Many people think about how the rich differ from the poor. The point, of course, is not the number of zeros on the account; this is all clear. But are there differences in the characters and habits of those who are forced to save on necessities in order to survive until their salary, and those who travel the world, collect antiques, and buy branded collections?
In our article we will look at the habits of rich people. Research by Thomas Corley confirms that a certain pattern can be traced between a person’s manners and his condition. It turns out that many rich people, even if they don’t know each other in absentia, behave similarly: they have the same habits, perform similar actions, express identical opinions on many issues.
Research by Tom Corley
The author of Rich Habits: The Daily Habits of Wealthy People, Thomas Corley, has done extensive work. He collected information about several hundred people, some of whom had impressive fortunes, and some of whom lived on the verge of poverty.
The book quickly became popular. The author himself does not at all consider it a panacea for poverty. He calls his works research—sociological and psychological.
No. 2. Write down your ideas
You may not even notice how brilliant ideas sometimes pop into your head. They simply appear and disappear unclaimed.
The habit of writing down your ideas every day helps not only to keep interesting ideas and solutions in your head, but also helps you learn to generate ideas, regardless of the circumstances.
Of course, at the initial stage it is difficult to take and write down something useful, because you have never done this before. In the future, when practice becomes a habit, it will be much easier to keep notes. What if one of your written down ideas turns out to be a brilliant solution?
In search of the causes of poverty
Corley began to study the habits of rich and poor people because he noticed a certain pattern between a person's character and his well-being. The author explains that just a few centuries ago, a child born into a poor family had virtually no chance in life. Children of serfs immediately after birth became serfs, children of slaves became slaves.
What's happening today? There are many examples confirming that some of the richest people in the world were born into extremely poor and dysfunctional families. Why can't everyone achieve success?
According to the author, some are psychologically not ready for wealth and even prosperity. The causes of intergenerational poverty are not so easy to detect - they lie within. Some people are scared to take any steps. And many of them are subconsciously afraid of wealth and are not ready for it. They don’t even realize that being poor is convenient and comfortable for them. Shyness and laziness play a significant role.
Millionaires as test subjects
Studying the habits of rich people, Corley analyzed the life histories of 233 rich people and 128 poor people. Among other millionaires, several of the richest people of our time were chosen:
- Carlos Slim, whose net worth is $73 billion.
- Bill Gates and his 67 billion.
- Ortega Amancio, owner of the Zara brand, who earned 57 billion.
- Warren Buffett with a fortune of 53.5 billion.
- Larry Ellison, owner of Oracle (43 billion).
The researcher analyzed some of the habits of the rich and compared them with the habits of the poor. For clarity, Thomas expressed everything in numbers.
Goal setting
The book “Habits of Rich People” is not a guide to making big money. But you can find interesting facts in it.
The author paid important attention to such a habit as goal setting. According to him, 67% of rich people pay great attention to goal setting. Only 7% of poor people consider this issue important.
One of the millionaires shared an interesting thought with Thomas. According to him, a goal differs from a dream by two criteria: it can be achieved and certain steps are taken to realize it. Otherwise it is abstract and meaningless.
Do you want to learn how to achieve your goals? Write them down, and also regularly make notes about everything you did to achieve them.
Ask
Just because you ask questions doesn't mean you're not competent enough. Quite the contrary. Questions about the case reveal a person who is interested in the result . Successful managers are constantly interested in the opinions of employees, organize brainstorming sessions, and do not hesitate to ask for advice from partners and experts.
Remember that the worst question is the question that is not asked.
Millionaires waste money: is that true?
Parenting
The research results confirmed the fact that many millionaires learned the value of labor from a young age. 74% of rich people encourage the work of their offspring: they help them acquire professional skills, help them find a job and try themselves in various professions, and do not mind volunteer work.
At the same time, more than 90% of the poor do not think at all about the need to teach their children to work.
It is not surprising that the habits of rich people are passed on from generation to generation. Therefore, people from wealthy families often increase their parents’ capital or organize their own successful business.
Planning
Some habits of successful and rich people are simply beyond the means of the average worker. What's the use of knowing that some oligarch loves to start his morning with a Cuban cigar, and on weekends he flies to the mountains to catch rainbow trout?
But some things don’t cost any money at all. For example, the habit of writing a to-do list and planning time for each of them is affordable even for a poor person. But only 19% of people who are used to earning and spending little care about daily planning. 81% of millionaires meticulously write down tasks: for every day and for a longer period.
What do the rich learn? i
People who strive to get rid of training in technical schools and colleges as quickly as possible often misunderstand how rich and successful people make their capital. The main secret is to strive and work above your norm. At first a person works for his own name, and later the name works for him. There are many examples of people who started practically from scratch. The main thing is to set the necessary pace for your work. Everyone is able to get the necessary piece of the pie to live happily.
How do successful entrepreneurs start making money? Of course, by investing the necessary amount of effort and time in training. Let's look at where the time of the richest and most successful people goes.
The rich live their entire lives constantly learning. They are never limited to standard vocational or school education. The most important thing is to pass the milestone of higher education and begin to invest your energy in the necessary direction.
After this, constant attendance at lectures, seminars, trainings, training through special videos and thematic books begins. One of the most successful learning methods is self-study. No teacher can correctly present you with the information you need than your own brain. That is why you need to discipline yourself to the maximum. Invest your energy not only in self-education and development, but also in time management.
A rich person will always believe that if he stops constantly receiving new information, his level of knowledge, and accordingly his income, will begin to fall sharply.
The poor person, in turn, thinks that having received a higher education, he gets a real ticket to life. It is this crust that will allow him to start earning a fabulous living. But no piece of paper can replace real knowledge and experience. That is why there are many great people in history who were able to achieve everything without higher education. Of course, this does not mean that you need to abandon your studies and start working.
Let's say Abraham Lincoln began working from his youth, felling wood. At the age of 19, he went kayaking to a large city in order to buy law textbooks with the money he earned. Before this, he could only read the Bible. As a result, the man became one of the most successful lawyers in the history of America, as well as the first president who laid the seed to end the oppression of blacks.
Your own health
Attention to health is an important point that Thomas Corley described. “The Habits of Rich People” is a book that gives insight into how people of different income levels take care of themselves.
Among those who exercise at least four times a week, 3/4 are rich. Only a quarter of them earn modest income.
The vast majority of rich people monitor the amount of calories and the quality of food. Most poor people don't think about how many calories they consume daily.
Reasonable risk
Any risk must be justified. Sometimes there is a desire to invest your money in a project that offers huge profits. It is always worth analyzing such projects. After all, if the mechanism for making a profit is not clear, then it is quite possible that such a project is just a fraudulent scheme or a financial pyramid.
And in general, you should invest your money only in those investment instruments whose mechanism is clear. It’s even better if you know people who have increased their money using the chosen instrument. In this case, there is nothing to worry about.
In most cases, high income is hype. This is a site that will definitely close, but for now it is making payments at the expense of new depositors. There were also gigantic hypes on the Internet. For example, Forex broker fx-trend, in which hundreds of millions of dollars of users have been invested. None of them ever received their money back, although they did not even promise exorbitant income.
As I noted above, you can safely invest in securities of large companies (stocks, bonds). They have minimal risks. Or you can invest in ETF funds. These are immediately balanced portfolios of stocks and bonds.
- Stock buying strategies;
- Dividend strategy;
- How to start investing with any amount;
Reading, audiobooks and TV
The everyday habits of rich people also deserve attention. Among those who watch an hour or less of TV per day, 67% earn a lot of money and only 23% live poorly. Many oligarchs admit that they never watch television series, talk shows or entertainment programs and can only occasionally devote a few minutes to watching the news.
86% of rich people admitted to the researcher that they like to read, but not entertaining literature, but those books that help self-development. Most poor people prefer light reading.
What to do with yourself during long trips and flights? Many oligarchs opt for audiobooks. Why waste time when you can devote it to self-improvement? At the same time, poor employees rushing to work in minibuses or the subway, as a rule, prefer to listen to the radio or music selections.
Do good deeds
Charity is not a way to get rid of the billions that are pouring over the edge of the yacht. Helping everyone - from sick children to Amur tigers - is a way to replenish energy and feel better. And also - to be among the elite, those who create charitable foundations and launch entire programs. While you don’t have an extra million, you can practice less expensive acts of kindness: take unwanted clothes to a crisis center or take a pack of diapers to a children’s hospital.
New American millionaires set the trend for modesty
Attitude to work
If you spend the afternoon glancing at the clock and rushing to sneak out of the office at the first opportunity, Thomas Corley has some bad news for you. This is exactly what all those whose income allows them to buy only the most necessary do. But for those who are accustomed to spending money on whatever their heart desires, work is pleasure. The millionaires with whom the author of the book had a chance to communicate unanimously admit that they love to do business, are in no hurry to leave the workplace, put their heart and soul into what they do every day, and spare no effort on little things and details. 94% of rich people surveyed consider themselves happy thanks to what they love.
Among those who are accustomed to a small salary, only 17% are ready to do more than is expected of them.
Don't stop there
Ordinary people have a limit to their desires, they set a kind of bar for themselves, and it is quite low - so as to be less disappointed. Rich people expect more from fate and strive to make their wildest dreams come true. Also, successful people try to benefit from the finances of others. Ordinary people are more than confident that they need to make money by increasing their personal funds.
Faith in luck
Have you ever thought that winning the lottery could solve all your problems? Or maybe you dreamed of finding a suitcase with money? Are you by chance waiting for a fairy godmother who will make you happy with a luxurious carriage and exquisite outfit?
If you answered yes to at least one question, know that dreaming of a jackpot falling from the sky is a poor man’s habit. No, the rich are no strangers to risk and excitement; they are familiar with the thirst for adrenaline. They also play in casinos and embark on adventures, but they clearly understand that well-being does not depend on luck, but on hard work.
But 77% of poor people buy lotteries. Some constantly, some from time to time. But all with faith in a big jackpot that will sooner or later fall into their hands.
Wealthy people have “effective” thinking
It is unlikely that you will meet a successful person in line for the lottery (even before he gets rich). The simplest person usually waits for someone else to lend a helping hand and help him achieve prosperity (this could be the lottery, the government, a good friend or family member), and as a result remains poor. Rich people do not expect handouts; they act, purposefully, and spend their time solving complex tasks necessary to achieve their goals. Wealthy people prefer specific knowledge to the detriment of formal education. The average person is sure that the only way to achieve wealth is by getting a diploma or writing a dissertation. Wealthy people earn their capital by selling their own specific knowledge acquired in the process of doing their business.
The power of a smile
If you get your hands on a book written by Tom Corley, Habits of Rich People, pay attention to the section on smiling. As we see, all the rituals of the oligarchs are interconnected: taking care of health, paying attention to nutrition, and playing sports. There is one more link in this chain.
62% of oligarchs said that they set aside time every day to take care of their teeth. They carry out the required procedures with special care. Only 16 out of a hundred poor people perform this daily ritual.
Will habits help you get rich?
The author does not promise that the reader who starts flossing daily and counting calories will become rich in the foreseeable future. But most of the habits he described help you learn to work systematically, finish what you start, and achieve your goal. Good health and well-groomed appearance are also important for achieving success.
If you have set a goal to increase your income, this book may be very useful to you. But perseverance, hard work and desire will play a decisive role.
Get up early
Rich people wake up earlier than most of their employees. While ordinary people lie in their beds, watching their dreams, millionaires do routine things and manage to arrive at the office before traffic jams begin. The time before lunch is the most effective time for work, this is how the brain works. And those who use this knowledge are simply doomed to success.
Bloomberg found out how billionaires keep their savings
