Becoming a millionaire can seem like a dream, but attaining this goal can be quite daunting. A CNBC contributor conducted a “Rich Habits” study spanning five years, documenting and observing the daily activities of233 wealthy individuals matching the minimum criteria of having $160,000 in annual gross income and $3.2 million in net assets.
The study indicates four paths to becoming a millionaire: the saver-investors path, the company climbers path, the virtuosos path, and the dreamers path. Most people work under the saver-investors path no matter what their day job is, they’re actively saving and investing as a daily activity. This group is constantly thinking about innovative methods to increase their wealth.
The company climbers path is for workers in a large company, devoting all their time and energy climbing the corporate ladder until they land a senior executive position with a huge salary. The virtuosos path is followed by individuals that are the best at what they do in their profession and are paid for their expertise and knowledge (usually requires formal education with higher degrees such as law or medicine).
The last path is the dreamers path for individuals who are all in pursuit of a dream, such as owning their own business and doing what they love for a living. This is a common path for people in creative fields, including being a best-selling author, actor, or musician with their passion funding their bank account.
According to this study, the fastest path to become a millionaire is using the dreamers path, with 28% reflected in the study with an average net worth of $7.4 million. The dreamers path might seem more successful but is considered the riskiest, hardest, and most stressful path.
The dreamers path requires long work hours ranging from 65-75 hours per week while vacations and weekends are non-existent that can impact the worker as well as the worker’s family. This path is also stressful to pay off on achieving your dream, resulting in nearly intolerable financial stress and can be hard for people without family support.
There are also high risks in following the dreamers path that gambles their assets, including their savings, homes, and cars, with no absolute guarantee of success. In the study, more than half the ‘dreamers’ have failed several times, often leading to bankruptcy.
The dreamers path can be demotivating since dreamers have ambitious goals that seem nearly impossible to achieve with others trying to talk them into pursuing another path. Dreamers will also hear “no” a lot that can lead one to give up, but the true dreamers are persistent.
If you’re willing to commit to the hard work, you can become a millionaire using the dreamer path. Share which path you would take to become a millionaire or some of your secrets to success.
The Fast Track To Becoming A Millionaire
