It is still possible

Timeless principles

In order to attract wealth into your life, you still need to add value to the world. This fact has not changed from the beginnings of civilisation. You cannot get something for nothing. Expecting “Something for nothing” violates the central principles of the universe. You just need to provide value in exchange for  something else of value. No relationship or business transaction ever succeeded in the long term without an exchange of equal (or perceived as equal) value to both parties involved. Even a good friendship is the result of an exchange of value. This usually comes in the form of shared experiences or conversation, but it is an exchange of value none the less. 

Playing the lottery or gambling is a violation of this principle. It is the pursuit of getting something for nothing. In exchange for 1 dollar, you can get a million. There is a belief in “luck” or even divine providence that is foolish and naive driving this behaviour and it rarely ever pays off. That is why the house always wins.

The universe is far more willing to bend your way when you intentionally set out to provide a million dollars worth of value to its inhabitants. You can do this by providing 1 dollars worth of value to a million people or a million dollars worth of value to 1 person - and every permutation in between. This is how it is done almost all of the time. Most millionaires have provided a product or service that lots of people want and are willing to pay for. They did not usually steal or swindle to get their fortunes, as is the prevailing belief among the general population. That approach is never sustainable as a business and the rare time that it does fit that narrative, it is depicted in Hollywood and TV stories about rags to riches. They usually condense a 20 year period of hard work and sacrifice into a two minute montage. Real wealth is created through hard work, perseverance and providing value.

Grow Your Money

You still need to grow your money if you want to have financial freedom - this has not changed either. 

The stock market is one way to grow your wealth. 

Real estate is another time-tested way to create a fortune. 

You can start a business or invest in one.

You can invest in peer to peer lending.

You can drive an Uber.

If you see a need, fill it. There has never been a time in human history with more opportunity to make a fortune than today. Of course, contrary to what popular opinion would have you believe,  you have to work for it; there is no free ride. The world has tricked us into believing that things should be instant and easy. This is just so not true, especially when it comes to creating wealth. It takes an average of 22 years to become a millionaire. 22 years of long hours, hard work, and sacrifice. You must believe that this is not only possible, but probable - if you are willing to do what it takes. Trying to find a shortcut or a trick to become wealthy without hard work, sacrifice, self discipline and long term thinking is foolishness. It is rare and unsustainable to become wealthy in any other way. 

The Good News

The good part about this is that getting rich is not reserved for the special few. Anyone who is willing to pay the price can become wealthy. It is not a favour bestowed upon the lucky from a benevolent deity, it is a real world thing. If you live in a free country that conforms to capitalism and fair trade, you can become wealthy. You must seize the opportunity. No-one is going to give it to you. No-one is going to hold your hand and lead you to wealth, you must take it. The information is out there. It is widely available, it is up to you to find it , consume it and implement it. 

My books, training courses and articles are just one of thousands of different plans that you can use to become wealthy. I happily endorse any that are helpful to you. I know that if you follow my strategies you can become wealthy. You don’t need any special skills or income level to apply it. My plan is a way for ANYONE to get started and grow their wealth, learn how to invest and become financially independent. I often refer to my system as a gateway drug into the world of investing, as the principles can be used to branch out into many different types of investments. “There is more than one way to skin a cat”, as they say, and my way works, but it is just one way. I believe that if you are really serious about wealth creation and financial freedom you would use as many strategies and investment vehicles as possible, since we all know that  putting all of your eggs in one basket is usually a recipe for disaster. Even the most successful entrepreneurs take the proceeds from their business and divest them into real estate and paper assets like dividend bearing stocks. They have the calm and sober perspective that any one income stream can fade or disappear due to a myriad of macro-economic factors. The principles that create wealth are universal and not usually asset-specific. This is why I am confident that my strategies work. They are transferrable to many different investment classes and sectors. 

The value of my system is that you can learn how to invest and grow your wealth without needing to use a large amount of money. It is a micro version of more traditional investment methodologies and you can scale it to any size you want. Once you have built up any significant amount of assets you have the flexibility to divest or double down in any way you see fit.  Once you have understood your options and how it can work, you have become much more powerful. You now have the option to use the strategies in the ways that make the most sense to you. You can become a sophisticated investor without having to risk a ton of money, or spending decades building up enough capital to buy into more traditional investing classes like real estate. It is all there for the taking.

Work Smarter

The economy will ebb and flow like the tides, and no one has a crystal ball. If you diversify and hedge your investments properly, you can prosper no matter what the economic circumstances. There are many people who have done equally well in boom and bust economies, and if you let them, they are actually willing to share their strategies with you. They write books, and create courses that share that information with you. Don't fall into the trap that you can learn everything you that need from free information on YouTube or blogs. There is a ton of good stuff out there but making a small investment in a training course or a seminar can save you thousands of dollars, thousands of hours, and a lot of heartache. It can also help you make a ton of money; much more that you usually will spend on the book or course. Find a person who has done what you want to do and learn from them. It is far more effective than trial and error. Why reinvent the wheel? 

Seek Out Expertise

You also may put your trust in your investment advisor at the bank or insurance company. These people will make life easy for you by handling all of your investment decisions for you. They will also charge a fee for doing so. Make sure you look at their track record. If they have consistently provided great returns and made many people wealthy then, by all means, jump on that bandwagon. But if they are offering mediocre or poor returns, yet post consistent quarterly profits for their institution you may want to reconsider their investment products and buy shares in their company instead. These people are paid salesmen. They earn a wage just like you and I do, and they don’t know much more about how to earn money than anyone else. I am in no way slandering traditional investment institutions as they do what they do well, I am just making sure you consider all of the options before you spend a lifetime pumping your hard earned money into something that may or may not give you the outcome you desire. Be informed. As there is inherent risk in all investing, you need to go into any situation with your eyes open. 

For instance, often times employers will offer a matched savings retirement plan through paycheck deductions. For every dollar you contribute to your retirement plan, they will match it. Even though these plans are offered through insurance companies that produce below average returns and charge ridiculous fees, it is still a great investment. You are getting a 100% return on your money right out of the gate. TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS!  You will be hard pressed to find a better investment than that. It is easy and automatic. A recent study by Financial Engines found that 1 in 4 employees are not fully taking advantage of their employer’s matched savings plans. This amounts to an average of  $1336 per person per year  or 24 billion dollars being left on the table. What a waste! It is right there under your nose. 

So smart investing doesn’t need to be hard. You just need to be informed. I encourage you to learn as much as you can about money and investing from people that you trust. I would love it if you read my books or took one of my training courses. If you think my plan is not for you then I am happy to suggest many others. I have raved about other authors before and will continue to do so, as they have helped me immensely and I am grateful for their contributions to my life. 

May this year bring you joy and happiness. I wish success and fulfilment for all.