The Top 10 Distinctions between Millionaires and the Middle Class by Keith Cameron Smith is a easy to read and digest book on basic financial concepts. The author differentiates Millionaires (M) and the Middle Class (MC) using the 10 distinctions stated in his book. By understanding the differences between the M and the MC, we can stage and position ourselves for greater wealth building and creation. Most important of all, my belief sync with the author's: Success is a journey.
What i find more interesting is the author's reasons of publishing this book. He mentioned 3 reasons for writing this book: Responsibility, Purpose, Legacy, which differentiates him from other authors of similar books - This guy is damned straight forward. The language he'd used is simple, direct, to the point. Most importantly, easy to understand by layman.
After 2 years of acquiring assets in financial education since Dec 2005, I'd realised that I am already a practitioner of some of the distinctions stated in the book. I am sure that I am able to acquire the remaining distinctions using a few more years. I am glad that I am able to move from the MC to the M very soon.
I attempted to sum up what to expect from this book as follows:
Distinction 1: Millionaires ask themselves empowering questions. Middle class ask themselves disempowering questions.
"Ask and you will receive." & "As a man thinks, so is he." - So better ask empowering questions. Learn to ask ourselves questions that stretch beyond your current levels of experience. The questions you ask yourself determine the results you get in your life. Think about questions that expand your mind. Empowering questions ask us what we can do, make us feel good, become a powerful and peaceful person. Questions controls mind, condition it to create success. 9 questions based on "Be, Do, Have" concept offers clarity; Know What you want, Why you want, and the How will naturally follow. Most important question to ask, "What would make my life meaningful?"
Distinction 2: Millionaires focus on increasing their networth. The middle class focuses on increasing its paychecks.
Own assets (have value and earn passive income for us) using our paychecks. It requires new knowledge so study hard to learn how to acquire income-producing assets. Patience, knowledge and wisdom are required to increase our net worth. Wisdom is applied knowledge. Achieve Freedom - the freedom to work because we want to instead of because we have to. Learn to keep our cost of living the same even as we build our wealth. Uncommon wisdom of M: Do not increase spending when income increases, instead increase investing.
Distinction 3: Millionaires have multiple sources of income. The middle class has only one or two.
The more sources of income we can develop, the more likely we will become a M. The trick to developing mulitple sources of income is to focus on making them passive (with minimum management). Build a TEAM and learn to be humble. Employ Intentional Congruence concept - methodical planning, getting each source of passive income to support the other income. Focus on PASSIVE sources of income, build a TEAM, and practice INTENTIONAL CONGRUENCE.
Distinction 4: Millionaires believe they must be generous. The middle class believes it can't afford to give.
Learn to be generous, it feels great when we give from the heart. Being generous is a sure way to be happy. (that's why Keith write books, teach seminars on success - give people the knowledge they can use to make a long-term improvement) Understand the Law of Sowing and Reaping (Law of Causes and Effects in Buddism)
Distinction 5: Millionaires work for profits. The middle class works for wages.
Wages are the pay we receive for the work we do. Profits are the result of buying something for one price and selling it for a higher price. Learn to earn profits, then sky is the limit.
Distinction 6: Millionaires continually learn and grow. The middle class thinks learning ended with school.
Success is a process, a journey. The more money you spend on financial knowledge, the more money you will make. By reading more (even if it is just a concept in each book), we compressed time and learn financial secrets that took others years to discover. M invest in their knowledge with people who have achieved success that they want for themselves. Wisdom is Applied Knowledge. Focus on personal growth, love life. True success involves peace and contentment.
Distinction 7: Millionaires take claculated risks. The middle class is afraid to take risks.
The only way out of the rat race for the MC is to take calculated risks. Calculated Risks means to gain knowledge first, consider the consequences of failing before taking action. 3 fears of the MC: Fear of Failure, Rejection, Loss. Fear can be overcomed with knowledege. Failure is part of the path to success - Embrace it and become wiser. We must want to succeed more than we want the acceptance of other people. Losing is part of winning. Live like you were dying - take more risks, take more time to reflect, do more things that would live on after we are gone. Take action! Click on the banner below to download the book now!
Practice risk management with 3 questions:
1. What's the best thing that could happen?
2. What's the worst thing that could happen?
3. What's the most likely thing to happen?
Distinction 8: Millionaires embrace change. The middle class is threatened by change.
"For the timid in our society, change is frightening. For the comfortable, change is threatening. For the truly confident among us, change is opportunity." - Nido Qubein, Mentor of Keith.
Confidence is acquired thru preparation, hard work, result of working on ourselves, believing we can do whatever we choose to. We can choose or wish to be rich but remember that Choice is backed by a belief that we can do it, Wish is backed by a doubt that we can. Fear blinds us to opportunities - so develop confidence, learn to accept change and fear will become False Evidence Appearing Real. People are born to learn and grow. Change is good!
Distinction 9: Millionaires talk about ideas. The middle class talks about things and other people.
"Big people talk about ideas, average people talk about things, and small people talk about other people." What do you spend your time talking about? Ideas, things or people? M do talk about people and things. M compliments people for what they did right. M shares notes and books with each other. The power of our words create the experiences of our life; so change our vocabulary, stop complaining and start learning. Learn to develop gratitude. The lessons of life come to teach us to look at life from new perspectives. This leads to new ideas.
Distinction 10: Millionaires think long-term. The middle class thinks short-term.
Give up scarcity mentality (money is in abundance!). Make long-term thinking a habit to release its power. Thinking long-term requires patience and patience is an asset. Thinking long-term builds relationship. Thinking long-term builds health. Thinking long-term develops perserverance. The secret of M: Do what you love to do to make money.
Keith concludes with the concept of repetition to train our mind to think differently. Remember, Success is a Journey.
To read more about Keith's free sharing, goto http://keithcameronsmith.com/.
You can also download his book at eBooks.com - Download a book today. Get 20% off at eBooks.com! 
Another realisation I'd after reading this book is, "Diversification spreads risks. Knowledge reduces risks". If I want to increase my wealth, I must choose to, commit to, plan to and act to achieve wisdom, not just diverse.
Happy Learning,
Leroy
"When I Stop Learning, I Stop Living."
Posts
