People who rely on a fixed salary don’t need to research industries; it’s not that such research is meaningless, but rather that it holds no relevance to their situation.

People who study an industry—for example, semiconductors—clinch their positions in that sector. Why? Because they've already reached management level and are eligible for stock options. If you're just a low-level grunt in the semiconductor industry with no chance of getting stock, what exactly are you sticking around for? Even if conditions finally improve, the semiconductor sector won't hand you any money.

What are you waiting for by staying committed to chip work? A turnaround. Once that happens and the company goes public, even a team lead could receive a grant worth tens of millions. Meanwhile, if you run off to work at a major internet company, you're left with a salary of a million or two—minus taxes. If you endure low pay at a chip firm, you're betting on the industry exploding upward. Win that bet, and you're looking at a minimum of 50 million. That's when you need to study the industry.

The class was yesterday, but the knowledge is absorbed day by day. The payout comes today, but the foundation was laid three years ago.

For regular employees, it's far better to set up a second income stream as early as possible.