It grows potentially exponentially

If you're around 30 years old, every dollar you spend wastefully today (and don't invest wisely) could be as much as ten or twenty dollars you wont have for retirement in 30 or 40 years.

Sound investments can grow exponentially in the long term. That $2000 you spent on your recent (and forgettable) trip to Vegas will be about $20,000 to $40,000 you won't have when you need it in Sun City.