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Building the Foundation: A 20 Plus Year-Old’s Guide To Crafting A Life That Has Financial Stability

BY Steve Biko Wafula · October 10, 2024 08:10 am

KEY POINTS

Creating wealth goes beyond having money; it is the discipline of making it work for you. In each investment lies a promise, a commitment to a future self who will look back and thank the present for its foresight. Remember, “The ant does not rely on the elephant’s strength but on its diligence.” With each asset acquired, you are paving the way to a life not shackled by financial worry but lifted by freedom.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Essentials define themselves not by extravagance but by purpose. Choose clothes that allow you to step confidently into both the office and social settings, as a suit of honor marks the warrior. Quality shoes, comfortable and durable, become your companions, and these investments in the basics are neither indulgence nor excess—they’re preparation.

In the rush of youth, dreams blaze bright, and ambition swells with every step forward. Yet, like the river that deepens only with patient erosion of the stones it encounters, so too must the young tread carefully, building not only with dreams but with wisdom. For a newly employed 20-year-old Plus, the pathway to a stable and meaningful life begins with the essentials—those basics that lay the groundwork for everything that follows.

A strong foundation starts at home. It’s not just a roof over your head but an anchor, a place to call your own. The value of having your own space transcends the walls around you; it offers a refuge, a personal realm for self-discovery. As the old African proverb says, “A man without a place is like a bird without a nest.” This space is not just shelter; it’s the groundwork for all that you will achieve. Furnish it with simplicity yet intent—basic furniture, kitchenware, and a few good-quality electronics that serve not only entertainment but empowerment.

Essentials define themselves not by extravagance but by purpose. Choose clothes that allow you to step confidently into both the office and social settings, as a suit of honor marks the warrior. Quality shoes, comfortable and durable, become your companions, and these investments in the basics are neither indulgence nor excess—they’re preparation. With each step, remember: the outer layers you wear are silent messengers of who you are becoming.

Read Also: Why Invest With The Jubilee Money Market Fund (USD)?

Once the basics are solidified, the next stage demands that you fill your mind as well as your space. The power of additional knowledge and skills is unmatched. To evolve is to expand, to stretch beyond the present, and to explore what lies beyond. “He who learns knows the path of light.” In every skill you acquire, in every piece of knowledge you absorb, you are multiplying your capacity to earn and grow. As the world changes, your skills are the wings that will carry you through storms.

Your journey does not end with personal growth. There is honor in looking back, in lifting others as you rise. Improve the lives of those who came before you—your parents. Enroll them in medical coverage, knowing that as the years advance, health needs will become a constant companion. A family’s strength lies not in wealth but in health. As the elders say, “A tree with deep roots withstands the fiercest wind.” Securing their health is a blessing that returns to you in unseen ways.

Then, extend your hand to your siblings, helping them navigate school or college. The world is brighter for those who can read its language, and in aiding their education, you are not just investing in them; you are strengthening the very fabric of your family. “One hand washes the other,” says the proverb, and so it is in the family: each hand that reaches out finds support in return.

Read Also: Why You Need To Learn About Money Management 

But while your familial bonds root you, your social connections uplift you. Friends and acquaintances are more than people; they are alliances, connections woven through shared experiences. Building a circle of friends who can stand by you, provide counsel, and lend a hand in times of need is as important as any skill you’ll ever acquire. “If you want to go fast, go alone; if you want to go far, go together.” Social capital, nurtured over time, becomes an unshakable asset.

And then, there is the matter of wealth—true wealth, which lies not in fleeting pleasures but in assets that grow quietly as you sleep. Building financial capital requires patience and a keen eye, yet it is a journey worth every step. Invest not in things but in assets, in streams that will feed you when the well runs dry. Land, stocks, savings, and prudent investments make up the basket that you weave for tomorrow. As it is said, “The wise man plants trees under whose shade he will never sit.”

Creating wealth goes beyond having money; it is the discipline of making it work for you. In each investment lies a promise, a commitment to a future self who will look back and thank the present for its foresight. Remember, “The ant does not rely on the elephant’s strength but on its diligence.” With each asset acquired, you are paving the way to a life not shackled by financial worry but lifted by freedom.

The journey is not without its sacrifices. The nights out, the latest trends, the temporary splendors—these are fleeting. Your purpose must always shine brighter than the allure of immediate gratification. “The monkey who wants to be king spends not his days in idle chatter.” Stay focused, for the path of purpose demands a steady, unwavering eye on the goal.

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The steps may be clear, yet they are not always easy. There will be times when your resolve falters when the way forward appears clouded. In these moments, turn back to your foundation, to the essentials that anchor you. Recall the words of the wise, “The tortoise, though slow, arrives before the hare distracted by trifles.” Trust the process, for each careful decision builds a future more resilient than one hastily assembled.

In the end, your wealth will not only be measured by assets or possessions but by the peace of mind, knowing you are prepared, that those you love are cared for, and that your life is a balanced interplay of independence and interdependence. You will have created something more than success; you will have built a legacy.

What you achieve in your twenties shapes every decade that follows. Walk with humility, for no path is entirely yours to carve alone. Draw strength from the traditions that guide us, wisdom from those who have walked before, and vision for the future you wish to create. And remember: even as you build a life of strength and substance, it is the simple joys, the unbreakable bonds, and the dreams that light your path that truly make life worth living.

With these principles as your guide, go forth, build, grow, and remember that the roots you plant today will hold you steady through every storm that life brings.

Read Also: How To Easily Let Your Money Work As You Sit At Home

Steve Biko is the CEO OF Soko Directory and the founder of Hidalgo Group of Companies. Steve is currently developing his career in law, finance, entrepreneurship and digital consultancy; and has been implementing consultancy assignments for client organizations comprising of trainings besides capacity building in entrepreneurial matters. He can be reached on: +254 20 510 1124 or Email: info@sokodirectory.com

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