There has been plenty of discussion in the community on how men gain value as they age, or when men peak. Sure, we all know men age like wine and women age like milk. But I would like to take this time to add one more data point to the young guys on the this board on what your life will be like as you age, assuming you take care of yourself. If you are 40, have means, and are fit, you can basically do anything.
Life is a journey, so first let me present some general advice for the 20-somethings on the board -
- Always bet on yourself Put your head down and achieve financial success, while living beneath your means so you can start building your “Fuck You” fund . To achieve financial success, you need to take risk in your profession. No risk, no return. So shoot for a job that has a high year-end bonus, equity in a startup / start your own business, high sales commission, etc. that makes a material difference for your net worth. Put yourself in a position to get huge upsides if everything goes well. For example, at age 24 I left a job which paid a $47k salary and $3k bonus for a job that paid $40k salary with a “$10k or higher” bonus. Most people wouldn't take a salary cut for an undetermined upside but my bonus ended up being $30k and I was on my way. Thought it was all the money in the world.
- Keep fit Nothing fancy needed here, consistency in basic pullups, pushups, and squats will get you pretty far.
- Eat as nature intended I highly recommend a paleo-esque diet, which is nothing more than eating plants and animals in their most natural state.
- Learn masculine skillsets Know how to drive a manual transmission, fire a gun, ride a motorcycle, fish, scuba, and box, to name a few.
Pretty basic stuff, but trust me when I say it leads to a pretty high upside if you are disciplined. So where do you end up? Let me present my current lifestyle at 40, with the occasional comparison to when I was 25.
- Career I took 3 material risks in my career (1. Changed careers to a job with lower base but potentially higher bonus (see above) 2. Dropped out of the workforce for two years to get a top 5 mba 3. Quit Wall Street job for a startup), and all 3 propelled me to where I am today as each had a more material upside than the last. It took me 15 years, but I built a portable skillset where I can work from anywhere and, more importantly, only answer to myself. No HR dept is going to be accusing this guy of bad game...er, sexual harassment
- Women I currently rotate 3 women of various ages (29, 35, 39), all of whom are better looking than any girl I dated in my 20's. My married friends fuck their worn out 42 year old wives with short hair twice a year.
- Health I recently did a full day, head to toe examination at the Cooper Clinic in Dallas. Some highlights - 177 lbs (same weight when I was a high school senior), 108/68 BP, 12.1% body fat, 20/20 vision, 568 testosterone, 89 hdl, 59 triglycerides. All metrics have seen significant improvement over the last ten years.
- Location I live in a major Midwest US city during the late summer and fall, so I can enjoy the lakes and watch my favorite football team play live. I rotate where I spend my winters, thinking Buenos Aires or New Orleans next year.
- Finances Reviewing old statements (yes, I keep everything), when I was 25 I had $1,878 in my checking account and $7,231 in my 401k. With $9k in credit card debt, it doesn't take a math genius to figure out I was dead broke. Now I am well into the 7 figures and can give live off my investment earnings for the rest of my life. That, my friends, is a fuck you fund.
Just remember, the two most valuable resources for men my age are time and freedom.
"Time of your life, huh kid?" - Guido, the killer pimp
Life is a journey, so first let me present some general advice for the 20-somethings on the board -
- Always bet on yourself Put your head down and achieve financial success, while living beneath your means so you can start building your “Fuck You” fund . To achieve financial success, you need to take risk in your profession. No risk, no return. So shoot for a job that has a high year-end bonus, equity in a startup / start your own business, high sales commission, etc. that makes a material difference for your net worth. Put yourself in a position to get huge upsides if everything goes well. For example, at age 24 I left a job which paid a $47k salary and $3k bonus for a job that paid $40k salary with a “$10k or higher” bonus. Most people wouldn't take a salary cut for an undetermined upside but my bonus ended up being $30k and I was on my way. Thought it was all the money in the world.
- Keep fit Nothing fancy needed here, consistency in basic pullups, pushups, and squats will get you pretty far.
- Eat as nature intended I highly recommend a paleo-esque diet, which is nothing more than eating plants and animals in their most natural state.
- Learn masculine skillsets Know how to drive a manual transmission, fire a gun, ride a motorcycle, fish, scuba, and box, to name a few.
Pretty basic stuff, but trust me when I say it leads to a pretty high upside if you are disciplined. So where do you end up? Let me present my current lifestyle at 40, with the occasional comparison to when I was 25.
- Career I took 3 material risks in my career (1. Changed careers to a job with lower base but potentially higher bonus (see above) 2. Dropped out of the workforce for two years to get a top 5 mba 3. Quit Wall Street job for a startup), and all 3 propelled me to where I am today as each had a more material upside than the last. It took me 15 years, but I built a portable skillset where I can work from anywhere and, more importantly, only answer to myself. No HR dept is going to be accusing this guy of bad game...er, sexual harassment
- Women I currently rotate 3 women of various ages (29, 35, 39), all of whom are better looking than any girl I dated in my 20's. My married friends fuck their worn out 42 year old wives with short hair twice a year.
- Health I recently did a full day, head to toe examination at the Cooper Clinic in Dallas. Some highlights - 177 lbs (same weight when I was a high school senior), 108/68 BP, 12.1% body fat, 20/20 vision, 568 testosterone, 89 hdl, 59 triglycerides. All metrics have seen significant improvement over the last ten years.
- Location I live in a major Midwest US city during the late summer and fall, so I can enjoy the lakes and watch my favorite football team play live. I rotate where I spend my winters, thinking Buenos Aires or New Orleans next year.
- Finances Reviewing old statements (yes, I keep everything), when I was 25 I had $1,878 in my checking account and $7,231 in my 401k. With $9k in credit card debt, it doesn't take a math genius to figure out I was dead broke. Now I am well into the 7 figures and can give live off my investment earnings for the rest of my life. That, my friends, is a fuck you fund.
Just remember, the two most valuable resources for men my age are time and freedom.
"Time of your life, huh kid?" - Guido, the killer pimp