Letter to a Younger Me: Money, Credit and the Patience I Didn't Have Yet

I think about my younger self more than people might expect. The kid selling candy at school. The teenager cutting lawns on the same street every week. The young man riding in the passenger seat on sales calls, then pulling long shifts in the oil field, then spending his last few dollars on education instead of something he could show off.

He did a lot right. He also didn't know a lot. If I could sit across from him for an hour, this is what I'd tell him.

Your name is your first asset

Before you have credit, cars or property, you have a reputation. The neighbors who hired you to cut their grass talked to each other. That never stops; the neighborhood just gets bigger. Every promise you keep is a deposit. Every shortcut is a withdrawal. Protect your name before you protect anything else.

Credit is a tool, not a reward

I'd tell him that credit isn't free money and it isn't a trophy. It's a tool that tells lenders whether you can be trusted with their capital. Pay on time, keep balances in check and read your own report. Later in life, my credit became one of the most useful tools I had for building, but only because I eventually learned to treat it with discipline. I'd tell him to start that discipline sooner.

Don't confuse looking rich with being rich

There's a version of success that's all about what other people can see. The car in the photo, the watch, the bottle at the table. I'm not against nice things. I run a company that rents some of the nicest cars on the road. But I'd tell my younger self the difference between a liability that makes you look successful and an asset that actually pays you. Learn that early and you'll make very different choices.

Patience is a competitive advantage

When you're young and hungry, everything feels urgent. I'd tell him that most good things take longer than you want, and that's fine. Credit seasons. Businesses mature. Relationships deepen. The people who win are often just the ones who stayed consistent long enough for it to add up.

Find people who are ahead of you

Riding with my father on sales calls taught me more than any class. I'd tell my younger self to look for that kind of exposure everywhere: people who are a few steps ahead, who will let you watch how they work and tell you the truth. And when you find them, show up prepared and do what they suggest. Mentors invest in people who act.

Write things down

I carried too much in my head for too long. I'd tell him to write down what works, what didn't and why. Those notes become playbooks, and playbooks become businesses that can run without you being in every room.

Say no more often

Not every opportunity is your opportunity. I'd tell him that walking away from a bad deal is a win, even when nobody claps for it. Your time, capital and attention are limited. Spend them like they are.

Remember who you're building for

Most of all, I'd remind him why it matters. It was never just about cars or money. It's about family, legacy and being able to take care of the people you love. When the work gets hard, that's what keeps you going.

For anyone at the start

If you're where that kid was, wherever your version of the candy box or the lawn route is, you're not behind. You're at the beginning. Protect your name, respect credit, choose assets over appearances, stay patient and keep good people around you. The rest gets built one decision at a time.