I know what you mean, sometimes I find myself thinking "ah man, I wish I'd learned about Bitcoin a few years sooner." But that's why I'm always looking for fresh, new projects on the horizon. If you can find a way to get in on the ground floor of something that later turns into a tremendous success... well, I guess that's what every venture capitalist hopes for.
I don't really care about having a luxurious lifestyle either. All I want is a way to maintain my current standard of living and maybe buy a nice little house for my family. I don't need to be rich or anything. Surely that much should be achievable!