If I only bought Bitcoin 10 years ago…
What if I had bought Tesla or Amazon stock a decade ago?
How much money would I have today if I had saved just $100 from every paycheck and increased it by $100 each year?
We’ve all played this game of “what if.”
It’s easy to imagine a better financial future if we had only made different choices in the past. But while these thoughts might feel interesting—or even painful—they don’t change reality. The past can’t be rewritten. What matters is the present moment and the actions you take moving forward.
Think about it this way: maybe you asked yourself these same questions a year ago. But since then, you haven’t started saving, investing, or doing anything meaningful to improve your financial well-being. As the saying goes, talk is cheap. Action is what separates wishful thinking from real progress. Without action, words dissolve into nothing more than background noise.
Reflecting on the past can be useful if it leads to clarity—not regret. Instead of beating yourself up for what you didn’t do, why not draw a line in the sand and start today?
- If you’re upset that you didn’t invest earlier—start investing now.
- If you regret not saving more in your 20s—open a savings or investment account today.
- If you missed opportunities in the market—don’t miss the next ones.
Yes, time is powerful when it comes to building wealth. The earlier you start, the more compound growth works in your favor. But the second-best time to start is now. Five or ten years from today will arrive faster than you think—and you’ll either be glad you took action or regret that you didn’t.
Don’t let “what if” shape your story. Let “I am” and “I did” define your future.