For more than a decade, the mantra for boosting your career and income was simple: learn to code. Becoming a programmer or engineer was seen as the clearest path to job security and high pay.

But with the rapid rise of AI, coding is no longer the protective moat it once was. As I revisited my own FIRE plans after leaving work in 2012, I realized the one financial buffer that has consistently stood the test of time: knowing how to invest well.

Forget "learn to code." Learn to invest. Becoming a competent investor may be the most important skill you develop to survive - and thrive - in the coming AI wave.

Posts mentioned:

Becoming A Competent Investor Is A Vital Skill To Master

Gain Financial Security By Creating Financial Buffers For Your Financial Buffers

The FIRE Movement Is So Back Due To AI Disruption

Free Financial Analysis Offer From Empower

Stay on top of your net worth with Empower, the web's #1 free financial app. Track your cash flow, x-ray your investment portfolio for excessive fees and inappropriate risk exposure, and use their retirement calculator to plan for the future.

If you have over $100,000 in investable assets—whether in savings, taxable brokerage accounts, 401(k)s, or IRAs—you can sign up for a free financial check-up from a professional at Empower. It's a no-obligation opportunity to have a seasoned advisor—someone who analyzes portfolios for a living—take a fresh look at your finances.

A professional review can help you identify hidden fees, inefficient allocations, or missed opportunities to grow and protect your wealth. More importantly, it can give you the clarity and confidence to know whether your current savings and investment strategy aligns with your long-term financial goals.

I've taken advantage of three free consultations with Empower over the past decade and each session has helped me build more wealth. There's no rewind button in life. Make the most of everything, especially things that are helpful and free.

The statement is provided to you by Financial Samurai ("Promoter") who has entered into a written referral agreement with Empower Advisory Group, LLC ("EAG").

Diversify Your Retirement Investments

Stocks and bonds are classic staples for retirement investing. However, I also suggest diversifying into real estate. It is an investment that combines the income stability of bonds with greater upside potential.

Consider Fundrise, a platform that allows you to 100% passively invest in residential and industrial real estate. With over $3.5 billion in private real estate assets under management, Fundrise focuses on properties in the Sunbelt region, where valuations are lower, and yields tend to be higher. Residential commercial real estate is attract. Meanwhile, the Fed is set to cut rates further.

I've personally invested over $500,000 with Fundrise, and they've been a trusted partner and long-time sponsor of Financial Samurai. With a $10 investment minimum, diversifying your portfolio has never been easier.

Subscribe To Financial Samurai

To increase your chances of achieving financial independence, join 60,000+ readers and subscribe to my free Financial Samurai newsletter here. Financial Samurai began in 2009 and is the leading independently-owned personal finance site today.