A focused, uninterrupted period of growth sets the trajectory for the next 20 years and beyond.

The first two years of your adulthood (example: Age 18-20, 17-19, and so on) are the most underrated window of opportunity you will ever have. Not because you’re supposed to “figure out your life” or magically know what career you want, but because this is the one period where you can build skills at a speed and depth that becomes almost impossible later. Fewer responsibilities. Fewer expectations. More flexibility. More time to experiment, fail, adjust, and grow.

If you treat these two years like a training camp—structured, intentional, learning over earning, and focused—you can set yourself up for a decade of earning power, confidence, and options. If you drift through them, you’ll spend the next decade trying to catch up.

The key is self‑awareness. Not the vague, motivational kind. The practical kind that helps you understand how you learn, what you can handle, and which path will get you earning real money the fastest. That’s where Studying Levels (SLs) come in.

They give you a simple, honest way to understand your relationship with learning technical or complex subjects. Once you know your SL, you can stop forcing yourself into paths that don’t fit—and start choosing the ones that will actually work for you.

Let’s break it down.

What Studying Levels (SLs) Actually Measure

Your Studying Level (SL) is not about intelligence. It’s not about potential. It’s not about how “smart” you are. It’s simply a measure of how much you enjoy and can handle learning technical or complex subjects.

Some people love diving into math, coding, engineering, or technical AI. Others feel drained just thinking about it. Most people fall somewhere in the middle.

Your SL helps you choose the most efficient path to earning money in the AI economy. Not the path that sounds impressive. Not the path your parents want. The path that matches how your brain naturally works.

There are three main SL ranges. Each one has a different best path for the first two years of adulthood—the training camp years.

SL 0–3: The Hands‑On Builder

If you’re in SL 0–3, you don’t enjoy technical studying. Programming, engineering, accounting, robotics, or anything that requires long hours of abstract thinking feels like a chore. You can do it if someone forces you, but it drains you quickly. You learn best by doing, not by reading or watching long tutorials.

This is not a weakness. It’s a signal.

People in SL 0–3 thrive when they’re working directly with real businesses, real customers, and real problems. You learn by taking action, not by sitting in front of a textbook.

Your best path in the first two years is simple: focus on high‑impact customer‑growth skills that help businesses get more customers, increase revenue, or improve operations. These skills don’t require deep technical study, but they create real value fast.

Examples include:

• Running outreach for a local service business • Helping a small company improve its website messaging • Managing simple paid ads with AI tools • Setting up basic automations that save a business time • Creating short‑form content for a brand • Helping a company follow up with leads faster

These are not “small” skills. They are revenue‑driving skills. Businesses pay for results, not degrees. If you can help a business grow, you can earn real money quickly.

The training camp for SL 0–3 is built around repetition, action, and building a track record of demonstrated results. You don’t need to master complex theory. You need to master simple, repeatable actions that create value.

A practical example: A 19‑year‑old helps a local gym follow up with leads using AI‑assisted messaging. The gym signs up 12 new members in a month. That’s demonstrated value. That’s a track record. That’s income.

You don’t need to study robotics to do that. You just need to take action.

SL 4–8: The Flexible Learner

If you’re in SL 4–8, you can study technical content if you see a clear benefit. You don’t love every subject, but you can push through when needed. You’re capable of learning complex things, but you don’t want to spend your entire life buried in textbooks.

This is the most common SL range—and the most misunderstood.

People in SL 4–8 often get stuck because they think they “should” go to college immediately, or they “should” learn to code, or they “should” pick a technical major. But the truth is, your best path is a mix of practical experience and targeted learning.

For the first two years, focus heavily on customer‑growth work. This gives you income, confidence, and real‑world skills. Alongside that, study only the technical subjects that directly support the work you’re doing.

This combination is powerful because it builds both sides of your career:

• Practical skills that make money now • Technical skills that open doors later

You don’t need to decide your entire future today. You just need to build momentum.

A practical example: A 20‑year‑old starts helping small businesses run simple AI‑assisted marketing campaigns. While doing that, they learn basic analytics, simple automation tools, and foundational AI concepts. After two years, they have income, experience, and options. If they want to go to college later, they’ll go with clarity and purpose—not confusion.

The training camp for SL 4–8 is about building a hybrid skill set. You’re not avoiding technical learning, but you’re not drowning in it either. You’re learning just enough to stay ahead while building a strong foundation of real‑world value.

SL 9–10: The Technical Explorer

If you’re in SL 9–10, you enjoy learning technical subjects on your own. You pick up complex ideas quickly. You’re curious, self‑driven, and naturally drawn to subjects like math, coding, engineering, or technical AI. You don’t need external pressure to study—you do it because you like it.

This is a huge advantage in the AI economy, but only if you use it correctly.

Your best path is not to hide in a room studying for two years. Your best path is to combine customer‑growth work with deep technical study and public learning.

This combination does three things:

• It builds your ability to create value for real businesses • It sharpens your technical expertise • It builds a public track record that opens doors

If you’re SL 9–10, you should be publishing what you learn. Not because you want to be an influencer, but because it builds credibility. When people see your thinking, your experiments, your projects, and your insights, they trust you faster.

A practical example: A 21‑year‑old who loves AI spends mornings studying machine learning concepts, afternoons helping small companies automate workflows, and evenings publishing short posts about what they learned that day. After two years, they have income, technical depth, and a public record of their growth. That combination is rare—and extremely valuable.

The training camp for SL 9–10 is about discipline, consistency, and visibility. You’re not just learning. You’re applying, documenting, and building a reputation.

Why the First Two Years Matter So Much

No matter your SL, the first two adult years are the perfect time to build momentum. You’re not locked into a career. You’re not overloaded with responsibilities. You have the freedom to experiment, the time to practice, and the flexibility to fail without major consequences.

If you treat these two years like a training camp, you can build:

• Skills that make you valuable
• A track record that makes you credible
• Confidence that makes you unstoppable

The AI economy rewards people who can create value quickly. It rewards people who can learn fast. It rewards people who can adapt. The training camp years are where you build those muscles.

The mistake most young people make is drifting. They wait for clarity. They wait for motivation. They wait for someone to tell them what to do. But clarity comes from action. Confidence comes from results. Direction comes from trying things, not thinking about them.

Your SL gives you the roadmap. The training camp gives you the structure. The next two years give you the opportunity.

A Simple Framework for Your Training Camp

Here’s a practical way to structure your first two years, no matter your SL.

Start with your SL. Choose the path that matches how you learn. Don’t force yourself into a lane that drains you.

Pick one customer‑growth skill. Outreach, messaging, simple ads, content creation, basic automation—choose one and get good at it.

Find real businesses to help. Start small. Local businesses. Online creators. Small agencies. Anyone who needs more customers or better operations.

Track your results. Keep a simple record of what you did, what changed, and what improved. This becomes your evidence of results.

Add learning that supports your work. If you’re SL 0–3, keep it light and practical. If you’re SL 4–8, mix practical work with targeted study. If you’re SL 9–10, go deep and publish what you learn.

Repeat for two years. Consistency beats intensity. Small wins compound.

This framework works because it’s grounded in reality. It doesn’t require luck, connections, or a perfect plan. It requires action, awareness, and discipline.

Your Next Step Today

Pick your Studying Level honestly. Then choose one customer‑growth skill you can start practicing this week. Reach out to one real business and offer to help them improve something simple. That single action can be the first step of your training camp—and the start of the next 20 years of your life, and beyond.