What is your degree in, what do you do for a living. And do you save 10% of what you earn? Life is full of choices.

I started out as a religious studies major (it was fascinating). Then I got married had a child and switched to accounting (boring but profitable). Working my tail off, I kept having employers offer me incredible opportunities, though often I had to move to another state for that opportunity (the employers paid for the move).

Would I have made the same money as a religious studies major as I made as a CPA, no. We make choices, those choices come with consequences. Rich people choose to become rich by choosing options that give them the chance to become rich.

My wife is an immigrant with a college degree, who was a stay-at-home mom until she was over 50 and the last of five children hit middle school. She started her own property services company and today that business earns a substantial income. She is not very technical, but she is incredibly organized, hardworking, and responsible. Property owners come to her through word of mouth to manage their properties. Rich people have asked her to manage their personal residences. So, why do you think she earns so much money... luck?

I do think children get lousy guidence in school. All my children are on pace to earn hundreds of thousands a year in salary, except one. The latter chose a different path and now she works as hard as her siblings (maybe harder) but earns about 25% or less of what they earn or will earn when they are done with school.

So, was she "unlucky" or did she make choices (that we counseled against) that led her to where she is. I love her and I saw the bad decisions she was making, but sometimes you can't stop the trainwreck and can only help to pick up the pieces.

I did manage to redirect her career to something where she earns enough for her and her daughter that did not require a college degree just 4 weeks of technical training and then passing a licensing test. I have encouraged her to pursue an upgrade in her skills that will increase her earning potential by 40%, but for now she is too busy.

So, what choices did you make, the precluded from making a lot a more money? Life is about more than making money, but making a lot of money is not hard if you that is important to you.