S&P 500 vs. S&ME 500: Why Investing in Yourself Beats the Market
Don’t just wait for the stock market to make you rich; build wealth faster by investing in your own skills, business, and leverage.
Imagine This…
You walk up to a vending machine. You put in a $1 bill. The machine says:
“Thanks! Come back in 40 years, and maybe I’ll give you $4.”
Would you actually use that machine?
That’s what investing only in the S&P 500 is like. Slow, long-term growth. Nothing wrong with it — I use it myself. But if that’s your only strategy, you’re waiting decades for a payoff.
Financial Independence Young > F.I. Old
Now picture another machine right next to it. You put in the same $1, and it immediately starts spitting out opportunities to make $5, $10, even $100 more — as long as you’re willing to adapt.
That second machine? That’s the S&ME 500
Why This Matters
When you put your money into the stock market, you’re betting on companies you don’t control. When you put your money into yourself, you’re betting on the one thing you can control: your skills, your income, and your ability to create leverage.
That’s the difference between retiring at 65 and making meaningful progress to retiring decades earlier.
The Math Problem No One Tells You
Want $2 million for retirement?
At $15/hour, that’s over 133,000 hours of work.
That’s six lifetimes of full-time labor — impossible!
This is why most people never escape the grind. They’re feeding the wrong machine.
Why Self-Investment Beats Index Funds
1. Education That Pays for Itself
A kid flipping burgers at $13/hour can transform their future with the right education.
A two-year community college program can double or triple income — think dental hygienist, registered nurse, or heavy equipment operator.
$70,000+ annual salaries are realistic with the right training.
That’s paying one years salary for the education, too make that salary and more every year after is a good deal! Kudos if you get the company you work for to pay for it.
Don’t stop there because, as Warren Buffett says, “Until you learn to make money while you sleep you will have to work until the day you die.” More on this on Tip #5!
2. Explore Trades and Side Hustles That Print Cash
If you can market a skill to people who need it will pay more than minimum wage.
Painting, cleaning, landscaping, electrical, plumbing, garbage, auto mechanic — all in high demand.
Odd jobs often pay more than entry-level wages because higher-income people happily outsource $20 tasks, so they can better leverage their time.
Every skill you learn puts another tool in your pocket — and people will pay you to use it.
This is one way you can get into business for yourself, and make more than a traditional job.
3. Sales and Performance Based Work
With a wage, your income is capped.
With commissions or your own business, you create your own ceiling.
Real estate agents, servers, sales reps — they earn directly based on results.
4. Frugality + Income Growth = Acceleration
You can’t save your way to wealth alone. Yes, living below your means helps — but if you’re already frugal and still stuck, the solution isn’t pinching pennies. It’s making more money.
Simple path:
Keep your job as the launchpad.
Build skills/ products on the side.
Trade up to higher-value opportunities.
You don’t have to pick between a business and your job. Use your job as a launch pad to build your business, and once your business reliably replaces your income, then you can confidently make the switch.
5. Invest in Leverage
The goal is to provide the most value, to the most people, all the time, costs close to nothing, at a profit, without jeopardizing the system, and with it taking the least amount of your time. By implementing:
Software
People
Distribution
Cash
Iteration
Education is what allows you to spot the right solutions to implement for your business or product.
Your Next Move
The stock market is fine for preserving wealth. But if you want to create wealth, the highest ROI investment is in you.
So ask yourself:
What skill could double my income in the next 12 months?
What business could I start that scales beyond my hours?
Who could I learn from today to speed up my results?
Don’t just wait at the vending machine that pays out decades later. Walk over to the one that pays you now — and keep feeding it.
Read MJ Demarco’s Millionaire Fastlane TODAY.
Closing Quote
“If you work hard at your job, you’ll make a living. If you work hard on yourself, you’ll make a fortune.” — Jim Rohn
