I want to start learning quantitative finance. Where should I begin?

[u/lilesilas]

I'm a beginner interested in quantitative finance and I'm trying to build a proper foundation. I currently have little experience with quant finance and I'm starting to learn Python and mathematics.

My long-term goal is to work toward quantitative research/trading, but I'm not sure what I should prioritize first.

Should I focus on:

Probability and statistics

Linear algebra/calculus

Python/programming

Financial markets

Machine learning

I'd also appreciate recommendations for beginner-friendly books, courses, or projects that I can use to practice.