reckless—it can be calculated and strategic. Once I got comfortable with that mindset, I was able to pursue opportunities that had a much higher upside than anything a traditional path could offer.

Another crucial lesson is the power of leveraging systems and processes. In the early stages of my YouTube channel and real estate investments, I did everything manually. It worked, but it was exhausting and time-consuming. Eventually, I learned to build systems that could run on their own, whether it was automating certain tasks in my business or hiring a team to handle property management. This shift allowed me to scale without burning out.

The same goes for finances—having a system in place for managing income, expenses, and investments is key to building long-term wealth. I learned to automate as much as possible: setting up automatic transfers to my investment accounts, paying off debt on a fixed schedule, and even using apps to track my financial goals. This way, I didn’t have to rely on willpower or constant attention to stay on track. It was a system that worked for me, even when I wasn’t actively thinking about it.

I also want to talk about mindset, because I believe it’s one of the most important factors in success. Early on, I had a scarcity mindset. I was constantly worried about not having enough money, time, or opportunities. But as I started learning from successful people, I realized they all shared a common trait: an abundance mindset. They believed that there were endless opportunities for growth, wealth, and success, and they operated from that belief.

Once I adopted an abundance mindset, everything changed. Instead of feeling like I had to compete with others, I started seeing opportunities for collaboration. Instead of worrying about what could go wrong, I focused on what could go right. This shift allowed me to take bigger risks, invest more in my businesses, and believe that even if something didn’t work out, there would always be another chance.

Another key point is that success takes time. We live in a world where instant gratification is the norm, but real success doesn’t happen overnight. It took years of consistent effort to build my YouTube channel, grow my real estate portfolio, and establish financial freedom. There were times when it felt like I wasn’t making any progress, but looking back, I can see that every small step added up over time. Patience and persistence are crucial, especially when it feels like nothing is happening.

In terms of personal finance, I’ve come to appreciate the value of diversification. Early on, I was heavily focused on real estate because it was what I knew best. But as I learned more, I realized the importance of diversifying my investments. Now, I invest in a mix of real estate, stocks, index funds, and even businesses. This has helped me protect my wealth from market volatility and take advantage of different growth opportunities.

Another key to success is giving back. As my business and investments grew, I found that helping others brought more fulfillment than any financial gain. Whether it’s mentoring young entrepreneurs, sharing my knowledge through YouTube, or donating to causes I care about, giving back has become a core part of my life. It creates a sense of purpose and connects me to a larger community. When you help others succeed, it comes back to you in ways you can’t always anticipate.

Finally, I want to emphasize the importance of enjoying the journey. It’s easy to get caught up in the grind, always looking ahead to the next goal. But I’ve learned that happiness isn’t something you achieve at the end of the road—it’s something you create along the way. Celebrate the small wins, take time to enjoy life, and remember that success is as much about the process as it is about the destination.

In conclusion, the lessons I’ve learned through my journey—from taking calculated risks and embracing failure to building systems and adopting the right mindset—have all played a crucial role in shaping my path to success. It’s not about being perfect or avoiding mistakes, but about learning, growing, and staying committed to your vision. If you can do that, the possibilities are truly limitless.