Back in the day, Mark Cuban had a straightforward vision: get rich before hitting 35, then call it quits. The strategy seemed bulletproof on paper—stack millions, walk away, and unlock the kind of freedom that only financial independence brings. For a while, it actually looked doable. Fresh out of Indiana University's business school, the trajectory pointed upward. But here's where the story takes an interesting turn. Reality rarely plays out exactly as we plan it.