It's really not about where you are, it's about where you're headed. The proper orientation is all you need.
I've publicly facepunched myself a couple of times for essentially squandering an entire decade's worth of earnings, taking in over half a million from age 21 to 31 and having nothing to show for it. But I had more than I thought - there was ten years' worth of lessons learned, greater patience, ever-increasing resolve, and lots of practical financial knowledge. Between years of gradual progress, and a few "aha" moments that produced rapid accelerations, my wife and I are sailing toward our goals. I'd be lying if I claimed I never had twinges of jealousy and regret when a 20-something MMM'er drops a bigger Stash number, but I've mostly just learned to be happy for them. We're all here to get better at doing "us".
Just know what you want, and don't let go of it. The rest will come with time.
