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Had I ever became successful, I'd feel compelled to disclose the secrets of my success. Oh well.

Finish school, best present you can give yourself.

Be agile, the world changes and you must also. I've been a system engineer/developer for 25 years. I also do real estate on the side. The average life span of a job/project is about 3.5 years in my industry. I have to reinvent myself often. I keep my expenses low and enough $$ saved it's not even a worry. Pay cash for things, live modestly. I see a bunch of folks in my industry that live big, then chit themselves when things go south because they are living to the max on that $100k + salary. 9-5 won't make you rich, having a side gig helps. Having cash plus property is way better than a new mustang GT that you pay on every month.

learn to handle money, pay yourself first and live within your means.

No problem with crazy spending here. Married and make decent money. I guess this is more about careers than money. Got the money thing fine but need a change on the job side

I recommend you always look towards advancement! Don't fall into the negitive trap co-workers perpetuate! In other words do your thing, always. Stay out of debt as much as possible! If you are a hands on kind of person, get into a trade! At your age I decided I would save 10% minimum of everything I made. Staying in the same house, drove the same pickup for 17 years. The wife drove the same car for 19 years! If you are ever offered to take classes from work, do it, show you employer you care! Look for ways to make money when off work, then save as much of that as you can! Before you know it you'll be able to retire! Plus invest wisely, go to a financial advisor, set a life goal, and adhere to the goal!

I left the place I was.

Most of the above is good, so I need not repeat it. I'll just add this:

Don't be afraid to change careers. I went from being a pilot to a media spokesman to a small business owner and author. A wider choice of occupations is hard to imagine.

But, the game doesn't end when a touchdown is scored. You kickoff and start over. Career transitions are always scary, and often difficult. But the challenge and the learning curve keeps you fully alive.

I have debt from the past we need to finish off, but that's the biggest thing in the way of change. I look around and I see companies just giving the minimum and recycling people every year and not offering benefits or full time and it's discouraging. I want to show up and do my part and pitch in. But the last couple jobs I have had, looking back...that stuff didn't matter much unfortunately

I will add, I created 1/2 dozen small enterprises over the years. Got most of my business following up behind other firms that would never show up to give an estimate or come back to do the work after an estimate.

Good grief how hard is it to do what you say youre going to do or even show up??

Anyway, be creative, invent your own work, invent your own position in a firm or govt offices. Talk to an absolute shjt ton of people along the way in your 20s while youre physically able to bust your ass. I live in a city of 150,00 people and can't go to town without running into 2-3 people or more every time, That might not be that impressive in Jerk Water, Az. I know thousands of people and my wife is the same way in her career. Have a network established you can always 'work'.

Be personable, don't be a recluse, a douchebag, an introvert, get your head outta your ass, don't waste your life or your physical ability to communicate by immersion into video games, your precious smartphone or this forum trying to gain that coveted Oracle status.

Lol yikes, have I made such a bad impression? I am 37, no video games or other bullshyt. Just not figuring things out as fast as I wanted. Kinda down on myself and need to find a job I can love and be at long enough to fund retirement and dig out of debt and succeed

Look for a job that pays well, has some benefits and that you enjoy. A 401 plan is nice! Show up on time, work hard and try to be a valuable asset. Take any additional training that is offered. Live below your means and save a % of your salary. Keep the debt down, pay cash for as much as possible and avoid credit card debt. Credit cards are useful, but pay them off every month. Avoid keeping up with the neighbors. Slowly build an emergency fund that will pay 3 to 6 months of your living expenses. Don'r marry the wrong woman and don't have kids with the wrong woman. Don't be afraid of working extra. Take any voluntary overtime when its offered. Consider a sideline job. Learn how to repair some of the household things that others pay to have repaired. Think "Baby Steps". Getting ahead is a slow progress so be patient.

Kudos to you for even asking and thinking about this and Good Luck!

NEVER STOP LEARNING. You'll figure it out.

Got the show up and save money and do the right thing stuff down already. It's not the easy stuff tripping me up

I started my life's journey by joining the Marine Corps at age 19 after flunking out of college. I married my wife of 43 years while stationed in Spain in 1974 and we had a daughter who was born over there. Needless to say, I had lots of responsibility early on. I had the ambition to become a Marine Corps officer and aviator, so got out of the Corps after four years and went back to college and entered a Marine Corps commissioning program called Platoon Leader's Class (PLC.) Four years later I was in flight school in Pensacola, and added another child to the family. But those four years in college were financially tough. Had another child during that time. Worked odd jobs for a local handyman from church. Painting, roofing, concrete, etc.

I was fortunate enough to make the military a career, which included an inter-service transfer to the Navy (where I was a squadron safety officer and detachment OIC,) and reached retirement after 26 years. After that I worked as an insurance agent for four years, making really good money, but 911 killed my business so I got a job with a privately owned Engineering and Construction company, working as a safety manager in their pipeline construction division. That is when I started making pretty good money, and was able to make up for all those years in the low wage military.

After 15 years in the pipeline business I am about ready to retire debt free with a military pension, social security, and the dividends from my stock portfolio. I reached a significant and ambitious financial goal I have had since my early years in life. I have always aspired to try and be successful like my dad who was a child of the Great Depression. I have been in and out of "Amway" three or four times since I was in college, but built a large library of self help books recommended by millionaire Amway distributors. Reading about successful people and their advice has served me well. I have tried to put Christ first in my life, as did my parents.

The Marine Corps taught me never to give up and my dad (a WWII combat veteran) taught me to "never fall out of a run." My dad came from poverty on the farm but died a multi-millionaire through hard work as an oil company executive in Oklahoma City, managing his own conservative stock portfolio, and living a very conservative lifestyle. He was my mentor and example to follow in life. He always told me I was doing the right thing by staying in the military and that getting a military retirement was like having one million dollars in bonds paying 4%.

Despite having really good financial advice from my dad, like "pay yourself first," I was a poor money manager and deep in credit card and college debt (for my daughter) when I retired from the military. My insurance business was the first time in my life I had made a five figure monthly income and it opened my eyes to the possibilities of the American Free Enterprise System. But I worked 100% on commissions and when 911 hit, my insurance company raised it premiums and I was no longer competitive in the commercial insurance business where I specialized. Soon, servicing credit card debt began to eat me alive. I missed a few payments on my house, and constantly had phone calls from collection agencies. It was the lowest point in my life financially.

Fortunately, God opened a door of opportunity for me through an old friend I had met 25 years earlier when I was a college student. I ended up getting a job with my current company, and the income, coupled with my discovering and adhering to the advice of Dave Ramsey, got us out of debt and beginning to seriously invest by maxing out my company 401K and opening a couple of ROTH IRAs and a joint brokerage account. I was playing "catch up" with my saving and investing, but I had the income to do it. I built and read an extensive library of books on investing and I still invest a large portion of my income, though I have purchased some nice stuff along the way.

Both of my 30 something sons work in the same industry as me, pipeline construction (I got them their first job in the industry and they have excelled in it since.) My daughter is married and a stay-at-home mom, (as was my mom, my wife, and the wives of both of my sons) so I don't have to worry about any of them.

Through perseverance, a $320K inheritance from my step mom (seven siblings shared in her estate equally when she passed) and the blessings of God I have reached a life long goal of becoming "The Millionaire Next Door."

God has blessed us beyond measure.

Matthew 6:33

33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

I knocked up a hs cheerleader back in 87 so I had to figure things out quick

Whatever you do, refuse to be mediocre. And if working for an organization, find/choose one that values that in an associate.

Learn to be a great azz kisser/brown noser. That will get you alot further, alot faster than a good work ethic, exceptional skill and ambition in the work place. Seen it over and over again and there is simply no doubt about it.

Thanks for that. I also follow Dave's advice and taught a class for financial peace university. I was a fiancial planner until it got too slimy for me and I left.
just want honest work for decent pay and it's damn slim around here.

I grew up without schitt and decided not to be that way. I hated a house with no phone, no hot water so fuggin bad that I was a millionaire before I was 40. I had great parents though, just great poor West Virginia parents. I'm not bragging but really wanting something is something to be said.

I was so bound and determined not to recycle my past that I was unstoppable. Set your mind to it and never take no for an answer.

Back in '75 I started driving east from Paducah Kentucky in a '63 Plymouth Valiant. (225 slant 6, push button automatic) I stopped in a pull out on Ky Dam and smoked a joint. Then I continued driving east.

The joint wore off in Lexington.

I been here ever since.