I should also add that applying such advice is difficult, but just beginning the process sets you apart from the vast majority. You have to make an attempt to u

I should also add that applying such advice is difficult, but just beginning the process sets you apart from the vast majority. You have to make an attempt to understand the shades and nuances, and that requires talking to those with experience and/or reading some really good books over and over until you've soaked it all in. The key is to seek versatility in core areas. If you want to be a programmer (or a musician, or anything else), by all means go for it. BUT you still have to figure out what successfully managing your finances and relationships, etc. entails - just don't be guided by loose advice from family and friends or even "experts". Do your own homework, set your goals, even as you pursue your passion. The sooner you understand the pitfalls of debt, risk management, and perhaps even the notion of passive income, the sooner in your life you will be able to make more time to pursue your passion, your pleasures and the relationships that form the far bigger part of a meaningful life. In my case I began my move to get things in order in my mid-thirties. Most of my productive years prior to that were spent pursuing my passion then, golf (and nope, I was never PGA material even in my dreams, so be careful of your passions as well) ... but luckily I caught myself in time. :)