It also means your second $100,000 can come a lot sooner.
You're doing it. Making investments. Waiting. Checking returns. Waiting. Seeing the market fluctuate, maybe panicking a little bit, but ultimately keeping your cool. Waiting.
On your way to your first $100,000, it can feel like all you do is wait. Wait for your balance to grow, wait for market jitters to subside, wait until your next payday so your next investment plan or boost can top up your balance.
If you've ever wondered why the first $100k is the hardest, or why everyone on Reddit talks about this milestone, you're about to find out.
Here's what makes it such a painful - and worthwhile - goal. The good news is you won't feel like you're waiting forever.
Your money is working harder than you think
When you start investing, your portfolio value mostly comes from your own contributions. In fact, it can take a while to start seeing a meaningful return.
Let's visualise the impact of investing $100 a week in the market, in the quest for your first $100,000, and then see what happens on your way to $1 million.
We'll assume you get 8% returns, and we won't take fees or other costs into account.
| After X years | Total contributed | Total returns | Total balance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 year | $5,200 | $195 | $5,395 |
| 2 years | $10,400 | $838 | $11,238 |
| 3 years | $15,600 | $1,965 | $17,565 |
| 5 years | $26,000 | $5,840 | $31,840 |
| 10 years | $52,000 | $27,277 | $79,277 |
| 11.8 years (hit $100k!) 🎉 | $61,100 | $39,781 | $100,881 |
| 15 years | $78,000 | $71,950 | $149,950 |
| 20 years | $104,000 | $151,242 | $255,242 |
| 25 years | $130,000 | $282,111 | $412,111 |
| 30 years | $156,000 | $489,822 | $645,822 |
| 35 years | $182,000 | $812,016 | $994,016 |
Note that the above is just an illustrative example, and doesn't take into account your personal objectives. Actual results will vary, and all investing comes with risk.
You spend about a third of the time getting to your first $100,000, and the next third getting to $350,000, before the final third takes you all the way to $1 million.
The going gets slow, but there are ways to speed it up. Consider setting up automatic deposits and Boosts to top up your balance without you noticing.
You're building lifetime habits
The average person has to stretch to invest an extra $100 a week. On your journey to your first $100,000 it's likely you would have to do the same. But these are also the habits that once formed, stick with you.
We asked our high net worth Spaceshippers about their habits, and we found some interesting correlations.
Millionaire Spaceship investors research carefully, spend in line with their values, think long-term, and set up money systems such as savings buckets and monthly accounts.
Here's how Spaceship investors like yourself managed their spending on their way to their high net wealth.
Time does the heavy lifting
The path to your first $100,000 feels like a grind but here's the deal: pretty much everyone tells us they wish they started investing sooner.
This is because it's harder to go from zero to $100,000 than it is to step up a gear.
Investing can seem scary until you've got some runs on the board - and even then, you may need to draw on your experience to keep your cool and not panic through market conditions.
That's why getting started sooner can make all the difference. Starting from nothing at 30 feels bad when you could've started at 20, but it would feel way worse to be one of those people who never takes the leap.
Small deposits have a massive impact
We get it. We live in the same world you do. Finding extra money to invest is hard, especially when the cost of living - and the fear of it rising - knocks your confidence in the future.
But here's why it matters. Every dollar you invest today could be worth double in 10 years, with 8% returns. That $5 coffee? It's worth $10 in a decade.
Small choices add up. It's why they tell us to stop buying the avo toast.
"You gotta do it"
So how do you take Charlie Munger's advice and get there faster?
Aim high
Set a smart goal to reach $100,000 and research the systems that will get you there.
Use the tools at your disposal
If you're a Spaceship Voyager investor, you can set an investment goal, an automated plan, and boosts to get you there sooner.
Make windfalls work harder
When you get a tax refund, birthday money, or bonus, consider investing it instead of spending it. One-time contributions can shave months or years off your timeline.
Be choosy about where you keep your money
We've used 8% throughout this article as a conservative benchmark. For context, the S&P/ASX All Ordinaries Total Return Index has delivered 9.3% p.a. over the past 30 years to 30 June 2025. Keep in mind, as always, that past performance is not indicative of future results.
High-growth options like the Spaceship Voyager portfolios may help you reach your goals even faster. Keep in mind that higher growth typically comes with more volatility—you'll need to be comfortable with bigger swings along the way.
Log in to Spaceship and take the next step on your way to your first $100,000.
The information in this article is prepared by Spaceship Capital Limited (ABN 67 621 011 649, AFSL 501605). It is general in nature as it has been prepared without taking account of your objectives, financial situation or needs.
