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Do millionaires think differently than other people? Yes! Here are 10 secrets of a millionaire mindset to give you insight into bigger thinking.
When we look at the behavior and attitudes of those who are financially successful and those who struggle to create wealth, we see many key differences.
However, there is one interesting psychological trait that is shared between the poor and rich alike. This is something called the self-serving bias.
The self-serving bias is any perceptual distortion an individual has, so they can continue to see themselves in a favorable light. We see this commonly when we look at entitled people who come from wealth and seem to blindly attribute their success to their talent – some like to call this the silver-spoon effect.
For those who don’t have such a leg-up in life and weren’t always a part of the financial elite, it can be incredibly frustrating to see these people fail to show any signs of humility.
This self-serving bias goes both ways. Most people who look at the lives of others underestimate the value of talent, work ethic and mindset in their successes, and overestimate the value of luck. We also tend to judge the failures of others as character flaws as opposed to bad luck.
So what can we learn from this?
Well, while luck is a factor, it is entirely out of our control, and therefore the single most important area on which we should focus our attention is our mindset. If we can adopt a millionaire mindset, it can make us far more likely to earn this kind of money.
Wealthy people will often tell you: it’s all about mindset. And the truth is, yes, it’s mostly about mindset. T. Harv Eker is an author, businessman, and motivational speaker known for his wealth and motivation theories.
T. Harv Eker is also the author of the book Secrets of the Millionaire. Eker opened his first retail fitness store and grew his business to include ten stores in just under three years. He then sold a part of his company to a Fortune 500 corporation and was able to reach his dream of becoming a millionaire. However, his money was gone in two years.
We can still learn from T. Harv Eker, who said, “If you are not fully, totally, and truly committed to creating wealth, chances are you won’t.”
So here are 10 hidden secrets of a millionaire mindset
1. Have Faith in the Unconscious Mind
The conscious mind is fickle and unreliable. It constantly changes its stance on things, raising objections and doubts that get in the way of clear and concise decision-making.
The millionaire mindset necessitates relying on something greater than what we feel in the present moment, something that goes beyond our fears and worries. Some may call this intuition, but others may say that they just have faith in their unconscious mind to lead them in the right direction at the right time.
Rich people believe they create their life, while poor people believe life happens to them. One of the biggest ways to switch to a millionaire mindset is by focusing on what needs to happen rather than complaining about what’s wrong in life. T. Harv Eker says in his book, “I guarantee you’ll be astonished at how amazing your life will be when you STOP focusing on and thereby stop attracting crap into your life.”
2. Start from a Place of Clarity and Stay Focused
Knowing what you want is one thing. Knowing what you want down to the tiniest detail is another. Millionaires will often have very clear goals and plans that they will follow to a tee until they get to where they want to be.
We often see the same mindset in hyper-successful athletes who talk about visualizing their success for years before it manifests. If you want a mindset of growth and abundance, you need to define exactly what you want and know the experience intimately before it comes into existence.
It is easy to become distracted by things in life. The trick is focusing on what’s important about the future and what you have to get done today. If you need help getting a millionaire mindset, see our guide on How to Change Your Mindset today.
3. Focus on the Right Things
The average person spends hours and hours every day wasting time. Social media, TV, video games on their cell phones, mindless eating, smoking cigarettes, the list goes on and on.
The millionaire knows that their attention is valuable, and they don’t waste it on activities that don’t offer them anything in return. Everything they do is focused on their goal.
You also want to ensure success doesn’t go to your head. It can sometimes make you feel invincible in a way. Bill Gates has said this kind of overconfidence can prove dangerous. So, you must stay humble and never stop learning. Strengthen your mental assets and remember that sometimes failure IS a part of success.
If you find yourself distracted, think about taking a social media detox like Giving Up Instagram or Facebook.
4. Never Lose Sight of the Goal
And that brings us to the fact that millionaires try never to lose sight of their ultimate goal. To ensure that you don’t waste attention on trivial pursuits, it’s important that you keep your goal in front of you at all times.
One way to do this is by creating a life where you are surrounded by other people with similar aims. You can also ensure you’re constantly celebrating the small wins, so you know exactly what you’re working for.
It is almost as if you need to create a vacuum in your life. To find or create new opportunities, clear out the clutter so there is a clear path to the goal.
5. Learn to Respect Money
This is the most elusive aspect of the millionaire mindset. Most people never even consider that their inability to make money could be tied to their unconscious relationship with it.
We’ve been conditioned to believe in a Hollywood-esque version of the rich villain, and as a result, we think that gaining wealth means acting in a way that questions our moral integrity.
Whether you’re a good person isn’t tied to your bank account, you can make money and still help people. Make sure you don’t have a conflicting relationship with money and have no moral questions about becoming wealthy.
To attract wealth, you have to learn to treat money with respect. Organizing your wallet is a small step but important as it is the first indication you are ready to take your financial life more seriously.
6. Decide What Has Meaning in Life
You need to decide that money is a valuable asset in your life. If you listen to what everyone else tells you to care about, you’ll never have the focus to get up and chase wealth – there are simply too many opinions.
If you decide what has meaning in your life and don’t follow the herd, your positive mindset will drive you toward success.
7. Give More than You Take
This may be counterintuitive, but the millionaire mindset gives more than it takes. To gain wealth, you have to be social and to be successful in your relationships, you have to offer value. Always look to provide something for others, and what you get in return will fall into place.
8. Know Your Motivations
People can make a lot of money when driven by negative emotions: anger, greed, and insecurity. But that will never bring you the fulfillment that you’re expecting.
When you’re driven by a need to serve others, money will bring a sense of fulfillment. Know that you have the right motivations to become wealthy.
If you don’t know your motivations for doing things, check out our guide to better understand What Motivates You.
9. Don’t Take Things Personally
Another aspect of the millionaire mindset is that they don’t take things so personally. When we see our ups and downs as reflections of our self-worth, it’s hard to stay grounded and consistent in our actions. Failure is seen by the wealthy as an opportunity for growth.
There are thousands of factors controlling their successes and failures. Simply take everything that comes your way as a lesson, don’t celebrate victories for too long and don’t ruminate on defeats either.
10. Never Be Afraid to Take Risks
Everyone knows this, but how often do we consider it in our own lives? If you want to be successful, you need to take risks. There is no other way around it. You must take chances if you want to be rewarded.
Consider also that if we can take our failures as opportunities for growth, we won’t be so fearful when it comes to taking risks!
Inspiring Millionaire Mindset Stories
Still looking to learn more? Here are some examples of successful people who earned their fortunes the old-fashioned way – with hard work and determination.
Halle Berry
Did you know that Halle Berry once slept in a homeless shelter? She used to be a struggling actress in Hollywood, trying to make ends meet while finding cheaper housing alternatives. However, it was these struggles that made her that much stronger. Reportedly, this successful actress now has a net worth somewhere between $70 and $80 million.
Richard Branson
Richard Branson is a British entrepreneur with an estimated net worth of more than $4 billion. He founded his first magazine when he was just 16 years old and went on to own airlines, radio stations, hotels, and other companies.
His family was not wealthy and struggled to make ends meet. Branson also struggled in school. A headmaster once told Branson he would end up in prison or as a millionaire. We think you can see where he ended up.
Mark Zuckerberg
Mark Zuckerberg is an American business magnate, successful entrepreneur, and philanthropist. He is known for co-founding Facebook and its parent company Meta Platforms.
He is a self-taught computer programmer who said his secrets to success included not being afraid to take risks, building on ideas, not being afraid to get started, working hard, and broadening your horizons.
Final Thoughts
These 10 hidden secrets of the millionaire mindset show you the psychology of people who can generate great wealth.
Though adopting this framework will not happen overnight, constant reflection leads to changes in beliefs which leads to changes in behavior. Wealth creation is closer than you think; it simply requires knowledge, courage, and diligence.
