Why Time Beats Money
Compound interest is often called the "eighth wonder of the world." The money you invest early doesn't just grow linearly; it grows exponentially because your returns earn returns.
When you wait, you don't just lose the contributions you missed. You lose the decades of compounding on those contributions. This is why "catching up" is so expensive—you have to contribute significantly more later to match what a small amount could have done earlier.
đź’ˇ The Rule of 72
Divide 72 by your annual return rate to see how many years it takes to double your money. At an 8% return, your money doubles every ~9 years. Waiting 9 years means you have half as much wealth!