Get Rich or Die Trying

Who wants to be a millionaire? If anyone answered no, then that's less competition for the rest of us! It may be a taboo topic to discuss getting rich and becoming a millionaire, but looking at the statistics: 100% of the people who did not try, failed. There is at least 1 trillion dollars out there (how much actual money is there in the world?) and the only way to get a share is to earn it. Think about it, whoever has money looks to spend or invest it. No one smart really holds onto money for no reason; the wealthy use it to maintain their status and lifestyle while making money work for them. Read more to learn how you can achieve the same, but be prepared to work hard and don't expect anything to come easy.

If you read the previous post on managing your credit, you are well aware that getting rich is one of my goals (right after I improve my credit). It is important to remember that your credit score speaks about your finances whether you want it to or not. Although it is not necessary to embark on the endeavor of becoming a millionaire, it is a good idea to keep that in mind and use it to your advantage.

First off, there are a few things to understand before beginning this journey. The first is that money is not the root of all evil, it is lack of money. Also, do not get over come with greed and forget about the ethics behind this get rich project. Second, becoming a millionaire is not about acquiring massive amounts of money, but more about helping many people and/or companies as you grow your business relationship with them.

"The real measure of wealth is how much we'd be worth if we lost all our money" -Jowett

To make things easier, I've divided the information into 7 parts. Initially meant for each day of the week, but of course it can be used in any way that is beneficial to you.

1. Clear Vision
Clarity is the ultimate power. Determine what your real values are and get 100% clear on what you want. Absolute clarity is a MUST! You need to know who you are, what you want, and what you need to give up to get there. Take responsibility for your current reality so you can change it.

Every person has unique gifts, abilities, life experiences and value to offer. Figure out the knowledge, experience, ability or solution you have that others will pay you for. Remember, what might be common knowledge to you isn't for other people (Hal Elrod - 7.1 Steps to Create Multiple Streams of Income).

2. Financial Resources
Bootstrapping (using existing resources) is important in the first few years. Don't quit your day job just yet unless you have a secure line of income to cover your expenses. Working with what you already have will decrease the worry and stress from loans and debt. Attempt to do what the #GIRLBOSS Sophia Amoruso did, build from the ground up with no debt and roll all of the profit back into the business. Sacrifices will be required, but in the end if you are able to build a successful debt-free business you will be ahead of the game.

Save to invest, not just for the mere sake of saving. In time, you should be making more money off your investments than your work. Put your saved money into secured, sacred (untouchable) accounts. Never use these accounts for anything, not even an emergency (Grant Cardone - How to Become a Millionaire by Age 30). You can do like Grant Cardone and invest any surplus into ventures you cannot access. His next piece of advice is to avoid debt that doesn't pay. Rich people use debt to leverage investments and grow cash flows. Poor people use debt to buy things that make rich people richer (Cardone).

If you use money correctly, it can do the heavy lifting for you. When money works for you and not the other way around, it is easier to manage it and send it off in the right direction to grow further. Focus on increasing your income little by little. Start small, take your time, and watch your monthly income go from $3,000/month to $20,000/month. This will take a few years, but it is done step by step, not over night.

If you choose to apply for loans, then work within your means. Set limits and work within those limits. This will keep you from spending more than you make and sets the foundation for a disciplined business owner. Analyze every opportunity and weigh out the positives and negatives (Thomas Smale - 9 Factors That Helped Me Make My First $1M in Profits).

3. Strong Leadership
Get yourself a millionaire mentor. Research people that have successfully done what you want to do, and model what they did. Beyond that have a STRONG confidence account. You need to have faith in yourself, learn from your mistakes, and not get discouraged by all the people who cannot see the clear vision you have devised.

Don't let the opinions of the average man sway you. dream, and he thinks you are crazy. Succeed, and he thinks you are lucky. Acquire wealth, and he thinks you are greedy. Pay no attention. He simply doesn't understand" -Robert G. Allen

When you are in a struggle, let your vision guide you, not your current circumstances. Embrace the challenges and look at them as tests of your character and how bad you want to succeed. Prove over and over again that you have the courage and determination to pick up where you failed and come back stronger than before.

4. Action Plan
Create an action plan with where you want to go and how you plan to get there. This will change over time, so leave room for improvement. This can be your business plan, but think of it more as a way to decide how you will spend your time. We all have the same 24 hours in a day, and the main difference between successful people and others are the ability to manage time effectively. You need to set attainable goals and work hard to reach them. Use your action plan to remain focused and realize that you can't chase every opportunity and every dollar. Rome was not built in a day, so take your time and do things properly.

Part of your plan should include time for yourself. Create a morning routine to start your day off on the right foot. Separate time for family and friends, as well as focused uninterrupted time for working on your goals. The amount of stress people have in their lives is directly related to the lack of rituals they have in place. Peter Voogd suggests crafting your ideal result rituals that will keep your long-term growth from stalling (What It Takes to Go From Dead Broke to 6 Figures in 6 Months). "I started asking myself what the 20 percent of activities I needed to focus on that created 80 percent of my results. Then organized my schedule around those priorities" (Peter Voogd).

5. HUSTLE! HARD!
There is not point to an action plan if you never execute it. This is the time to work hard, diligently, and don't stop until you no longer have to introduce yourself! (Don't take that saying too seriously, it s important to take breaks and rest your mind to increase your productivity.) At this point you will find that minimalism is a great way to run your business and your life. Don't show off what expensive things you can buy, instead be effective and efficient by showing up and doing all the work necessary to accomplish your goals. It's OK to celebrate your success and each milestone along the way, but if you are partying it up every weekend or so then you might as well drench your action plan in a bottle and drink to your demise.

If you are serious about working hard, then go further and make sure you can demonstrate good work ethics. Money is like a jealous lover. To get rich and stay rich, you need to make it a priority (Grant Cardone). Money also doesn't sleep. Be prepared to roll up your sleeves and get the job done, even if you don't want to. Never utter the words "That's not my job!" and never try to be the smartest or luckiest person in the room - just make sure you work harder than everyone else. Remember, if you are the smartest person in the room, you are in the wrong place... unless of course you are an invited guest speaker to help others achieve the success you already have.

6. Build a Valuable Team
At first, as you work hard to execute your action plan, you will find that you need support. This may come from your friends and family, or hired help. Don't surround yourself with negative people. You can never please everyone and there will always be doubters. Realize who really matters, who never did, and who always will. Re-evaluate your circle of influence and pay attention to the role models you have chosen from part 3 Strong Leadership. Who you associate with is who you become, so stay away from anyone who has nothing good to say and is busy being a bum. Seek advice from your mentors and constructive criticism from those you trust.

After the ball starting rolling and your business takes off, hire people that are smart and have different skills. Never be afraid to hire someone smarter than you, your employees should always know at minimum as much as you do about what they are hired to do. You can't wear every single hat within your business, so learn to delegate and steer your team in the direction of success. The realest thing a person can do is put someone in a position to make some money.

7. Reflect, Review & Appreciate
Not many articles I have read mentioned this last part. It may be a given, or not necessarily relevant to their chosen topic, but none the less this needs to be included. Take time to reflect upon your progress, appreciate all those you helped you get there and recognize that your sacrifices were well thought out and worth it. Revise your action plan, set bigger goals, help more people, and watch as your income propels you into millionaire status.

Cheers and good luck!