Today, there are several books about "how to get rich." Unfortunately, most of these books give financial advice that are often out of reach. Of the few amazing books that give practical advice on how to become rich, The Next Millionaire Next Door by Dr. Thomas J. Stanley remains a terrific read. This new book is a revised version of the classic, The Millionaire Next Door.
Furthermore, The Next Millionaire Next Door helps you understand that building wealth doesn't happen overnight. The major idea behind the book is that wealth is the product of a lifetime of positive financial habits. Also, the book provides data-backed insights into the things or habits required to become a millionaire. It gives a couple of enduring strategies for building wealth. In this post, we will be providing you with a couple of financial tips from the book – The Next Millionaire Next Door.
Common Things about the Average Millionaire
From the book, there are some common things that make up some of the average millionaires we have today. These include;
- They are mostly 61-year-old men.
- Most of them are either married (69%) or remarried (25%).
- Their median income is $250k.
- Their median net worth is $3.5 million.
What Does It Take To Become Wealthy?
Similar to the original book, The Next Millionaire Next Door offers practical advice on the things or habits to learn from millionaires in order to become wealthy. Here are some requirements for people who seek financial success.
1. Ignore the Myths of Wealth
To become wealthy, you need to ignore the myths of wealth. Also, you need to clearly understand the difference between income and net worth, as well as the obstacles you may likely experience when creating self-made wealth.
2. Recognize Other People's Financial Attitudes
However, it is important for you to recognize the financial attitudes and behaviors of those that surround you and the influence it has on their lifestyle, finances, and decision making. This will help you distinguish between those who are committed to financial success and those who care more about appearing to be rich. Thus, you can learn from people committed to financial success like you.
3. Make Informed Decisions
Furthermore, it is important that you make consistently good and well-informed consumer decisions. You can start with your neighborhood. Take time to understand how your neighborhood or where you live can affect your prospects of reaching your financial goals.
4. Assess Your Strengths and Weakness
Also, to become wealthy, you need to evaluate your strengths and weaknesses concerning how you handle your finances. This will give you insights into areas that you need to improve upon. These include frugality and owning responsibility for financial outcomes. Moreover, assessing your strengths and weaknesses gives you the confidence to make informed financial decisions based on critical thinking.
5. Decide Work and Career Philosophy
In addition, you need to decide early on philosophy for both your work and career. You should not assume that the traditional view of work, i.e., working from 8 am to 6 pm from age 25 to 67 years, is the only path to becoming a millionaire. Once you decide on your work and career philosophy as early as possible, you can explore the options and opportunities available to you.
6. Learning Successful Investing Behaviors
What's more, you need to learn successful investing behaviors in order to become a millionaire. Even after learning, you still need to continue improving on them. Remember, the fruits of effectively investing what you have saved over time will provide adequate security for the essential aspects of your life.
These requirements for becoming wealthy, as stated in the book, are so amazing. In fact, a chapter was dedicated to explaining and analyzing each thought into details.
Thoughts about the Six Activities
Here are some thoughts about the six activities it takes to become wealthy, as mentioned in The Next Millionaire Next Door:
The notion that people are wealthy when they earn a high income is absolutely wrong. If you can’t distinguish between income and net worth, then you're almost certainly fooled by the myth of wealth.
As explained in the book, the cornerstone of building wealth is being frugal. You need to stop caring about frivolities (keeping up with the Joneses). Often, we think most people have conquered it already. However, in reality, the opposite is the case.
Ignore those who appear to be rich. Learn more from those who are equally committed to financial success like you. They will guide you in making informed financial decisions. However, one of the biggest spending or investment decisions you can make is buying a property. This is why it is often said that "the type of house you buy will determine your wealth."
Discipline is a vital factor in the success of the average millionaire. If you intend to become a millionaire, you need to be as disciplined as possible. Likewise, you need to be determined and resolute in your quest to become a millionaire.
There are several ways to address work. Any of these will certainly affect your financial life. Even after choosing the right occupation, there are still further steps you need to take. This will ensure that you are making the most out of your earning potential. In addition, you should consider side hustles and passive income to increase your earnings and grow your wealthy.
Finally, the average millionaire is always open to learning new investment ideas. In fact, they spend several hours daily reading about investment and strategies to increase their income. Whatever they decide upon, they always maintain discipline. Remember, discipline is vital to success.
Conclusion
There you have it! Above are the top financial tips from The Next Millionaire Next Door. Over the years, the thinking around money has changed. Likewise, millionaires, their actions, as well as the way they acquire wealth, has evolved. Regardless, by making use of the financial tips provided above, you can set yourself on the path to becoming the next millionaire next door.