Us steemians already do this for ourselves at least to a degree, but I think it worth reiterating:
Start working for yourself as early as possible. Only work for others as a stepping stone to working for yourself, or if you really, really believe in the cause of your leader.
Most of history's really successful people were leaders who took initiative for themselves and wanted to do something great. This does not mean being selfish and egotistical. You can strive to make life better for others. It means not giving up your wishes and liberties to work for someone else. Other people will always try and take advantage of your goodwill. Don't let them.
This is going to be way harder than holding down a stable job, as you will need a lot more skills and willpower to make things happen on your own. But if you choose to do something that excites you and that you find meaningful, you will also be infused with much more energy and resourcefulness when compared to working for someone else's goals.
You can do this as a member of a company, just find a way to become an owner of a part of it. And the smaller the company, the better. Large corporations tend to make it hard for someone to have an impact and understand the part he plays in the development of the company.
Thanks for reading!