4) The Rich Pay Full Price—Because it’s Worth It
One fashion rule we hear expressed often is that buying clothing on sale is a smart move. This is a myth.
When you look at successful people, they aren’t wearing last year’s fashion line. They aren’t looking to save $20-30 dollars per outfit. Instead, they pay full price while staying focused on the big picture. The big picture is often landing the million-dollar deal, growing their company, or making the smart investment that wins big.
Clothes go on sale because no one wanted them, right? So why buy the clothes that no one wanted? Pay full price. Do something nice for yourself, and then expect more from yourself.
If you are working day and night on a proposal that could change your life, buy a new suit or pants suit for the big day. When you skimp on yourself, people think you do not believe in yourself. Give them the right impression and buy that brand-new suit at full price. Just make sure that you can afford it!
5) Wealthy People Believe in Grooming
Making a good first impression can mean the difference between a six-figure deal and a big zero in your bank account. We know you are busy day in and day out, but hygiene is crucial. Rich people show up to work or social engagements looking like well-oiled machines.
Pay top dollar for that salon appointment, and then make sure you are cleanly showered, looking good, and smelling fresh. From your creased clothing to your skin, in the high-profile world of the rich and famous, everything is on display.
In order to oversee agreements and make sales, people need to trust you. Poor hygiene can ruin this trust before you can say anything. Rushing into the office looking like a mess because you were up all night working is not a testament to your work ethic. Instead, it will make your co-workers avoid you.
6) Rich People Don’t Let Sports Dictate Their Happiness
Sports are an indispensable part of American culture, as well as a way to bond with friends and family. However, fanatic sports fans, regardless of the team, spend hundreds of hours and thousands of dollars pursuing their teams.
This is not a position that you want to be in. It is also not a position that rich people find themselves in. Yes, they might visit the owner’s box on NFL Sunday, and you might see some wealthy, successful people sitting courtside during the NBA playoffs. But we will bet that they worked hard all day, might leave the game early, and are sacrificing some extra weekend hours to attend the game.
There are reasons to watch sports, but there is no reason to watch your favorite major league baseball team play all 162 games. You are not a professional athlete, coach, or owner. The game doesn’t depend on you. The team doesn’t depend on you. Transform those hours of wasted time into productive time for you. Don’t lose track of your goals.
7) Wealthy People Save Money
Whereas you might hear people who are struggling complaining that they have no money in the bank, wealthy people will never worry about this. Rich, successful people keep their eyes on the future. They are prepared for everything, and that means that they have money set aside to deal with adversity.
With no money to back you up, you are not prepared for the ups and downs of the financial world. You are also not ready to expand and grow. The old cliché holds true: it takes money to make money. Wealthy people have various accounts and investments that serve to back them up when dealing with a volatile market or a business opportunity that did not pan out. They are ready and willing to use some of their saved money to stay afloat, and more importantly, they have the confidence that they will make more.
Let’s say something unexpectedly bad happens: an injury or sickness, or a car accident. If you put some money aside, you will be able to cope with the negatives and persevere as opposed to being paralyzed with no way out. The key here is to be ready to succeed but aware that failure is always possible.
Rich people keep a lot of money in their savings to absorb any possible fallout from the risks they take. You should do this too.
8) Successful People Understand How to Use Credit Cards
Many people rely on credit cards to purchase things that they not only cannot afford but do not need. Then, the bills pile up, they are unable to pay, and high-interest rates lead to financial ruin. So, was that new TV or iPhone or stereo really worth it?
Successful, well-off people are aware that making correct credit use is an important skill. If you are considering a loan that will not produce more money later on, then do not take it. Loan and credit are tools that can add to your success, not take away from it.
You might see wealthy people driving the hottest cars, using the newest gadgets, and wearing the hottest, priciest clothing, but chances are they didn’t use loans or credit cards for these luxuries. Think of credit as an investment that should pay you back.
9) Rich People Take Full Responsibility for their Lives
We live in a society where many people blame others for their misfortunes. However, successful people take control of their lives. Remember, 99% of the life you live is based on your decisions. Rich people are fully aware that if they want to change things, they can.
The key is this: successful people know that playing the victim will only lead to more problems. Instead of dwelling on the negatives, rich people will learn from their problems. If a business deal goes wrong, they might ask themselves what they did wrong and what they can improve next time.
Successful people are learning and growing all the time, and they’ve learned to turn a bump in the road into a ladder.
10) Rich People Know Good Health is Essential
Wealthy people owe part of their longevity to the fact that they get checked out regularly. Successful people know that you cannot accomplish anything at all without their health. They have top doctors who they can trust, and even though they are supremely busy, they visit them regularly.
Why is this so important? Everyone struggles with diseases and disorders. If you are sick, a regular doctor’s visit can catch things early. This will make treatment easier and more cost-effective. It will also mean that you and your family will have a better chance of making it through a difficult time. Looking ahead and prioritizing what is important are two things successful people do well.
The point here is to focus on what is important and not keep putting off doctor’s visits because you are too “busy.” Now it’s time to prioritize your health because if you do not, you might lose your life. When you aren’t here anymore, it will be hard to make your millions.
11) Rich People Wait to Start Families
Having a family is a beautiful thing. However, research tells us that unsuccessful people have more children earlier in their lives. Why?
Kids are expensive. Really expensive. How expensive, you ask? One child can run you approximately $250,000 from his/her exciting birth to his/her 18th birthday. That’s a lot of money!
Rich people usually wait a few more years as opposed to many average Americans. This way, their standard of living is up to par and ready for a child. Wealthy people want to create an environment where their children can flourish, as opposed to just popping out a few kids and then saying, “now what?” After all, the rich know that their children will probably be taking over their businesses someday. They do not want to regret what should be a beautiful and rewarding life experience.
12) Rich People Surround Themselves with the Right People
You should surround yourself with people who achieve great things and inspire you. You should not even hang out with people who have no vision or confidence and who do not aspire to great things.
You will often see wildly successful people spending time with people that at first glance are very unlike them. Why does this happen? Because rich people have a certain intrinsic nature that brings them together, even when people seem like they are at opposite ends of the spectrum. Drive and a desire for success are tangible qualities that wealthy people pick up on.
Spend time with people who motivate you, who push you forward to the next level. If you are spending time with the same old people and they are holding you back, then it might be time for a break. Stay true to the great potential that you have, and do not let other people steal it from you.
13) Wealthy People Do Not Spend Prematurely
There is a reason that people who are unsuccessful financially stay that way: they simply cannot hold onto their hard-earned money! One of the largest financial pitfalls is planning to spend before you even deposit it in your account.
Rich people understand the negative cycle that occurs when you cannot afford something, you buy it anyway, and then you acquire more and more expenses. Soon, you will have exhausted all your funds. The point here is that if you cannot afford something, no matter how large or how small, then you should not buy it. If you cannot pay upfront for that new car, house, or iPad, then simply wait until you can afford it.
If you work hard, take our advice, and make smart financial decisions, you will have the money you have dreamed about. But in order to hold onto it, you can’t pay for something you can’t afford.
14) Rich, Successful People Know that No One Owes You a Thing
We live in a culture where many people believe that they need help to scale the top. Many believe that the world owes them this helping hand. Here is the thing: the world does not owe you anything.
Successful people go it on their own and believe in themselves, and when they fail, they do not look for someone to pull them back up. When you succeed, you reap the benefits. When you fail, you alone must deal with it. This is one of the most important things to remember.
Many of us let society and reality knock us down a few times and give up. Successful people who become wealthy never allow themselves to think this way. They might give up on one idea, but it is only because they have a better idea in the pipeline. They adapt to adversity and learn from challenges. Some even emulate the people who beat them.
Your problems are yours alone, and your successes are yours to own as well. Make sure to remember that.
15) Wealthy People Pursue their Potential
You may have heard the saying, “ideas are everything.” When people wonder why they were never successful, it usually has to do with two things: ideas and potential.
We can’t control who our family is, where we were born, or how we are treated by society. What can we control? How hard we work, how dynamic our ideas are, and how our ideas improve and evolve until they hit home and net us a new job or bigger deal.
Each person has the same 24 hours daily. If you view work as an awful slog, you will not want to work every hour that you can. But, if you are passionate about what you are doing, it will not seem like work. Your passion is linked to your potential. 9/10 companies fail in three years, but consider this: how many companies fail because they’ve never been started up?
Constant growth is more important than anything else. Growth is fueled by newer and better ideas, hard work, and fulfillment of potential.
Believe in your limitless potential. This is how success works, and rich people know that.
This brings us to the end of our list. Remember: rich, successful people started out just like you.
We hope this article will improve your self-awareness and give you a little more confidence and knowledge. At Nakase Law Firm, we want you to succeed, and we believe in you. Much of this is all about perspective. How do you see yourself now, and how do you want to be seen?