This article is a guest post from FI Fighter, someone who’s aiming for financial independence by the age of 30. This goal will be reached when their passive and semi-passive income streams consistently generate more money than their monthly expenses. The journey towards financial independence continues!

A lot of people play the lottery hoping to get rich quick without having to put in any effort. Winning the lottery is based on luck, with odds being incredibly slim. More often than not, buying a bunch of lottery tickets won’t result in any winnings. But there’s a better way to build financial wealth…

The better path to financial freedom is through accumulating assets. Assets are things that put money in your pocket without requiring you to work. Acquiring assets typically requires an initial investment, similar to buying a lottery ticket. However, unlike the lottery, your chances of getting wealthy with assets improve over time as they increase in value. The lottery is entirely random, but your chances with assets grow as you invest wisely and time progresses.

Starting your journey to build wealth through assets isn’t an overnight process. Just like the sayings go, “Rome wasn’t built in a day” and “the journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step.” The most crucial thing is to start. If you have debt, try to pay it off as quickly as possible. You don’t want to begin your financial journey already at a disadvantage. Treat consumer debt like the plague and avoid adding more.

Investing doesn’t have to be stressful. Do your research, get educated, and when you’re ready, take the plunge and start investing. I won’t prescribe exactly what to do, but I can share my personal experience as an example. Sometimes, a fortunate event can significantly propel you toward financial freedom.

I started investing in December 2011 with $1,500. Knowing that the typical 9-5 job wasn’t for me, I needed to create a passive income stream to replace my earned income. Dividend investing seemed like a good starting point because it’s accessible to almost everyone. You don’t need good credit, a large downpayment, or a lot of capital to begin.

I bought 25 shares of Walmart at $59.58 each, marking the start of my financial journey. My first dividend from Walmart, posted on June 4, 2012, was $10. It wasn’t much, but it was a start and it felt great to see my money working for me. This small win motivated me to keep investing regularly throughout 2012 without worrying about market fluctuations or headlines.

Over about a year, my portfolio grew from $1,500 to $60,000, one of my initial goals for 2012. Investing in stocks long enough allows you to ride bull markets that can significantly boost your portfolio, such as the market in 2013.

Towards the end of 2012, I ventured into real estate. Property prices were still low compared to historical norms in my area. My $60,000 portfolio positioned me well to seize new opportunities. In November 2012, a real estate agent informed me about a great short-sale deal on a townhouse in a fantastic neighborhood. I quickly made an offer, and a year later, I had it rented out for positive cash flow, with the property appreciating close to $100,000.

Opportunities abound every day, but you need to be in a position to act on them. Investing for an extended period puts you in a spot to capitalize on great deals when they arise. There’s no rule saying you can’t diversify your investments as market conditions change. I initially focused on building my dividend portfolio, but I pivoted to real estate when the right opportunity presented itself.

If you aim for financial freedom early in life, you must invest in assets. Storing money in a savings account won’t make you rich. However, a single successful investment can drastically change your financial situation, potentially enabling early retirement.

For instance, selling the appreciated rental property could net most of the $100,000 gain. With a 1031 exchange, I could reinvest in better cash-flowing markets without paying capital gains tax. This move could significantly boost my passive income.

Consider how many hours you’d need to work to earn $100,000. Investing and getting lucky is often about being prepared to seize opportunities. Just keep investing consistently. With time and dedication to acquiring assets, eventually, luck will find you.

Unlike the lottery, your chances of success with assets improve over time. So, keep investing and stay committed to your financial journey!