A few months ago, I had a consultation with Pratik, a 34 year old software engineer working in Bangalore. His salary was decent, his job stable, and on paper, things looked fine. But the moment he sat in front of me, I could sense something wasn’t adding up.
He had been working for over a decade. Yet, there was no serious investment plan in place. Just a few fixed deposits that his parents made him open, and some traditional insurance policies nothing that would help him build real wealth.
I asked him directly, When you got your first job, what stopped you from investing even ₹1,000 a month?
That answer is more common than people realise.
Just a week before, I had spoken with another client Ananya, 29 years old. She started investing at the age of 22. Her income wasn’t massive, but she had developed the habit of saving and investing consistently through SIPs (Systematic Investment Plans), a small gold portfolio, and some direct equity exposure.
By the time she met me, her portfolio had already crossed ₹18 lakhs and she had no major financial stress. No personal loan, no credit card debt, and her term and health insurance were in place.
Two individuals, similar age group, both earning reasonably well but dramatically different outcomes. The only difference was when they started and how consistently they followed a plan.
I showed Pratik an anonymised version of Ananya’s plan.
This is the problem.
Most people think investment is something you start after you earn enough, after marriage, after buying a car, or after settling down. But here’s the reality: wealth is not built by timing the market or chasing high returns. It’s built by giving your money more time to grow.
Starting early gives your investments the biggest advantage compounding. The longer your money stays invested, the more it multiplies. Even if the amount is small, time turns it into something significant.
Back to Pratik once he saw the numbers clearly, we immediately worked on a proper plan. We started SIPs based on his current cash flow, reviewed and trimmed his unnecessary policies, and restructured his financial goals over the next 10 years.
But what really struck me was what he said next:
That one realisation can change the future of an entire family.
See, the financial system doesn’t reward how hard you work. It rewards how early and consistently you invest. Whether you're earning ₹25,000 or ₹2,50,000 per month the habit of starting early makes the real difference.
And it’s never too late. Even if you’re in your 30s or 40s, the key is to start now and stay disciplined.
If you’re reading this and you haven’t started investing yet or you’re unsure if your current investments are actually working for you I invite you to take one simple step today.
Have you already started investing? What held you back, or what motivated you to begin? Leave a comment below and let’s start the conversation.
No sales pitch. No pressure. Just honest advice from someone who’s been helping people make better money decisions for over 20 years.
Because the best day to invest was yesterday. The second-best day? Today. Don’t wait for perfect timing start now.
Beautifully explained! I’ve read a lot about the importance of early investing, but this article made it so simple and relatable. Really appreciate how you break it down for beginners!
ReplyDeleteI wish I had read something like this 10 years ago. I kept delaying investments thinking I’d start next year, and now I’m in my late 30s trying to play catch-up. The regret is real time really is the most powerful factor. A hard lesson learned
ReplyDeleteGreat read! I’ve always heard start early, but never really knew why until now. Quick question... what would be your suggestion for someone in their late 30s who’s just starting? Still time to catch up?
ReplyDeleteThanks so much! I’m really glad the article helped. And yes, even if you're starting in your late 30s, it's still a great time to begin. You just need to be a bit more focused now. Start saving and investing regularly, avoid taking on too much debt, and choose investments that match your goals. It’s never too late even small steps now can make a big difference later. Let me know if you need help getting started!
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