Post: #1

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

Post: #2

Post: #3

I agree with everything, the finance thing is what I struggle with.

Post: #4

(05-04-2014 11:40 AM)John Galt2 Wrote:  If you are at any age, have means, and are fit, you can basically do anything.

Fixed that for you.

(05-04-2014 11:40 AM)John Galt2 Wrote:  - 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.

Do you have kids already?
Or don't you want?
In case you do want family and kids, what's your plan for that?

Post: #5

I thought this is relevant in this context:

http://tinypic.com/view.php?pic=j785y8&s=8

Post: #6

Interesting.

Just wondering, at what age did you retire?

Post: #7

great post. happy bday!

Post: #8

(05-04-2014 01:08 PM)Ice Wrote:  I thought this is relevant in this context:

http://tinypic.com/view.php?pic=j785y8&s=8

Thats great, plus she ain't sucked a dick for probably 20 years and bet she was shit anyways.

Post: #9

I love seeing posts like this.

Post: #10

OP, nice post. A question for you. To reach the freedom you have today, were you able to live a relatively fun life up to age 40, partying/travelling/hitting on girls/pursuing random hobbies, OR did you have to sacrifice all that and basically work your ass off the whole time to get to where you are?

Oh, and Happy Birthday!

Post: #11

This story would be so much better with examples. What investments provide income for you? Apartments, bond portfolio, stocks? Did you work consistently for passive income, or were you just in the right place at the right time, with cash, to buy a couple of properties/stock in 2010-11?

Congrats on making it to 40 without ex-wife, kids, debts, beer belly, etc. I'm 36, without any of these, and I love the freedom. I see dads in the park dancing around for their 4-6yo children, and I still want nothing to do with that lifestyle. A few times a year, I borrow a couple of my nephews and have a great time with them. That's been enough for me.

I've been walking my friend's dog 2x a day all weekend, and I'm already starting to get uncomfortable. Maybe it's different if it's yours...

Post: #12

Awesome story. I would like to know more about your financial side as well(because it is where I struggle the most).

Post: #13

(05-04-2014 02:12 PM)Espresso Wrote:  OP, nice post. A question for you. To reach the freedom you have today, were you able to live a relatively fun life up to age 40, partying/travelling/hitting on girls/pursuing random hobbies, OR did you have to sacrifice all that and basically work your ass off the whole time to get to where you are?

Oh, and Happy Birthday!

Thats another great question. I would rather party hard in my 20s then party hard in my 40s. Actually I wish I was living the life I am living now when I was 16..the earlier you start, the better. Working all my 20s and 30s to live life after 40 is not a smart decision for me.

Post: #14

Appreciate the kind words, its been a fun bday weekend. Some responses -

Quote:Do you have kids already?
Or don't you want?
In case you do want family and kids, what's your plan for that?

That's the million dollar question. Life is all about tradeoffs, and kids are definitely something I think about. Once I can find myself a strong, independent woman, I should be good to go. lolz

Quote:Just wondering, at what age did you retire?

Never liked the word "retire", but the age I decided to work for myself was 38.

Quote:To reach the freedom you have today, were you able to live a relatively fun life up to age 40, partying/travelling/hitting on girls/pursuing random hobbies, OR did you have to sacrifice all that and basically work your ass off the whole time to get to where you are?

Yes, a lot of sacrifice but I always had fun along the way (during b school, breaks between jobs, etc). The sacrifice included living in a God forsaken city for two years (think Omaha), working 70 hour weeks for about 10 years, and letting my health go (basically got fat), because I was lazy. However, I was always working towards the goal of financial independence / working for myself.

Quote:This story would be so much better with examples. What investments provide income for you? Apartments, bond portfolio, stocks? Did you work consistently for passive income, or were you just in the right place at the right time, with cash, to buy a couple of properties/stock in 2010-11?

Not sure I follow your question. If you are asking how I got to where I am financially, the answer are those 3 items under "Career" (changed careers to something more lucrative, obtained an advanced degree that doubled my pay, and got material equity in a successful startup). If you are asking about my current investments, my asset allocation is about 10% cash, 30% public equities, 15% bonds, 15% private equity, 30% real estate.

Quote:Thats another great question. I would rather party hard in my 20s then party hard in my 40s. Actually I wish I was living the life I am living now when I was 16..the earlier you start, the better. Working all my 20s and 30s to live life after 40 is not a smart decision for me.

Playing catch up is generally not a viable strategy.



In general, my main theme is that just about everything (not just money) gets better at 40 if you take care of yourself.

Post: #15

If you're broke and in your 20s then it makes more sense to grind it out and work hard until your late 30s

For those of us who aren't then enjoying your 20s makes more sense.

You never know what tomm holds.

Post: #16

(05-04-2014 03:12 PM)Mentavious Wrote:  If you're broke and in your 20s then it makes more sense to grind it out and work hard until your late 30s

For those of us who aren't then enjoying your 20s makes more sense.

You never know what tomm holds.

Totally agree, I was broke up til I was around 30 when I worked fulltime, started my own business and started over paying my mortgage, by 40 I have no mortgage, money in the bank and still earning good fold.

Post: #17

I think the primary lesson here is that he worked hard as an employee for over a decade, and made some reasonably low risk gambles, occasionally, when the opportunity presented itself.

He didn't decide to take an english major and move to Bangkok at 22 to pursue an online business with teaching English as a backup.

Nor did he do engineering school and then quit his full time job after two years to develop web apps and write a blog because the corporate world was just too emasculating to handle.

Post: #18

Great post! As a 22 year old, it's tales like these that inspire me to keep doing my own thing.

New Orleans is an amazing city, PM me if you have any questions!

Post: #19

Great post. I just turned 31. I'm just now paying attention to eating, drinking less (not having weekend long binges), and working out consistently (it's addicting).

This is interesting..."Know how to drive a manual transmission, fire a gun, ride a motorcycle, fish, scuba, and box, to name a few."

I have always thought I needed to learn to drive a manual and ride a motorcycle, maybe that's this year...I really wanna get a bike. My big struggle is my career and finances. I hate my job but can't figure out what to do...that's hands-down the most beta thing about me, and reflective of deep insecurities and I know it.

Post: #20

image embedded from post above:

Post: #21

^ I think we need to realize that Tom Cruise is a fit dude who takes care of himself. I have no doubt he might be on HGH or some next level stuff. I don't know too many dudes famous or non-famous who look as well he does at his age.

The girl looks like she did too many casting couches. Lol

Post: #22

John Galt:

I admire you and respect your achievements. However, do you think you passed up the opportunity to find a young virgin and have a family? At 40, the youngest girl you'll get is around 25 most likely. By this stage most women are completely washed up. I don't blame you at all for avoiding children.

It seems to me that the best age to find a good wife is while you are still broke and in your twenties. Too bad the marriage laws are so stacked against men in developed world.

Post: #23

(05-05-2014 11:29 AM)rudebwoy Wrote:  ^ I think we need to realize that Tom Cruise is a fit dude who takes care of himself. I have no doubt he might be on HGH or some next level stuff. I don't know too many dudes famous or non-famous who look as well he does at his age.

The girl looks like she did too many casting couches. Lol

This is what Tom Cruise really looks like, a perfectly normal 51 year old.



Happy Birthday OP

Post: #24

(05-05-2014 12:04 PM)Samseau Wrote:  John Galt:

I admire you and respect your achievements. However, do you think you passed up the opportunity to find a young virgin and have a family? At 40, the youngest girl you'll get is around 25 most likely. By this stage most women are completely washed up. I don't blame you at all for avoiding children.

It seems to me that the best age to find a good wife is while you are still broke and in your twenties. Too bad the marriage laws are so stacked against men in developed world.

Interesting you bring this up. My spent 3 years with my first longterm gf in college. She was a virgin when I met her and she wanted to get married up the day after graduation. For reasons I can only describe as "I feel trapped and dont want to repeat my parents lives", we broke up and she married the next guy she dated. So yes, I did pass on that opportunity and I am unlikely to find it again, especially considering that was almost 20 years ago and our culture has rapidly disintegrated since. I think if our culture was more "traditional" in the gender dynamic sense, then marrying her was probably the better bet. But now, with society filled with "grrrl power" and "strong independent women", I think I made the right call. My alternate reality would have been the following - sure, I would have married a pretty virgin, but she is also 38 now and would have easily been swept up into the societal cultural changes and possibly adapt an attitude of "i'm not haaaaapppy" type of thing. Plus, when I was broke I wouldnt have got a prenup and she could burn me at any point. But you know what the biggest risk would have been? No way I would have made those risky career bets if we were married. I am sure she would have convinced me to stay put using the following reasons - I have a good current job, she would have to move and find a new job, "lose" all our local friends, blah blah. Talk about a 180 life change vs me now.

Going forward, I will probably remain on this path because I am responding to incentives. Women (feminism) made the cost of marriage very high (no fault divorce, custody arrangements, etc) and men are rational actors . At some point if the cost is too high, we stop buying. And I've reached that point.

Post: #25

Stories like these are pure speculation. Some people got lucky and built a nice life by the age they are 40 and some worked hard all their lives,saving and got wiped out by 40 anyway. Most people who start a business fail withing one year losing all invested money! Basically there are no guaranties in life and absolutely no sure way to achieve financial goals.
I am glad I partied well into my thirties..always had my own place,traveled a lot,worked less than 40 hours a week and got into huge debt. I turned 40 myself not long ago - and I feel great. I am glad I didn't miss out on life! I often think back about all parties in college and traveling and all the girls I hooked up - while others worked full time and barely had time to sleep! At 40 I don't have the energy or patience to chase 20 y.o anymore...and sure as hell I am not interested in 30+ women. I enjoy sex less now compare to my 20's. Now is a good time to start making money. At least now I have life experience and less distractions