An Entrepreneur's Christmas Soliloquy: If You Want to Attain Wealth, the Most Important Thing Is Unity of Knowledge and Action
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An Entrepreneur's Christmas Soliloquy: If You Want to Attain Wealth, the Most Important Thing Is Unity of Knowledge and Action
Cultivate a good habit.
Navigating Web3 tides with focused insightsAuthor: The Black Swan
Translation: TechFlow
You might find it strange to be working during the holidays, but I say—why not? Writing is something I truly enjoy.
At six in the morning, when most people are still asleep in their holiday dreams, typing away at my keyboard brings me a rare sense of peace.
Since becoming an entrepreneur, the concept of time has blurred. Days begin to blend together; Sunday feels no different from Tuesday, and holidays gradually lose their special meaning.
Many people long to escape the 9-to-5 grind in pursuit of freedom, but reality isn't as simple as they imagine...
A long time ago, I realized I would never live what's considered a "normal life," so I stopped trying to fit into that mold altogether.
To be honest, working for yourself is both simple and complicated.
In a way, once you free yourself from corporate bureaucracy—the pointless meetings, the red tape—making money can become incredibly straightforward.
In fact, if you're smart and driven enough, you could earn more in just a few years than you'd make in decades under the traditional 9-to-5 system. Sounds tempting, doesn't it?
But here's the catch: being your own boss brings far more challenges than being an employee. Running your own business means you have to solve every single problem yourself. When things go wrong, there's no one to bail you out. You’re responsible for payroll, loan applications, and balancing investor expectations.
It’s a harsh reality that makes you realize how luxurious the so-called "worry-free" employee life really was. Employees have clear job paths and guidance from superiors; entrepreneurs, on the other hand, must constantly make tough choices between two bad options, with no clear right or wrong answers. The pressure can be suffocating, and you might only realize you've made a fatal mistake when it's too late.
Then there's the mental strain. You're always "on call," but this is nothing like finance professionals complaining about staying up late to build PowerPoint decks. This pressure never stops—it doesn’t end when you "clock out" because there is no such thing as clocking out.
Redefining the Meaning of Time
When you become an entrepreneur, your perception of time shifts strangely. Days blur into one another; Sunday feels no different from Tuesday, and holidays slowly lose all significance. Many dream of escaping the 9-to-5 routine, believing it will bring them more freedom—but they often overlook the new constraints hiding behind that freedom. If you're not careful, work can seep into every corner of your life, leaving little room for anything else.
This might sound controversial: despite all its challenges, I firmly believe building your own business is far more fulfilling than any 9-to-5 job. You start to wonder why anyone would choose a stable job over the growth and autonomy entrepreneurship offers.
The truth is, most people have never truly faced real hardship before diving into entrepreneurship. A 9-to-5 job isn’t actually hard—it’s just a series of tasks you follow step by step.
The real challenge lies in making critical decisions every single day—choices that determine whether your business thrives or stalls. If you ask fellow founders what their biggest regret is, many will tell you they wish they had started much earlier.
Entrepreneurship may seem chaotic and complex, but it’s also the only path to genuine freedom—if you can withstand the pressure.
How to Turn Goals Into Reality?
Recently, I had a chat with a friend. He’s in his mid-thirties, has a solid job, and excitedly shared his goal: buying a house in the wealthiest neighborhood of our town before turning 45.
I was momentarily puzzled—was this goal unrealistic, or just wishful thinking? Still, I kept listening and asked how he planned to achieve it. His answer was vague and generic: "I don’t know. I just know I’ll get rich."
This kind of mindset is exactly what you need to avoid. Each year, you must take concrete steps toward your goals. Your dreams and actions must align. So many people say they want wealth while staying stuck in careers that won’t lead them there. Years later, they reflect on where they went wrong.
Often, that reflection comes when they finally realize they never calculated how much money it would actually take to reach their dream. I remember starting early—I closely tracked my FIRE number (financial independence, retire early), spending habits, and expenses.
Interestingly, I never liked meticulously logging every single expense in daily life. Once you reach a certain level of wealth, that kind of tracking becomes unnecessary. You don’t want to become someone who cuts back on life experiences out of fear of future losses. That mindset breeds anxiety and clouds judgment, preventing sound decision-making. Instead of obsessing over details, focus on the bigger picture and long-term direction.
Too many people wait until a certain age—say, 35—to reevaluate their lives. That’s a mistake. By then, you may have already wasted too much precious time without meaningful progress. If, like my friend, you dream of owning a home in an upscale neighborhood, you must ensure your actions support that goal. If your aim is to earn $100K annually and you're on track, great! You're progressing and feeling satisfied. But if your goal is living in a mansion by 40, it’s time for some serious changes.
This might sound blunt, but it’s the truth.
If you want to change your life trajectory, start by controlling your cost of living. Especially when you're young—people under 30 really don’t need to live in luxury apartments. Honestly, nobody cares where you live at that age.
Living in a small shared apartment won’t significantly lower your quality of life, but it will save you a huge chunk of rent. One important reminder: never skimp on life experiences! Whether traveling with friends or grabbing drinks at a bar, don’t obsess over price tags—enjoy these precious moments fully.
Build a strong habit: invest at least 25% of your after-tax income regularly—into S&P 500 index funds, stocks, crypto, or real estate. Use your annual bonus for a major asset investment: backing a private company, launching your own venture, or buying property. If finances allow, make multiple investments each year—but do at least one significant one annually.
Also, redirect time currently wasted on binge-watching shows or mindless entertainment toward starting a business. Stick with this for ten years, and you could own shares in index funds or Bitcoin, hold valuable alternative assets, or even run a successful company—all while maintaining a normal lifestyle. Sure, you might not party every weekend, but you’ll discover a level of fulfillment far beyond most people’s.
Following this strategy, financial hardship becomes almost impossible. It allows you to enjoy life through discretionary spending while systematically building equity in assets each year. Unlike the traditional retirement model based on "working hard first," this approach automates investing, focuses on asset accumulation, and still lets you savor life along the way.
Of course, if you choose to start a business, prepare to work even harder. Yet, many people never take that final leap. Above all, ensure your actions match your goals. If you claim to want wealth but find yourself nowhere near it—be honest!
You need to recalibrate and realign your actions with your ambitions. My method might not suit everyone, but I believe it’s one of the best strategies for building wealth while still enjoying life.
That’s all for today.
See you in the order book, friends!
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