There comes a moment when your child might look up and say, with wide-eyed innocence:<\/p>\n
- \n
- \u201cI want to go to the office and type on a laptop all day like Mommy.\u201d<\/li>\n
- \u201cI want to travel abroad for work for two weeks at a time like Daddy.\u201d<\/li>\n
- \u201cI want to have video meetings at home and in the office like you.\u201d<\/li>\n
- \u201cI want to go to work and come home late every night.\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
At first, you may feel a surge of pride. Your hard work is being seen. You\u2019ve become a role model. But almost as quickly, that pride can twist into something else: concern. <\/p>\n
Because if they truly knew what it was like to be you\u2014stressed, exhausted, chasing financial security, and feeling guilty for not doing enough\u2014they might rethink their dreams. And you might, too.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Why I Don\u2019t Want My Kids to Be Like Me<\/h2>\n
After publishing my WSJ bestseller,\u00a0Buy This, Not That<\/a><\/strong><\/em> in 2022, I was drained. Traditional publishing was new for me, and while I was proud to try it, it felt like swinging two bats at the plate \u2013 exhausting but satisfying to let go.<\/p>\n
Then my publisher, Portfolio Penguin, offered me a two-book deal. I hesitated. Did I really want to put myself through the grind again? Part of me said no. But another part\u2014the part that wants to instill a strong work ethic in my children\u2014said yes.<\/p>\n
As a FIRE parent<\/a>, I worry about creating an illusion that life is easy. It\u2019s absolutely not. So I committed to the second book, not just to help readers, but to show my kids what persistence looks like.<\/p>\n
The Second Book, And A Moment Of Dread<\/h2>\n
Three years later,\u00a0Millionaire Milestones: Simple Steps To Seven Figures<\/a><\/em>\u00a0<\/strong>is finished and will hit shelves tomorrow on\u00a0May 6, 2025. My son has seen me write, heard me talk through chapters, and even weighed in on cover designs.<\/p>\n
One day after school, he told me, \u201cI want to be a writer like you, Daddy.\u201d<\/p>\n
My heart swelled. And then sank.<\/p>\n
Because while writing is rewarding, it\u2019s also brutally hard and not financially practical.<\/p>\n
The Arduous Life of a Writer<\/h2>\n
I\u2019ve often wondered how kids end up pursuing some of the least lucrative jobs after 17 years of education. Don\u2019t they realize the world is too cruel to let them major in Art History, English, or Poetry?<\/p>\n
Maybe not. In school, they\u2019re encouraged to be creative, follow their passions, and believe they can achieve anything with hard work. Then they carefully observe everything you do, even if you think they aren\u2019t watching. Be careful.<\/p>\n
Unfortunately, life has bills to pay.<\/p>\n
Unless you\u2019re from an extremely wealthy family<\/a>, spending four years and hundreds of thousands of dollars on college to pursue a career in the arts is impractical.<\/p>\n
If my son majored in English and became a writer like me, he\u2019d face many hungry days. He\u2019d likely never earn enough to buy a home<\/a>, let alone get married and start a family.<\/p>\n
Instead, he could end up living in our garage, wondering where it all went wrong. During my 24 years in San Francisco, I’ve seen plenty of adult sons living at home, unable to provide for themselves.<\/p>\n
My wife and I might not see grandchildren either. By pursuing writing, our family lineage could end, unless we build a genetic dynasty like the one in Isaac Asimov\u2019s\u00a0Foundation<\/em>.<\/p>\n
The Harsh Economics of Writing<\/h2>\n
The average book advance? $5,000\u2013$10,000. Even a top 1% advance of $250,000 is usually split over 3\u20134 payments and 2\u20133 years. That\u2019s maybe $83,000 a year, hardly a golden ticket, especially in a high-cost city.<\/p>\n
And most writers don\u2019t even get a deal. Roughly 95% fail to land one. Don’t become a professional writer<\/a> if you want to live well.<\/p>\n
As one dad said to me in 2022 during a camping play date, when I mentioned writing another book, \u201cI\u2019m sorry. Artificial intelligence is disrupting everything<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n
So when my son says he wants to follow in my footsteps, I feel conflicted. I want him to be creative and fulfilled. But I also want him to eat.<\/p>\n
![\"Highest-paying](\"https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/financialsamurai.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Salary-scaled-1.jpg\")
<\/figure>\nBlogging Isn’t Easy Either<\/h2>\n
\u201cCan\u2019t he just start a blog like you did?\u201d some might ask.<\/p>\n
Sure. But most bloggers make little to nothing for years, even if they publish three times a week. AI-generated content is flooding the internet, making it harder for bloggers to survive<\/a>.<\/p>\n
Yes, he could try YouTube or podcasting. But those, too, are long games filled with uncertainty.<\/p>\n
Don\u2019t build your main career on a platform you don\u2019t own, and don\u2019t expect passion alone to pay the bills. Here are some reflections on making money online since 2009<\/a>.<\/p>\n
Meaningful vs. Lucrative Careers<\/h2>\n
Ideally, your child will find work that\u2019s both meaningful and financially secure. Doctors, nurses, and teachers all contribute to society in incredible ways. But even they face burnout. For teachers, they often aren’t paid enough for what they do.<\/p>\n
On the other end are the high-paying but potentially soul-draining jobs\u2014investment banking, big tech, management consulting, and law\u2014the industries where many elite university graduates land. While the work may not be fulfilling, these roles can accelerate the path to financial independence.<\/p>\n
![\"Demand](\"https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/financialsamurai.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_2888.jpg\")
Even the once-coveted software developer job may be getting disrupted by AI.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n The Freedom To Choose Comes From Financial Stability<\/h2>\n
If you or your child wants to follow a passion, pursue it as a side hustle<\/a>, at least until you\u2019re financially stable. Learn to write clearly to become a better communicator, not necessarily to make it a career.<\/p>\n
Perhaps the most practical path is to focus on making maximum money<\/a> for the first 10-20 years of your post-education life and then shift to something more enjoyable.<\/p>\n
Personally, I\u2019d love for my boy to pursue a career that helps society, even if it doesn\u2019t pay well. But he\u2019ll only\u00a0have<\/em>\u00a0that choice if he builds wealth early<\/a>. Passion without income is a fast track to resentment.<\/p>\n
Before you try to save the world, you\u2019ve got to save yourself.<\/p>\n
Work Ethic Is The One Thing We Can Control<\/h2>\n
You can\u2019t dictate your child\u2019s path, but you can model determination, discipline, and pride in your work. Those are universal skills in any field.<\/p>\n
That\u2019s one reason I pushed through writing\u00a0Millionaire Milestones<\/a><\/strong><\/em>. It\u2019s not just a book, it’s the culmination of decades of financial learning, packaged to help people build great wealth step-by-step. The freedom to choose your life\u2019s later path is priceless.<\/p>\n
But let\u2019s be frank: there\u2019s no way I could have written this book or maintained this site since 2009 without the net worth and passive income to support my family.<\/p>\n
Writing is a labor of love. It brings deep satisfaction. But the freedom to do it regularly came only after reaching a minimum level of financial security.<\/p>\n
Final Thoughts<\/h2>\n
So when your kid says they want to be just like you, take a moment. Smile. Hug them deeply with all your love. Then think hard about what it means and what kind of life you really want them to have.<\/p>\n
Because maybe the greatest gift we can give our children isn\u2019t just inspiration. It\u2019s optionality.<\/p>\n
Millionaire Milestones<\/a><\/strong> launches tomorrow and I’d love for you to pick up a hard copy and build more wealth than you ever thought possible. Maybe I can even show my kids their old man still got it. Thank you for your support!<\/p>\n
![\"Millionaire](\"https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/financialsamurai.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/IMG_2913.jpg\")
<\/a>Click the link to pick up a copy on Amazon<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n Reader Questions<\/h2>\n