When you haven’t made it, you take big risks. No savings means nothing to lose. You’ll start that company, switch careers, or move across the country. Who cares if it fails?
After you make it, something changes… Now you have money in the bank. A nice life. Suddenly you start playing defense. “Better protect what I’ve built,” you think to yourself.
This can explain why broke college kids start companies from their dorm rooms, while someone with a stable $200K job rarely quits to start something new. They’re protecting their nut.
The biggest wins usually come from staying aggressive even after success. But that’s hard to do when you’ve got something to lose.
Food for thought: Empty pockets make you brave. Full pockets make you cautious.