Agree that achieving those dollar amounts take time, the ability to stomach steep up and downs and ABSOLUTE DISCIPLINE. This is what I taught my 21 year old daughter who just graduated from college and began her investment journey in high school. We had a pact that any money she earned or was gifted would be divided three ways - 1/3 education, 1/3 retirement and 1/3 whatever she wanted. She's stuck to it for eight years and has about $7,000 saved for retirement. That doesn't seem like much but with only part time work for most of that time, she's learned the value of saving AND investing. I'm hoping that education will last a lifetime.
There's also a wealth of resources out there to learn about investing so, 40 years from now, I really don't see "I didn't know what to do" as being a very good excuse for having meager retirement savings. As I've always told my daughter - start now and you will easily retire in comfort.
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