What the Journey to ₹10 Crores Actually Looks Like (And Why Most Investors Quit Early)
What the Journey to ₹10 Crores Actually Looks Like (And Why Most Investors Quit Early)
"My SIP has been running for two years and my portfolio is barely up. Should I stop?"
If you've ever asked this question — or quietly thought it — you are not alone. Thousands of Indian salaried professionals start their wealth-creation journey with great enthusiasm, only to feel disillusioned when the results seem painfully slow.
The truth? You're probably right on track. The journey to a ₹10 crore corpus is not a straight line. It's a long, often invisible, deeply psychological game — and most investors quit just before compounding starts to work its real magic.
In this post, we'll break down the actual math, the year-by-year emotional journey, and the behavioural traps that derail even smart investors — so you can stay the course and actually get there.
The ₹10 Crore Dream — Reality vs Expectation
₹10 crores has become the new benchmark for financial independence in urban India. With real estate prices soaring, private school fees running into lakhs per year, and retirement potentially spanning 25–30 years, it's not unreasonable — it's actually a minimum target for many families.
But here's where most people go wrong:
• They expect linear growth. Wealth creation is exponential, not linear.
• They chase returns instead of staying consistent. A 2% difference in return matters far less than quitting for 2 years.
• They underestimate time. Building real wealth takes 15–25 years of disciplined investing.
• They confuse activity with progress. Switching funds frequently feels productive but destroys compounding.
The investors who reach ₹10 crore are rarely the most aggressive — they're the most consistent.
The Math Behind Building ₹10 Crores
Let's make this real. If you invest ₹50,000 per month via SIP into equity mutual funds, here is how your corpus grows at 12% and 15% annualised returns:
* Illustrative projections only. Actual returns may vary. Mutual fund investments are subject to market risk.
Notice something striking: at Year 10, you've invested ₹60 lakhs — but your corpus is already ₹1.15 crore at 12%. And by Year 22–23, you're comfortably past ₹10 crore. The last 5 years add more wealth than the first 15 combined.
The Most Dangerous Years: Years 1–3
This is where the majority of investors quit. Here's why these years are so psychologically brutal:
Your portfolio looks tiny
You've invested ₹18 lakhs over 3 years. The market has returned, say, 15%. You have ₹22 lakhs. After all those sacrifices — skipping holidays, cutting discretionary spending — your portfolio grew by just ₹4 lakhs. It barely feels worth it.
Market volatility hits hard
In the early years, even a 20% market correction can make your portfolio go negative. This is emotionally devastating when you haven't yet built the mental muscle of watching through the storm.
Lifestyle temptations are everywhere
Friends are buying new cars, upgrading homes, going on international holidays. Your SIP deductions hit your salary account like clockwork. FOMO is real, and it is relentless.
You don't yet have proof that this works
At Year 2, you have data points — not evidence. It takes witnessing one full market cycle (bull and bear) to truly internalise that equity investing works. Most investors never get there because they exit during the bear phase.
The Compounding Inflection Point
Here's the secret that long-term investors discover around Year 8–10: compounding becomes visible.
Your corpus starts growing by ₹10–15 lakhs per year — not because you invested more, but because the existing corpus is now large enough that even a 12% return generates significant absolute rupee gains.
Example: At ₹1 crore corpus, a 12% return adds ₹12 lakhs in a single year — that's more than 2 months of your SIP contributions, generated automatically.
Getting to the first ₹1 crore is genuinely the hardest milestone. It requires years of investing with little visible reward. But here's what changes:
• Your monthly SIP now represents a smaller percentage of your total portfolio.
• Market returns are working on a larger base — generating more wealth each year.
• Your confidence and conviction in the strategy is now evidence-backed.
• The mental shift from 'investor' to 'wealth owner' begins.
Why Most SIP Investors Quit (Behavioural Finance Angle)
India has one of the highest SIP discontinuation rates in the world. Here's the psychology behind it:
1. Recency Bias
When markets fall 15–20%, investors assume the worst is yet to come and stop their SIPs — right when they should be buying units at a discount. Every rupee invested in a market downturn plants seeds for outsized returns in the recovery.
2. Social Media Comparison
Instagram is full of people showing 40% returns from momentum stocks or crypto. Your diversified equity fund returning 12% looks boring. The comparison kills conviction. Remember: most of those stories don't show the losses that followed.
3. Lack of Goal Clarity
When investors don't tie their SIP to a specific goal — children's education, retirement at 55, house purchase — the sacrifices feel abstract. Goal-based investing creates an emotional anchor that makes it significantly harder to quit.
4. Unrealistic Return Expectations
Inspired by 5-year bull market data, many investors expect 25–30% CAGR every year. When reality delivers 10–12%, they feel cheated and exit — missing the very compounding they were waiting for.
5. Life Events Without a Plan
Job loss, medical emergency, marriage, home purchase — without an emergency fund and proper financial planning, these events force SIP stoppages. The SIP becomes the easiest expense to cut when cash is tight.
How to Actually Stay Invested for 20+ Years
This is where financial planning earns its value. Here are strategies that work:
Automate Everything
Set your SIP on auto-debit the day after salary credit. Remove the choice entirely. Automation is the single most powerful tool for long-term investing discipline.
Build Your Emergency Fund First
Before scaling up your SIP, ensure you have 6–12 months of expenses in a liquid fund. This ensures your SIP is never the emergency fund — and never gets stopped for the wrong reasons.
Invest with Specific Goals
Map each SIP to a goal: ₹20,000/month for retirement, ₹15,000/month for child's education, ₹15,000/month for wealth creation. When you see goal-linked progress, stopping feels like giving up on your child's future — not just a financial decision.
Step Up Your SIP Annually
Increase your SIP by 10–15% every year as your income grows. This strategy dramatically accelerates the corpus timeline and keeps your lifestyle inflation in check.
Review Annually, Not Monthly
Reviewing your portfolio every month is a recipe for emotional decisions. Review asset allocation once a year. Check if you're on track for your goals. Don't chase monthly returns.
Understand Asset Allocation
As you approach your goal, gradually shift from pure equity to a balanced or conservative allocation. Protecting your corpus is as important as growing it.
Is ₹10 Crores Enough in India?
This is the question that separates financial planning from financial dreaming. The answer depends heavily on:
• When you retire — a 45-year-old retiring today and a 60-year-old face very different inflation horizons.
• Where you live — Mumbai retirement is different from Jaipur retirement.
• Your lifestyle expectations — travel, healthcare, children's financial support.
• Whether the ₹10 crore is investable corpus or includes illiquid assets like real estate.
At a 6% annual withdrawal rate, ₹10 crore generates approximately ₹60 lakhs per year — or ₹5 lakhs per month before taxes. With 7% inflation, this purchasing power halves in about 10 years.
The bottom line: ₹10 crore is a strong starting point, but not a universal answer. A personalised retirement plan — factoring in your specific lifestyle, goals, family, and income sources — is essential.
The Long Game Is the Only Game Worth Playing
The journey to ₹10 crores is not glamorous. It doesn't go viral. No one posts about the year their portfolio dropped 30% — and they stayed fully invested anyway.
But the investors who build real wealth in India share one trait: they understood early that wealth creation is a test of character, not intelligence. Discipline, patience, and a plan outperform market timing and fund-switching every single time.
Every bull market rewards the patient. Every correction punishes the impulsive. Your SIP is doing exactly what it should — working quietly in the background while the rest of the world chases noise.
If you're unsure whether your current investment plan will actually get you to your goals, or if you want a clear, personalised roadmap, I'd love to help. A single, focused financial planning session can give you the clarity and confidence to stay invested for the long term.
Book a free 30-minute consultation.
Let's build your ₹10 crore plan — together. Call at +91-9460825477
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How much SIP is needed for ₹10 crore?
At 12% annualised returns over 22 years, a monthly SIP of approximately ₹50,000 can grow to ₹10 crore. At 15% returns, the same SIP can reach ₹10 crore in about 20 years. The exact amount depends on your starting age, return assumptions, and SIP step-ups.
Can I reach ₹10 crore with a ₹25,000 SIP?
Yes — but it will take longer. With ₹25,000/month at 12% CAGR, you'd need approximately 26–27 years to reach ₹10 crore. If you step up your SIP by 10% annually, you can compress this timeline by 4–5 years significantly.
What return is required to build ₹10 crore?
A 12–15% CAGR is historically achievable through diversified equity mutual funds over 15–25 year horizons in India. Past performance does not guarantee future results, but Indian equity markets have historically delivered in this range over long periods.
How long does it take to reach ₹1 crore?
With a ₹25,000/month SIP at 12% returns, you can expect to cross ₹1 crore in approximately 14–15 years. With ₹50,000/month, this can happen in 10–11 years. Your first crore always feels like the slowest milestone — but it gets dramatically faster after that.
Is mutual fund SIP enough for retirement in India?
For most salaried Indians, a disciplined SIP in diversified equity mutual funds — combined with PPF or NPS for debt allocation — is one of the most effective retirement strategies. It needs to be paired with adequate insurance (term + health) and a proper asset allocation strategy as you near retirement.
What if markets crash during my SIP journey?
Market corrections are not risks to your SIP — they are actually opportunities. When markets fall, your SIP buys more units at lower prices (rupee cost averaging). Historically, investors who continued SIPs through crashes like 2008, 2020, and 2022 saw their portfolios recover and grow significantly stronger within 2–3 years.
About the Author
Hi, I’m Gunjan Kataria, Founder at Financial Friend in Jaipur.
As a Certified Financial Planner (CFP) and Chartered Trust and Estate Planner (CTEP), I specialize in customized strategies that align with clients' unique risk profiles and financial goals, enabling them to make informed decisions for wealth growth and management.
I help working professionals, women, parents, retirees, and first-time investors make smart money decisions without the jargon.
With years of experience guiding people through budgeting, saving, investing, and retirement planning, I’ve seen one truth:
-- Most people don’t need complicated strategies, they need a clear, personalised plan they can actually follow.
What I do:
1. Help you build wealth while enjoying your present life
2. Create customised money plans based on your goals & lifestyle
3. Break down complex financial concepts into easy, actionable steps
4. Provide guidance that’s trustworthy, friendly, and free from product-pushing
I believe personal finance isn’t just about numbers, it’s about freedom, security, and peace of mind.
Whether you’re:
🔹 Starting your career and want to avoid costly money mistakes
🔹 A professional in IT or other fast-paced industries seeking clarity in your finances
🔹 A High Net Worth Individual (HNI), CEO, or business owner wanting a trusted partner to optimize wealth and secure your legacy
🔹Preparing for retirement and aiming for peace of mind
🔹 Or simply looking to manage your money better
I’m here to be your trusted guide and partner in the journey.
Let’s connect and talk about how you can take control of your finances, grow your wealth, and design a life you truly love.
E-mail: gunjan@financialfriend.in
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Disclaimer
This blog post is for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice. Past performance is not indicative of future results.
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