Ordinary people should aim to save up to 1 million dollars before the age of 35—that's a very realistic baseline.

Because once you pass 35, many people will face a passive situation: fewer job opportunities, unstable income, and the risk of unemployment at any time, ultimately forcing them into manual labor and remaining in a state of passive work for the long term.
However, if you have 1 million dollars before 35, the situation will fundamentally change.
This money doesn't require you to take risks; by making basic investments with an annual return of 5% to 6%, you can earn $5,000 to $6,000 each year.
This income is enough to cover a relatively modest daily expense for an individual.
In other words, you are no longer entirely dependent on work for survival but have gained the most basic right to choose.
What truly matters is not this income itself, but the “time” it brings.
From age 35 to 65, you will have 30 years of discretionary time.
Without the pressure of survival, you can focus your energy on one thing and invest continuously.
Once time is extended, many things will change.
You only need to choose a direction, cultivate it long-term, and keep accumulating experience and skills.
30 years of sustained effort is itself a huge advantage.
Eventually, you may develop enough expertise in a certain field to not only continuously create value but also maintain a stable income even after retirement.
To sum up:
In the early stage, use work and restrained consumption to achieve initial accumulation;
In the middle stage, use investment returns to cover basic living expenses;
In the later stage, dedicate time to deepening one skill or area, amplifying personal value.
Saving up 1 million dollars by age 35 is not the end goal but the starting point for an ordinary person to break free from a passive life.