Many people's gap with wealth in this lifetime is not about not being able to earn money, but about not being able to keep the 'first pot of gold'.

For ordinary people, saving the first million is already very difficult, but those who can truly turn things around are those who are not in a hurry to spend their money.

Why?

Because one million is not the end point, but the ticket to the world where 'money works for you'. Those who can cross this threshold let it continue to appreciate, while those who cannot just throw their money away at the door and start over.

In reality, too many people’s first reaction is not to invest, but to reward themselves: changing cars, changing bags, changing equipment, changing lifestyles. It seems like improving life, but in fact, it's consuming future possibilities in advance.

The car bought a few years ago lost half its value, the new watch is sleeping in the drawer, and the new phone is outdated in a year; the funds that could have been a springboard have been drained by desire.

Those who truly understand money treat the first million as a tool to let it 'generate money'.

If placed in a stable place earning 4%-6%, the annual returns can equal someone else's six months' salary. Ten years' worth could buy a car, twenty years could be a down payment on a house, and thirty years could be the second accumulation explosion point in life.

The key is: the principal cannot be touched.

Don't dismantle the money-making machine and force yourself to go back to manual labor. This isn't being stingy; it's the only path for ordinary people to reverse their fortunes.

Buffett is great, not because he earns quickly, but because for decades he has been consistent: not buying recklessly, not spending recklessly, and not cashing in for instant gratification. His old saying is particularly realistic: every unnecessary expense is a little cut into future freedom.

True luxury is not about buying expensive things, but about having the freedom to 'do whatever I want'. If you don’t want to work overtime, you can refuse; if you want to rest, you can stop at any time; if you want to change jobs, you don’t have to watch others’ faces. The power of choice comes from assets, not from salary.

So, what is the first million?

It’s not just a number; it's the 'watershed' of your life. If handled well, it will grow into decades of security and freedom; if handled poorly, it will only bring a brief sense of pleasure, and then you’ll return to square one.

Your first pot of gold is not meant to reward your past self, but to empower your future self.

When you can buy bags, change cars, and upgrade your life with earnings, that is true financial freedom. At that point, you are not spending money for the sake of face, but living for the sake of life—those are two completely different lives.