This book will affirm one thing for you: Most wealthy people are discreet and simple, and the media as well as many others do not know what they have achieved. I find this book valuable in that it is based on its research method; it does not collect information about wealthy individuals who appear in the media, but instead surveys 11,000 high-income individuals or those with significant assets in the United States. Additionally, the author interviewed 500 millionaires with a net worth of over one million US dollars.

I will summarize for you the common characteristics of wealthy individuals through this book, and of course, if the wealth of these individuals comes from inheritance from previous generations, then we do not need to read this book at all, because most of us cannot choose our background or family circumstances. All the subjects of this book's research are primarily self-made individuals who started from scratch; they earned money to accumulate for investment and then started their own businesses. We can learn about these people to find common traits among them, to understand how they use money, how they earn it, and how they become wealthy, and why they can achieve financial freedom much faster, even quicker than those with higher incomes. In short, this book will tell us how they relied on themselves to become rich. I believe that this book contains many useful principles, and there are some cases you can consider to know that they may not fully apply to you. However, there is a consistent spirit of wealth-building here that is worth learning from, which is patience—patience to accumulate wealth, not to pursue quick ways to get rich.

Nowadays, people throw themselves into making money to get rich, but most lack the patience to do anything. We often do not have patience; we are not patient enough to make money, and even for simple tasks like reading an entire book, we never have the patience. Yet many people prefer methods, tips, and shortcuts to get rich quickly. We need to understand that patience is the foundation for all success. To be patient, you first need to learn how to keep your mind steady and relaxed. The more impatient you are, the more it shows that you are very eager, eager for what you have not achieved. At this moment, all your focus is entirely on scarcity. According to the law of attraction, similar frequencies attract each other, and you will attract even more scarcity to yourself.

Common Characteristics of Wealthy Individuals

First, "living within your means" allows for more freedom in capital allocation. I have mentioned this saying: money that is saved is considered your wealth. In the past, during our parents' time, "living within your means" referred to spending for survival, needing to spend frugally to ensure a full stomach and sustain life. However, in our modern era, "living within your means" refers to spending based on income. Specifically, you need to be able to save and increase your capital to have more freedom in allocating it. You can use this money to accumulate assets, invest, or temporarily escape the cycle bound by salary, or do the work you want. Although this principle is something most of us understand, or many people spend within their income each month, one thing we need to pay attention to is that the focus of this characteristic does not fall on how safely you spend within your income, but rather on how much money you need to earn to achieve more freedom in allocating this money. The best way for us to do this is to increase income, cut unnecessary expenses, save more money for investment, and manage our finances well.

Second, it is to avoid overspending and seize investment opportunities. Through interviews and surveys, the author concluded that most wealthy individuals are very careful in their spending. In their expenditures, they meticulously calculate with the aim of having more capital for investment, and once an investment opportunity arises, they quickly seize it. However, this meticulousness in spending can also bring us its negative aspects; it can make us overly focused on money and lead to hesitance in spending when encountering good investment opportunities. Therefore, the key here is to reduce unnecessary spending but not be afraid to spend money. Instead, you should use money in places that can truly improve your quality of life. Don't forget to invest in books to order monthly, spend on personal development courses, and spend money to reward yourself with trips to explore and learn about the people and cultures of different regions. In cutting unnecessary expenses, minimalists do this very well; I myself am also pursuing that lifestyle. In summary, in this second characteristic, you need to spend less money, balance your mindset to be satisfied in consumption, and save more money to prepare for investment.

Third, they believe that internal freedom is more important than external displays of wealth. What is your purpose in making money? Some people answer that it is to enjoy life. Enjoying life is not wrong, but enjoying even when we do not have enough money—enough money here means enough to invest and accumulate—then I think that is just a form of enjoyment that makes you lose your freedom. If the joy in your life is merely about indulging, chasing material races, wanting what others have, and spending on unnecessary things, then you will always be bound by money. Conversely, if you earn money to prioritize achieving financial freedom first, dismissing the intention to please others, or escaping the material race with the world around you, then ultimately you will have the opportunity to become someone who is not controlled by money.

Fourth, knowing how to manage time, energy, and money. The common characteristic of these three factors—time, energy, and money—is that they are all extremely scarce; they are all limited. In a day, you only have 24 hours, your energy decreases from morning to evening, and money in the short term is also limited based on your income. These three things are not something you can have just because you want them. Those who know how to manage them well will be able to combine their mutual support to live and work more effectively. For example, if you manage your time better, the value you create will be higher, and you will have the opportunity to earn more income. If you have enough money, you can take a break from work without worrying about income, giving you more time for yourself or focusing on a side job. If you have a lot of energy and good physical condition, you will also be more agile and maintain a high level of concentration for longer, thus improving the quality of your life and work. Similarly, one person may take 3 hours to complete a task, but you can finish it in just one hour, giving you more time and opportunities to increase your income. Therefore, just managing one of these three things well is an opportunity for you to grow the other two, and when all three focus on each other, your long-term financial accumulation will become easier.

Fifth, putting all your effort into work and choosing a career that suits you. Steve Jobs once said: "The work you choose to commit to must be something you are passionate about; otherwise, you will not have persistent perseverance." This is indeed true; when we do things we love, our focus, patience, and creativity will reach new heights. This will not only help you improve the quality of your work but also give you the feeling of achieving accomplishments. This is an invisible motivation that can help you continuously push yourself and strengthen your mind. However, not everyone can find a job that aligns with their passion and interests, and we need to understand that before finding a satisfactory job, you should take care of the job at hand first. After all, ensuring survival is more important than anything else. Moreover, if you cannot perform well in a job you do not like, how can you ensure that you can do well in a job you love? When you can perform well in a job you do not like, I am sure you will find it easier to excel in the job you love. In summary, try your best with what is in front of you, because our future is uncertain; it will always be in flux. Your hard work today will be the accumulation of your strength tomorrow. When you encounter a job you truly love, these accumulations will help you grow rapidly in your work and finances.

After hearing all five of these characteristics, you may find that the methods above are nothing new, nothing unique, and perhaps we have heard them too commonly. But perhaps that is why many of us do not value them at all. The significant difference between the skilled and the ordinary, between the rich and the poor, lies in such small things. It could be waking up ten minutes early each morning to meditate, reading for an hour after work instead of watching TV, or saving a few million each month. These are the small differences that may not yield immediate results in the short term, but they will help you accumulate great strength, and over a long enough time, you will see results and reap what you deserve. And remember, we do not need to envy the achievements of others, as they are the accumulations from their past efforts. However, we cannot give up our own future, because all tall buildings need to be built from the ground up. And since we only live one life, just once, we should seize money, energy, time, and limited resources to reach freedom, freedom in the way you desire.