October 7, 2026

Late Bloomer at 42: Why I Feel 20 Years Behind

Do you think anybody actually reads these things? Anyway, today’s a bit of a rant.

This is a central theme running through all of my blog posts, and it’s really just life. I’m 42, going on 43 next year, and I’m still trying to figure things out. I feel like I’ve wasted so much time. Honestly, I have wasted a lot of it. I’m only now figuring out the financial stuff people in their 20s already have handled, so I’m about 20 years behind. But that’s par for the course. I’m a late bloomer in almost everything I do.

The Whining Part: Life Isn’t Fair

Now here comes the whining part of the blog: life isn’t fair. I know I’m preaching to the choir. Everyone goes through their own existential crisis at some point, and we all know life is tilted in favor of the rich, at least here in the US. But I never imagined I’d end up in the situation I’m in now.

The Degree Promise vs. Reality

For context, if you’ve read my previous posts, you know I graduated with my bachelor’s degree in cybersecurity. I always thought that if I went to school and did the right thing, I’d get a career and start making good money. Apparently it doesn’t work that way. The job market is extremely competitive.

I’d almost argue it’s better to start young at somewhere like Taco Bell and work your way up to general manager. Think about it: you spend 4 to 5 years of your life and $50,000 to $60,000 on a degree, believing you’re guaranteed a high-paying job when you get out. But a degree alone isn’t enough. You need all these accolades alongside it: extracurriculars, an outstanding GPA, projects, and so on. If you don’t have those, you end up at the bottom of the list.

The bigger problem is that jobs are scarce. Everyone is competing for the same openings with the same degree, and they have more accolades than you, so you barely have a chance. If I’d known that, I would have stayed in the culinary field and worked my way up to head chef. That would’ve been a better bet.

Time Is Our Biggest Resource

So yes, the crux of this post is me complaining. I know my case isn’t particularly special, but it still needs to be said. I spent 4 to 5 years in school, another year searching for a job, and ended up with a regular job that isn’t even in my career field.

And once you start working, it robs you of your biggest resource: time. You’re working 40 hours a week, sometimes more, every week, until you retire. And I’m just now starting, which means I probably won’t be able to retire. I may be working until I’m 70 or 80.

Working isn’t inherently bad. The issue is that if we didn’t have to work so much, we’d have more time for family, time for our kids, and time for creative projects.

Why I’d Rather Create for a Living

Everyone wants to be a streamer or YouTuber nowadays, and I get it. These platforms let people express themselves and show off their talent, and if you’re lucky and dedicated enough, it eventually becomes lucrative. I’d much rather get paid for something I love, something I created with my own time, than work for a company that sucks away my time and my life. Time I could spend with my family and kids, and creating.

I’m not asking to be a millionaire. I just want to be decently well off, on my own, by my own accord. Getting paid to create something I love for the rest of my days is the ultimate goal. I just don’t know if it’s too late for me.

Don’t get me wrong, I know it’s not easy. I’ve been doing it for the past year, and it’s a job in itself. You put in the time to come up with ideas, create, upload, refresh the website, and post consistently on every social platform to gain followers. Sometimes it’s draining and I burn out. But the big difference is that it’s on my own accord, not because society says I’m forced to do it.