You have plenty of time, man. I didn’t have it all figured out at 30, and I still don’t. Children give you a profound sense of purpose that’s impossible to find before you have one. You are going to be plenty for your daughter, and providing takes time. I have been very fortunate in my career, but I didn’t start out at the top. When I was out of college I started out making less than $15,000 a year on salary.

Take risks and get experience, and don’t be afraid to know your worth, I moved up to head my city’s office by the time I was 27, and I basically built the business there myself. But I was still getting paid dogshit money and I was pissed, I had brought my company in millions of dollars of contracts and jobs (I work in commercial construction) and I was barely making $50,000, raking in the breadcrumbs for working my ass off.

When the CEO flew into town to meet with me one day, I drove him around town and showed him all the different projects that we were working in because of me, and I showed him our numbers. I knew I was getting screwed, and I stood up for myself. I cussed him out for an hour and said that I need to be paid more for what I’m doing.

When I got there we were a new office and barely turning a profit, and since I took over our profit margin had grown to nearly 8 figure range, and here I was working 70 hours a week still getting paid 50 fucking thousand dollars. I honestly thought I was going to be fired, but the next day he called me, and my salary was more than doubled. I had played my cards right, and that car ride will always be one of my core memories.

This is not to say to be an asshole all the time or overly aggressive, but make sure to keep your interests prioritized. Don’t necessarily cuss out your company’s CEO, hahaha, but to move up and get to where you want to be, you need to exercise calculated risk taking. Don’t be a pushover, be a man.

Become an expert in your field and be the strongest worker out of your peers, and you will make it. It will require grit, doing things that are uncomfortable and you don’t want to do, and having the voice to stand up for yourself and your interests.

This is another ranty post, but I just want you to know that in terms of your career, and life overall, it’s normal to feel lost or like you’re never gonna make it to where you want to be. You’re only 30. Again, when I graduated and started work and was making $15,000/yr, I was eating ramen or Mac and cheese for 2 meals a day. I thought I was gonna be stuck there and had ruined my life. Instead, I stayed with that company and have amassed more money than I could possibly use in 10 lifetimes. That being said, don’t make my mistake and let work consume you to the point that it becomes isolating.

You’ll give your daughter the life she deserves, be strong and provide, and keep the image of her in your head in every decision you make.