The eight paths

Eight identities · Twenty milestones each · 160 total

Each path is an identity a kid can claim by doing the work. Milestones are ordered roughly by difficulty — the first five are the opening moves, the last few separate the committed from the serious. Earn five in a path and claim the identity. Earn all twenty and you are Proven.

The Entrepreneur/20The Builder/20The Creative/20The Athlete/20The Treasurer/20The Communicator/20The Leader/20The AI Pilot/20

The Treasurer

A Treasurer · 20 milestones
Proven at 10 · Mastered at 20
“Money is one of the few subjects where a small amount of teenage competence separates a confident adult from an anxious one.”
  • №01
    Got Paid for Work
    Earned real money for real work you did for someone outside your family — chore, errand, task, job — and kept the record of it.
    Ahead
  • №02
    Saved Your First $100
    Saved $100 of your own money and didn't spend it for at least 30 days, held in a real account or jar you can show.
    Ahead
  • №03
    Know What You Spend
    Tracked every dollar you spent for 30 consecutive days and can show where the money went, by category.
    Ahead
  • №04
    Read the Price Tag
    Compared the same item at three different stores or websites, bought the best value, and can explain why that price won.
    Ahead
  • №05
    Opened a Bank Account
    Opened a real savings or checking account (or custodial account with a parent), understand what bank it's at, and can access your balance.
    Ahead
  • №06
    Gave Your First Dollar
    Donated your own money to a cause you chose, researched, and can explain — not because you were asked to, not because someone pressured you.
    Ahead
  • №07
    Budgeted for Real
    Made a budget, lived within it for 90 consecutive days, tracked actual vs. planned, and hit it within 10% in at least two of those months.
    Ahead
  • №08
    Earned Interest
    Held money in an account that paid real interest (high-yield savings, CD, money market) for 6+ months and can explain how much you earned and why.
    Ahead
  • №09
    Bought Your First Stock
    Bought your first share of stock, ETF, or index fund in a real brokerage account (custodial for minors), held it for at least 90 days.
    Ahead
  • №10
    Read the Fine Print
    Read an actual financial agreement end-to-end — account terms, credit card agreement, insurance policy, loan terms — and can explain 3 things in it that most people don't realize.
    Ahead
  • №11
    Saved Your First $1,000
    Saved $1,000 of your own money — earnings, gifts, returns — held in a real account, documented over time.
    Ahead
  • №12
    Caught a Scam
    Identified a real scam, phishing attempt, fraudulent charge, or predatory offer — in the wild, not in a worksheet — and either avoided it or got the money back.
    Ahead
  • №13
    Saved for Something Big
    Set a savings goal of $500+ for a specific purchase, saved to it entirely on your own income, and bought the thing.
    Ahead
  • №14
    Negotiated a Raise
    Asked for and received a raise, better rate, or better terms on work you were already doing — a babysitting rate, a lawn-mowing fee, an hourly wage, a weekly allowance tied to responsibilities.
    Ahead
  • №15
    Built a Portfolio
    Built an investment portfolio of at least 3 holdings, held for 12+ months, with a written thesis for each position and documented performance.
    Ahead
  • №16
    Net Worth Statement
    Built a real personal net worth statement listing assets and liabilities, and updated it at least quarterly.
    Ahead
  • №17
    Insurance Awareness
    Understand the insurance policies that affect you or your family (health, auto, renters, life, disability) and can explain what each one covers, what it costs, and what the deductibles are.
    Ahead
  • №18
    Taught Money Basics
    Taught a younger kid or peer a real financial skill — budgeting, saving, compound interest, reading a paycheck — in a structured session they can demonstrate learning from.
    Ahead
  • №19
    The Saver · Any one of two
    Accumulated meaningful wealth through discipline.
    • Saved $10,000 of your own earnings, held in real accounts with documented history
    • maintained a 50%+ personal savings rate for 12 consecutive months with tracked income and expenses
    Capstone
  • №20
    The Investor · Any one of two
    Grew money through informed, documented decisions.
    • Grew an investment portfolio from zero to $5,000 with your own money, held for 24+ months, with documented reasoning for each position
    • produced documented investment returns that beat the S&P 500 benchmark over a 12-month period with a portfolio of $1,000+
    Capstone