We all talk about business and how much money we make. How big our revenues are. How we get big contracts. Often times how much money we spend. None of that means wealth.
It all comes down to what we do with the golden goose. Money. For those unfamiliar with the old parable, the golden goose lays golden eggs.... For many, the buck stops there. That is their understanding of the parable. So don't kill the goose. There is another step though... Those golden eggs... WTF is an egg? It will eventually be another goose. Another goose that lays golden eggs.
There seem to be two types of people... Income people and people with money. Both require an income, but people that have money take it a step further. They didn't kill the golden goose, they put it up and just took care of it.
Your net worth should always be rising on average. Sure there will be up times and down times, but it should trend up. FOREVER! Make your wealth immortal!
My business partner and RE mentor likes to say this: There are 2 people... One makes a million dollars per year and keeps/invests 100k. For all intents and purposes, he lives within his means. A screw you life! The other guy makes 250k and keeps/invests 150k. Who is really richer?
Sure the income guy goes on nicer trips and has nicer shit... But who thinks net worth? Who will have the final laugh? The difference is pretty staggering. I took it a step further... WITH MATH!
After 20 years of this exact same thing happening every single year and let's say they both just got a measly 8% annual ROI.
A.) Million dollar income guy is liquid $4,908,307
B.) Quarter-million/year investor guy is liquid $7,362,755
Now let's say their business goes under. Both of them. At that same 8%...
A.) Has a declining investment income starting at $392k per year and only goes down from there. On the same trajectory, million dollar income guy will be worth less than $0 in 8 years. How screw you is that? Not very. In 10 years he is 2 million+ in the hole. He is BK. Has to start over.
B.) Has increasing/passive investment income! $589k on the first year! Holy crap! I think he earned a lifestyle upgrade don't you? Let's just triple his lifestyle to 300k per year. Let's set a lambo on fire every year. In 10 years he is liquid $11.5 million without his business. In 10 more years he is liquid $20.6 million.
At 8% now... Old man "B" can burn a $1.5m Bugatti every year until he dies and still grow his net worth. When he dies he leaves his kids a LOT of money, and hopefully his money management skills, and had a ridiculous ability to spend.
Pretty big a$$ delta there. Now, I am not saying this to suggest some Suz Orman or Dave Ramsey slowlane nonsense. Not even close. I am suggesting you BE the bigger income guy AND be someone that protects that golden goose with their life. Start working on minimizing your consumption while maximizing your income. Be a producer NOT a consumer. I will never be rich enough not to want a good deal.
I encourage you to go play with Excel and create your own scenarios. They tell a big story. They scale up and they scale down. Build a flock of geese.
It all comes down to what we do with the golden goose. Money. For those unfamiliar with the old parable, the golden goose lays golden eggs.... For many, the buck stops there. That is their understanding of the parable. So don't kill the goose. There is another step though... Those golden eggs... WTF is an egg? It will eventually be another goose. Another goose that lays golden eggs.
There seem to be two types of people... Income people and people with money. Both require an income, but people that have money take it a step further. They didn't kill the golden goose, they put it up and just took care of it.
Your net worth should always be rising on average. Sure there will be up times and down times, but it should trend up. FOREVER! Make your wealth immortal!
My business partner and RE mentor likes to say this: There are 2 people... One makes a million dollars per year and keeps/invests 100k. For all intents and purposes, he lives within his means. A screw you life! The other guy makes 250k and keeps/invests 150k. Who is really richer?
Sure the income guy goes on nicer trips and has nicer shit... But who thinks net worth? Who will have the final laugh? The difference is pretty staggering. I took it a step further... WITH MATH!
After 20 years of this exact same thing happening every single year and let's say they both just got a measly 8% annual ROI.
A.) Million dollar income guy is liquid $4,908,307
B.) Quarter-million/year investor guy is liquid $7,362,755
Now let's say their business goes under. Both of them. At that same 8%...
A.) Has a declining investment income starting at $392k per year and only goes down from there. On the same trajectory, million dollar income guy will be worth less than $0 in 8 years. How screw you is that? Not very. In 10 years he is 2 million+ in the hole. He is BK. Has to start over.
B.) Has increasing/passive investment income! $589k on the first year! Holy crap! I think he earned a lifestyle upgrade don't you? Let's just triple his lifestyle to 300k per year. Let's set a lambo on fire every year. In 10 years he is liquid $11.5 million without his business. In 10 more years he is liquid $20.6 million.
At 8% now... Old man "B" can burn a $1.5m Bugatti every year until he dies and still grow his net worth. When he dies he leaves his kids a LOT of money, and hopefully his money management skills, and had a ridiculous ability to spend.
Pretty big a$$ delta there. Now, I am not saying this to suggest some Suz Orman or Dave Ramsey slowlane nonsense. Not even close. I am suggesting you BE the bigger income guy AND be someone that protects that golden goose with their life. Start working on minimizing your consumption while maximizing your income. Be a producer NOT a consumer. I will never be rich enough not to want a good deal.
I encourage you to go play with Excel and create your own scenarios. They tell a big story. They scale up and they scale down. Build a flock of geese.
Dislike ads? Become a Fastlane member:
Subscribe today and surround yourself with winners and millionaire mentors, not those broke friends who only want to drink beer and play video games. :-)
Last edited:
Membership Required: Upgrade to Expose Nearly 1,000,000 Posts
Ready to Unleash the Millionaire Entrepreneur in You?
Become a member of the Fastlane Forum, the private community founded by best-selling author and multi-millionaire entrepreneur MJ DeMarco. Since 2007, MJ DeMarco has poured his heart and soul into the Fastlane Forum, helping entrepreneurs reclaim their time, win their financial freedom, and live their best life.
With more than 39,000 posts packed with insights, strategies, and advice, you’re not just a member—you’re stepping into MJ’s inner-circle, a place where you’ll never be left alone.
Become a member and gain immediate access to...
- Active Community: Ever join a community only to find it DEAD? Not at Fastlane! As you can see from our home page, life-changing content is posted dozens of times daily.
- Exclusive Insights: Direct access to MJ DeMarco’s daily contributions and wisdom.
- Powerful Networking Opportunities: Connect with a diverse group of successful entrepreneurs who can offer mentorship, collaboration, and opportunities.
- Proven Strategies: Learn from the best in the business, with actionable advice and strategies that can accelerate your success.
"You are the average of the five people you surround yourself with the most..."
Who are you surrounding yourself with? Surround yourself with millionaire success. Join Fastlane today!
Join Today