Betting on yourself is ALSO a gamble. Not because of any trait of any particular person, but because things fail sometimes. IMO, the best approach is to spread

Betting on yourself is ALSO a gamble. Not because of any trait of any particular person, but because things fail sometimes. IMO, the best approach is to spread your bets. Obviously getting rid of debt is the easiest first step, and 401k plans are less-than-ideal because of the restricted investment options, but you can minimize the gambler's influence by choosing index funds (if you have the option). The stock market itself is a gamble, of course, but so is just about everything else, so minimizing your exposure to any one risk is the best you can do. I've been in dividend stocks for years and making $500/month or so with minimal exposure.