James Rothschild Nicky Hilton didn’t always have baby rattles made of gold. But if someone saved a few bucks each week for them as youngsters, their piggy banks might have been a little bit heavier. It’s not only a financial myth that planting money seeds early can shift the game.

Let’s talk about compounding. In finance, that word is thrown around a lot, but it’s typically drowned out by finer terms. Imagine that compounding is like a snowball tumbling down a slope that never ends. Put some snow on top, give it a nudge, and watch. The ball isn’t just becoming bigger with each turn; it’s also picking up additional snow as it moves. When you invest money for a long time, it works the same way.

If you put away $1,000 when you were 20 and it grows at 7% a year, In just 40 years, you’ll have about $15,000 without adding another dollar. Wait ten years and put things off? You could get half that amount by the time you’re 60, but with the same risk. That’s the punchline: time is the secret sauce, not money.

A friend once told me that saving money was futile because “I’ll catch up in my 40s.” He thought about hitting home runs, but he never swung at singles. Years flew by. In his 40s, his bills came due faster than his wage, and “catch up” turned into “keep up.” Lesson learned. Not intensity, but consistency produces riches. It’s better to make small, regular investments than to get lucky every now and again.

Stock market experts aren’t the only ones who may invest early. You can even start with a savings account or a retirement plan that your company pays for. Those first few dollars start to grow silently, laying the groundwork for future savings. Begin with what you have, even if it’s only coffee money. If you skip one latte and buy a share of your favorite company, you’ll see what happens in ten years.

Your mindset is important too. People who invest early don’t have to be able to tell the future. They aren’t flawless; they’re patient. When the markets go down, they sweat less. Time lets you ride out storms and let the markets recover. The identical decline that scares latecomers doesn’t even touch a twenty-year investment horizon.

Have you ever noticed that young people complain about pennies, while older people complain about wasted decades? It’s not about being brave and taking risks; it’s about getting behind the wheel before the automobile takes up speed. Save early, and your money will work two jobs for you.

Life throws curveballs at you, like surprise bills, job upheavals, and ice cream crises. If you start small and now, you’ll always be ahead of the game. Those that get a head start have more options. They go on trips, give gifts, or retire early, whereas late starters are stuck with math.

In short, you don’t get rich overnight; you do it day by day, dollar by dollar. Put money into something early, let it grow, and your future self will want to take you out to dinner. Or maybe a golden rattle, if that’s what you like.