General Question: Worried about my success in the future?

[Tigrane]

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Please, please, please read on and help, I really need someone to respond...

I'm a 16 year old boy and currently a Junior in high school. I'm a thinker, but of certain things, such as my near future and I do get worried at where I'll be in the years leading. I'm not a good worker, I have around a 2.8 overall GPA at the moment (Horrible, just horrible) and my current GPA in my first semester of Junior year is a 2.8. I like to think my family is pretty damn wealthy. I mean we're fed, clothed, and sheltered everyday and can usually purchase additional pleasantries, but I never really ask for stuff because I don't like asking for money because it's his money to spend. I hate being cocky, but right now I have to. I know the worth of a dollar. I've saved up for my guitars, I've earned them from playing gigs and stuff and it took years so I feel like I understand what is expected later on to make ends meat. I want a family, kids, a home that my family can come over and be like "Wow, nice house you rich muthafuka" (Joking). I just have no idea how much I need and how good a job is good enough... I know I can go to Community College and then transfer (Probably my plan), but I need to know now! I need to be put to rest! How the hell do I know how to provide for a family?
More stuff about how I was raised to think:
My dad makes around 200,000$ which I know is like cut in half by taxes, but he started from a lower salary of course (around 50,000$ or so) and he is now 52. We live in a wealthy area (makes me feel out of place sometiems) and when they bought our house 15-20 years ago it was much cheaper and then the prices just raised so maybe I was a bit lucky to be living here (Sunnyvale, CA). I just need to know how to know what is good enough.
Thank you

 

[sonofva]

This is an impossible question to answer as everyone's definition of success is different, and the goals you have now will likely be vastly different from your goals when you are 30.

 

[Tigrane]

This is an impossible question to answer as everyone's definition of success is different, and the goals you have now will likely be vastly different from your goals when you are 30.

This is a disappointing first answer, but I think if I put it simpler. I'm just asking what is good enough to support a medium sized family. Approximates are everything!

 

[sonofva]

Well. I am an army captain, flight surgeon. I make ~100,000 a year before taxes. I support a wife and soon a child. We live what I consider to be a comfortable life, in a nice enough apartment, two reasonably priced cars which we just paid off, and enough money for my wife to travel home fairly often by plane. My hobbies are inexpensive (lifting/running). We go out to eat probably 2x for dinner and one brunch weekly. We are happy with this. We are simple people and we know how to save money and plan for long term goals. You may have more expensive hobbies, travel plans, need for big house/fancy car, more kids, earlier retirement goals than myself, want to live in more expensive area (California vs Virginia where I plan to practice after the army).

Bear in mind that in the USA, avg income for a family of 4 nationwide is ~70k, avg income across all households is ~50k. All these families are making it work somehow, right? This in mind, if you can find some way to make >100k a year and you're still struggling, you've made some poor life choices imho.

 

[Tigrane]

Well. I am an army captain, flight surgeon. I make ~100,000 a year before taxes. I support a wife and soon a child. We live what I consider to be a comfortable life, in a nice enough apartment, two reasonably priced cars which we just paid off, and enough money for my wife to travel home fairly often by plane. My hobbies are inexpensive (lifting/running). We go out to eat probably 2x for dinner and one brunch weekly. We are happy with this. We are simple people and we know how to save money and plan for long term goals. You may have more expensive hobbies, travel plans, need for big house/fancy car, more kids, earlier retirement goals than myself, want to live in more expensive area (California vs Virginia where I plan to practice after the army).

Bear in mind that in the USA, avg income for a family of 4 nationwide is ~70k, avg income across all households is ~50k. All these families are making it work somehow, right? This in mind, if you can find some way to make >100k a year and you're still struggling, you've made some poor life choices imho.

See, that actually helped so much. I've been surrounded by just one paycheck and I couldn't tell if that was just enough or we had a lot in the "backroom". I'm not worried about a big house (At this point, a small house would be preferable) maybe because our house right now isn't very big, but still pretty spacey.
As I said before, I love to think about my life in the future, and I'd probably travel once or twice a year... anyways, you don't really need to know what I think, it's just that your salary gives you a comfortable life. Two cars that are paid off, I'd probably buy used anyways, but that actually amazes me because it shows the money management I'd need. My hobbies are much more expensive on the other hand, I'm a multi-instrumental musician, though mainly guitar, and equipment is a burden to pay if I was able to pay for it, and also cycling, which is a bit cheaper except the bike itself, but other than that, tennis is cheap. I'm just talking a bit too much. Thank you again, this helped tremendously!

 

[ConfusedChemist]

You are absurdly wealthy, or rather your parents are. Likely in the top 2% of all Americans. You can survive happily on much less.
And if your future definition of success involves money, go into investment banking. You'll make a lot more a lot quicker than medicine

 

[Law2Doc]

As suggested in the prior post, only go into medicine if you think you would enjoy medicine. If your goal is a certain income or to live a certain standard of living rather than an excitement of the job take a different path. This isn't a good path for everyone.

 

[ConfusedChemist]

I also just noticed you're a high school student struggling to pass your courses and graduate. So, this is basically the last thing you need to worry about at this point. See if you get into college first, and if you get a good GPA then.

 

[Dr Tony T. Chopper]

If 500k+ as a rock star ortho is what you are shooting for, I suggest you hit the books immediately.