1. Live below your means. Save money. Only spend money on occasional experiences (holidays with a SO, etc). Be extreme in minimizing your cost of living. Money

1. Live below your means. Save money. Only spend money on occasional experiences (holidays with a SO, etc). Be extreme in minimizing your cost of living. Money in the bank + low cost of living = freedom. 2. If you want to do your own startup don't work for other companies for long if at all. You're liable to get yourself stuck as an employee indefinitely. Do not wait. 3. Learn the full stack of whatever platforms interest you, so you can build complete products yourself. Do not become reliant on a DBA, marketer, designer, sysadmin, iOS dev, etc. Be competent at everything necessary and expert in as many topics as possible. 4. Find a significant other that won't force you to compromise your ambitions, unless you sincerely want to. Related: avoid pregnancy unless you sincerely want to go down that route. 5. Live with roommates while you're < 30. You'll save money and it forces you to maintain a minimum level of socializing. Find good ones. Put a lock your bedroom door anyway.