If only they taught financial intelligence in school... I think you are absolutely right, it is silly that so many people mortgage away their entire lives just to get a house a decade sooner... Paying many times the value of an object just to get it earlier, it's no good.
I have made this mistake and am still digging myself out... unfortunately for some people like me, you have to blow it once to realize how bad debt is.
At least eventually we can take control. Knowing that it is possible is half the battle, honestly. With any long term goal - especially financial ones - the big challenge can simply be to stay focused and know that we are making progress.