Just Google the term “get rich” and you’ll see a ton of results for ways to get ahead as easily as possible. And it’s not just get-rich-quick schemes too. There are now a growing number of legitimate money-making opportunities on and offline.
Still, there’s a gap between the number of people obsessed with getting rich and those who achieve this elusive benchmark. After all, the road to wealth is filled with hurdles — whether circumstantial, mental, or emotional.
Circumstances can be hard to overcome, but I think our biggest problem sits between our ears. You can be in the right place at the right time, with everything going for you, and still not get ahead. If desire and even circumstances aren’t enough, how do you know you’re prepared to get rich?
I think these seven signs can be good indicators:
1. You Can Clearly Define What “Rich” Will Look Like for You.
A common hang-up is the inability to define what rich means for you, personally. Most of us aren’t shooting for Bill Gates-level wealth, yet we haven’t defined what we are aiming for. The more clarity you give to the vague idea of wealth, the more tangible it will become to you, and the more it will drive you to do the work it takes to get there. It will also be much easier to tell when you’ve achieved it.
2. You’re Ready to Get Out of Your Comfort Zone.
The process of getting wealthy is rarely comfortable. Even if you manage to get rich doing something you love, it will require some level of discomfort. This could mean pushing yourself to learn new skills, practicing to perfect your art, dealing with annoying people, or stepping into social circles and settings you’re not used to. If you’re ready for discomfort, you’re not ready to get rich.
3. You’re Ready for Risk, and Loss.
The greatest achievements are often preceded by the greatest risks, the greatest failures, and the greatest losses. Just read the stories of some of the most successful people on the planet, and you’ll see plenty of proof for this. Gaining financial freedom means taking calculated risks and staying determined despite challenges and initial failure. We’re often most afraid of the unknown and what we can’t control — so take control. Being ready for risk requires spelling out exactly what could go wrong and having a game plan in case it does.
4. You’re Willing to Live Like No One Else.
If you want to get rich, you’re going to have to live as if you’re not. We often envision wealth as the freedom to live lavishly, but the wealthiest people are usually the most frugal with their spending. Saving and wisely investing money rather than spending it is what truly makes — and keeps — people rich.
And it goes beyond spending habits. The wealthiest people read more (and not just novels), watch less than one hour of television each day, and use most of their Internet time for work-related tasks. This isn’t to say that wealthy people don’t enjoy themselves. They just waste less of their time than most of us do.
5. You’re Unafraid of What People Might Think.
Socially, strange things can happen when your income level changes. People might start acting jealous, assume you’ve changed, stereotype you, or find it awkward to relate to you. Wealth will often reveal who your true friends are and can even hurt genuine relationships.
The fear of how wealth will change your social position or others’ perception of you can unconsciously hold you back from pursuing a better financial position. Until you get past this, it will be difficult to whole-heartedly pursue financial freedom.
6. You’re Fed Up With The Status Quo.
Sometimes, we just aren’t ready to do what it takes to get wealthy because we haven’t had it bad enough yet. Despite its problems, the status quo can feel safe and even comforting if it’s all you’ve ever known. When you’re fed up with mediocre finances, it’s a powerful source of motivation to do what it takes to build wealth.
7. You Spend Time Absorbing Positive Thinking.
Negativity and pessimism will throw water on any sparks of motivation to get rich. Do you have friends who complain about their money problems but never do anything about them or always shoot down your ideas? Getting wealthy will require spending a little less time with them and more time with people who will encourage you to pursue your goals.
People that build wealth believe in themselves, believe in the real possibilities of where they can be financially, and surround themselves with people and influences (role models, blogs, books, podcasts) that foster a can-do attitude.
So, how do you measure up? Are you ready to get wealthy, or do you need to start working on one of these areas first?
{ read the comments below or add one }
Risk is the best choice to make yourself wealthy.
Rich is such a moving target. There was a time when I’d have considered one million dollars in investments to equal being rich. Now that we have several million invested I don’t see us as rich at all, just financially independent. My friends with tens or hundreds of millions of dollars, they are what I see as rich. But they compare themselves to our couple of billionaire friends, they see them as the rich ones. I don’t know about the billionaire friends, I’m guessing they at least think they are rich?