I’m on Track to Hit $1M Net Worth by 32. Here’s How I Plan to Do It
The mindset, strategy, and portfolio I’m using to increase my net worth in two years.
A few years ago, I was staring at student loan statements and wondering how people actually built wealth. I didn’t grow up around investors. No one handed me a blueprint. I figured it out in real time by making mistakes, learning from them, and stacking small wins.
Today, I’m debt-free (outside my mortgage), I own a home, I earn more than $3,000 per month in dividends, and my net worth has crossed the $700,000 mark.
But I’m not interested in coasting.
My new goal is simple. Reach a $1,000,000 net worth by age 32.
Here’s exactly how I plan to do it.
Let’s begin with a quick snapshot of where I stand right now.
My current net worth is around $700,000. That includes approximately $550,000 in investment accounts, $100,000 in home equity, and the rest held in cash. My personal income is over $100,000 annually through my business and side income. This includes my articles and analysis on Seeking Alpha, my consulting sessions, and other business ventures I’ve launched. I’m completely debt-free aside from my mortgage, and I collect over $3,000 per month in dividend income from a mix of ETFs, REITs, BDCs and closed-end funds.
None of this came from luck or inheritance. It came from growing my income, staying disciplined, and buying assets that pay me consistently. Unfortunately, there are no secrets or shortcuts here. You need strong discipline and foundations to help build your income and wealth in the beginning.
Avoid debt, take on extra work, and delay gratification.
If you are interested in the beginning portion of the journey, I’d recommend you check out the article below.
Actionable Steps To Instantly Improve Your Financial Situation
Getting your financial foundation in order can be a scary process. Almost all of my focus on this Substack is related to investing continue and growing your passive income. However, you must learn to walk before you can run. If your financial foundation isn’t strong, you may never find yourself in a place that feels…
Now, I’m focused on scaling, optimizing, and staying relentless.
🔑 The 5-Part Plan to Reach $1M by 32
1. Multiply Income Without Trading More Time
The most important piece of this plan is growing my income, but not through working longer hours or burning myself out. I’ve built a writing business that scales through leverage. That includes newsletters, digital products, and content that earns passively while continuing to provide value.
Over the next 24 months, I plan to double down on those leveraged activities. If I can boost my monthly income by even 20 to 30 percent while keeping expenses stable, I’ll have significantly more fuel to invest into income-generating assets.
2. Reinvest Every Dollar of Dividend Income
At the moment, I’m earning about $3,000 every month in dividends. That’s over $36,000 annually in passive income. None of it gets spent. Every single dollar is reinvested.
This approach creates a flywheel effect. Income builds capital. Capital builds more income. The snowball gets faster and heavier with each cycle. I use both DRIPs and manual reinvestment into higher-yield or underpriced assets. Even without contributing more capital, this reinvested income could add another $70,000 to $80,000 to my net worth in the next two years.
Think about the concept of reinvested dividends for a moment. This is $36,000 that I didn’t have to work for. This income buys me more assets that produces income. Rinse and repeat over several years and you can exponentially compound your dividend income without much effort. I report my monthly income here month after month.
April 2025 Dividend Report
The market started to see a rebound over the course of April as Trump dialed back the aggressiveness on some of the tariff policies that were going to be implemented. Whatever ends up happening, I continue to collect my dividends month after month, which I can then allocate towards discounted stocks. This month, I initiated a position in ASML Holdings (AMSL) and I plan to accumulate $10,000 of that position over the next quarter. I
3. Avoid Lifestyle Creep at All Costs
This one is crucial. I may earn over $100,000 a year, but I don’t inflate my lifestyle to match. No luxury car. No unnecessary upgrades. I still live simply and intentionally.
The discipline to say no is what allows me to reinvest so aggressively. Most people sabotage their financial growth because they want to look successful. I’d rather be free than look rich. That mindset is a competitive advantage.
4. Invest for Income, Not Just Growth
I’m not chasing moonshots or hype stocks. My strategy is focused on income-producing investments that deliver consistent cash flow. This is a new age: there are no dividend funds that pay you on a WEEKLY basis.
WEEKLY Paying Dividend Stocks: How To Collect Income EVERY WEEK
💵 Get Paid Every Week: A Deep Dive Into Weekly Dividend ETFs
That means dividend-focused ETFs, covered call funds, REITs, and select options-based strategies. These vehicles provide monthly and even weekly income that I can reinvest or use to cover real expenses. I still monitor NAV resilience and manage risk, but my main goal is clear. Own assets that send me money.
This approach allows me to reinvest regularly, rebalance when needed, and move closer to full financial independence with each payout.
5. Track Monthly, Reassess Quarterly, Stay Ruthless
I treat my financial life like a business. Every month I track net worth, income streams, asset growth, and dividend payouts. Every quarter I reassess the performance of my holdings and make adjustments.
If something’s underperforming or dragging on returns, I’m not afraid to make a change. Sentimentality has no place here. Every position in my portfolio has to earn its keep.
Staying on top of these numbers keeps me sharp, focused, and accountable.
I personally use Empower to track my progress and portfolio allocation. You can use Empower FOR FREE!
📊 Tool: Track Your Progress
Want to keep track of what you're earning, how much your portfolio yields, and where to reinvest?
📥 Dividend Tracker Template – $5
Simple, powerful Google Sheet to track your holdings, income, yield-on-cost, reinvestment, and more.
📘 Full System: Go From $0 to $500/Month in Income
If you’re ready to build a scalable dividend income portfolio from scratch, with real structure, strategy, and support. You can start here:
🚀 The Dividend Income Blueprint – $25
My complete guide that shows how I built over $3,000/month in passive income using a three-layer dividend system, reinvestment strategy, and sustainable yield portfolio design.
It includes:
The strategy I use
Portfolio structure breakdown
Real examples + reinvestment tactics
Income planning + risk controls
Bonus: Checklist, glossary, & asset filters
🧠Starter Kit
Want to get a well-rounded idea of where to start your investing journey? I have you covered here as well!
⚠️ What Could Go Wrong
There are no guarantees. A major market correction could lower my portfolio value. Business income could drop. A dividend cut or macro disruption could shake things up. Life happens.
But that’s exactly why I’ve built margin into the plan. I stay diversified. I keep cash on hand. I don’t overleverage. And most importantly, I keep going no matter what.
🧠 Why This Goal Actually Matters
I’m not doing this for some arbitrary number.
I’m doing this to buy freedom. I want control over my time, my location, my work, and my decisions. I don’t want to wake up one day at 50 wondering what happened to my life while I was chasing promotions and pretending I liked meetings.
Money doesn’t solve everything, but it does remove stress. It creates space. It gives you options. And I want all of those.
📈 What Comes Next
I’ll be documenting this journey publicly over the next two years.
That includes sharing my portfolio shifts, income updates, wins, mistakes, and lessons along the way. If you’re on a similar path, I hope you’ll stick around. If you’re further ahead, I’m always open to learn.
This is the part nobody talks about. The climb. The tension between comfort and hunger. But this is where the growth happens.
And I’m all in.
Had no idea you were a writer on SA! Sure I’ve come across you at some point when I had a sub! Keep it up!
Love this! I’m Harrison, an ex fine dining line cook. My stack "The Secret Ingredient" adapts hit restaurant recipes (mostly NYC and L.A.) for easy home cooking.
check us out:
https://thesecretingredient.substack.com