Can 100,000 really turn things around? I’ve been thinking about this question lately, and the answer is more optimistic than you might expect.

Let’s start with reality. Rent and prices keep rising, bank fixed-deposit interest rates can’t keep up with inflation, and if you don’t invest, your money will slowly be eaten away these days. But many people think investing requires millions to really make it worthwhile. In fact, that idea is outdated. The 100,000 threshold is absolutely achievable for recent graduates or young professionals who are willing to work hard and save for a few years. The key is: after you have that 100,000, how do you get it to start working for you?

I think the most important thing in investing isn’t the size of your principal, but three things: mindset, choosing the right projects, and time. First, mindset. The first iron rule is to use only spare money. That means if you don’t touch this money, your daily life won’t be affected at all. Many people end up forced to take losses when the investment they hold drops, because they put their living expenses into the market too. So you need to track your income and expenses first, figure out your truly spare funds, and then you can invest with peace of mind.

Next is finding the right projects. Different people should use different strategies. For example, for office workers with limited time and stable cash flow, it’s very suitable to make regular recurring purchases of dividend-paying funds or high-yield ETFs—you don’t need to stare at price movements all day. If you’re a high-income professional, like a doctor or an engineer, with a busy schedule but high earnings, index ETFs may be a better fit. For instance, SPY in the U.S. stock market tracks the 500 largest U.S. companies, and over the past 10 years its growth has exceeded more than 1x. In the long run, the returns have been relatively steady.

But if you’re a student or your work is sales-related, and you have time to research the market, you can consider more aggressive strategies—accelerating accumulation through swing trading or capturing trends. For example, as the U.S. interest rate-hiking cycle is close to ending and the probability of future rate cuts is high, the odds of shorting the U.S. dollar are relatively better at this time. A weaker dollar often also helps boost cryptocurrency performance, so these opportunities are worth taking advantage of if you have the time to study.

Now let’s get into what to invest in specifically. I divide assets worth focusing on in the future into four categories.

**Defensive assets**, like gold. Gold doesn’t pay dividends, but it can hedge against inflation. Especially during times when the economy is unstable, gold’s safe-haven effect is especially clear. Historically, big rallies in gold prices have happened during periods with major uncertainty, such as during the pandemic and during wartime.

**Transformational assets**, like Bitcoin. It’s no longer just a pure speculative tool; it’s now included in ETFs, sovereign funds, and even corporate balance sheets. Its role is shifting toward becoming a digital reserve asset. At present, Bitcoin’s price is around $79.12K. Even though it has fallen over the past year, the long-term story is still there.

**Growth assets**, like NVIDIA and TSMC. NVIDIA is a leader in AI computing. GPUs and data center platforms are core infrastructure for AI models, representing the long-term story of the commercialization of future computing power. TSMC, on the other hand, is the leading semiconductor foundry, providing the bottom-layer support for the AI industry chain, with technological leadership and steady orders. Also worth considering is a green power company like NextEra Energy, because future AI will drive a significant increase in electricity demand. The investment logic behind power infrastructure is more stable than just solar power.

**Cornerstone assets** are ETFs that reliably reflect global growth. In Taiwan, 0056 is a high-dividend ETF. Over the past 10 years, its dividend plus stock price growth has come close to doubling—nearly 1x. If you continue investing 100,000 every year, even if you spend all the dividends, after 13 years you’d have 100,000 just from dividends per year. After 25 years, annual dividends would exceed 200,000. The compounding effect is truly astonishing. In the U.S., SPY tracks the U.S. 500 largest companies. Over the past 10 years, its stock price has risen from 201 to 434, with a return of over 116%. Even though its dividends are lower, its capital gains have been strong.

Put simply, the key to “making money from 100,000” isn’t how big your principal is. It’s whether you have the patience to wait for compounding to take effect—or whether you have the time to research the timing of entries and exits. As long as your mindset is right, you choose the right projects, and you give it enough time, even young and small investors can accumulate a substantial amount of wealth step by step. Many people get stuck by thinking too much and doing too little. The truth is: start now. In 10 years, you’ll thank yourself for the decision you make today.