@TtvJokester 1. Great question. Here's what I would do today if I were 18.
@TtvJokester 2. I would finish college as quickly as possible and in the most economical way possible. This means community college and then transfer to a top tier school. I'd study computer science, or economics + learn to code on the side. Work every summer and try to graduate debt free.
@TtvJokester 3. Open a ROTH IRA as soon as possible and contribute $6,000 to it every year in something like $ARKK or $TSLA for at least 6 years. Contribute as much as you can to a ROTH IRA. By age 59 1/2, this could be worth millions, and it's 100% tax free.
@TtvJokester 4. Read as much as you can, and learn as many skills as you can. In the business world, there are only two real skills: building things and selling things. Work your way up to being able to build complex software programs. Learn how to use persuasion effectively in all forms.
@TtvJokester 5. Learn basic cooking, eat right, and take care of your body. Eat blueberries before exams to increase cognitive function. Understand gut health so you can stay focused with high energy: read the book "Fiber Fueled". Don't waste time trying to get jacked. Pushups. Pullups. Run.
@TtvJokester 6. Be very selective with your friends. Make sure you surround yourself with people that are successful, smart, creative, and positive. They should have similar goals to you. Cut off relationships with toxic people, many of whom you probably went to high school with.
I look at other competitors cars, and I’m constantly reminded of the 2012 Fisker Karma, one of the first “Tesla killers”. Competitors aren’t laser focused on manufacturability at scale. It’s not about bells and whistles, it’s about manufacturing efficiency and lowering costs.
Every piece of trim you see, every knob, every gimmick or flashy feature that doesn’t have a very very clear added benefit to the vehicle owner will dramatically slow manufacturing and lower margins on their cars. Low margins means no pricing power, and no scaling potential.
Just apply first principles thinking. We know that Tesla makes cars extremely efficiently, and they’re only getting better. Auto demand is extremely elastic (price goes down, demand way up). Why would competitors overtake Tesla when they make cars the same way legacy auto does?