What would you do with $13 million in the bank? Most people would picture early retirement, tropical beaches, or at least sleeping past 6 a.m. on a Sunday. Not this guy. A 31-year-old hedge fund employee recently told Reddit he works every single day of the week, and he wouldn't change a thing.
The post on r/Rich included a screenshot showing $13,067,710.19 in total assets, with most of his wealth invested in stocks, $239,000 sitting in checking, and exactly zero dollars in savings. The revelation kicked off a thousand-comment thread filled with everything from job applications to existential questions about the meaning of wealth.
Would A Billion Dollars Change Anything?
Here's the part that really got people talking. He runs a simple thought experiment: "I always ask myself what I'd be doing if I won $1 billion in the lottery... the answer is always the same, I love what I'm doing, and I'll keep doing it."
He works at a credit-oriented hedge fund, and the intellectual thrill of nailing a call after months of deep analysis drives him more than the paycheck. "The money is meaningless at this point," he explained. "A $10 million payday (like $4.5 million after taxes) literally cannot change my life, but you do it for the thrill of being good at something."
That's a wild statement when you think about it. For most people, $4.5 million would absolutely change their life. But when you're already sitting on eight figures and earning enough to keep adding to the pile, the marginal utility of another few million really does start to flatten out.
From McDonald's To Millions
The comments section naturally wanted to know if he was born into money. Nope. He grew up middle-class in the southern United States and got his start in the stock market using money from his summer job at McDonald's when he was 18 years old. From there, he attended a top Ivy League school, moved into investment banking, and eventually landed his current hedge fund role.
"The hedge fund space can be incredibly lucrative for young people because it doesn't take all that much to come up with good ideas," he wrote. When you're managing serious capital, a small team generating smart investment theses can earn enormous returns.
About that seven-day work schedule: he clarified that weekends are lighter. "Sometimes the entire weekend [is off], sometimes just an hour to log in and read some stuff." But the mental load never really goes away. The stress, he admitted, runs constantly in the background.
The Retirement Debate
Plenty of commenters told him to pump the brakes. One early retiree shared their story: "Retired at 36/40 with $8M and so glad we did. We now have 19M and have enjoyed 6 years of freedom. Want my opinion? Quit today."
His response? "I hear you brother, but I would get bored, and that's my worst nightmare."
He's not exactly chained to a desk, either. He travels frequently, hits the gym multiple times weekly, plays sports, dates, and maintains an active social life. His philosophy: "Money can't exactly buy happiness, but it damn sure can buy you time."
Investment Advice From Someone Who Made It
When asked how others could build wealth, he kept it straightforward. Put aside what you need for daily expenses and emergencies, then invest the rest consistently. His recommendation: Invesco QQQ Trust (QQQ), the popular Nasdaq-100 index fund.
"If you have a savings account outside of your 401(k), put aside enough for day-to-day needs, put aside enough for a 'rainy day,' then put the rest in the QQQ," he wrote.
He had particularly strong words for aspiring day traders: "For those of you trying to get rich quick in the stock market and doing things like 'day trading'... trust me, you're better off in Vegas."
That tracks with what most financial research shows. The vast majority of day traders lose money, and even professional active managers struggle to consistently beat index funds over long periods. His path to $13 million wasn't sexy or exciting—it was steady investing, career progression, and probably a healthy dose of being in the right place at the right time with the right skills.
The whole thread raises interesting questions about when enough becomes enough. For this hedge fund professional, the answer seems to be never, not because he needs more money, but because he genuinely enjoys the game. Whether that's inspiring or concerning probably depends on your own relationship with work and wealth.
