Dear Friend,
Why Become a Millionaire?
Whether we live in developing or developed countries, many of us can easily detect that money is being used to control or heavily influences our opportunities and standards of living.
As a result, if we become millionaires it is highly likely that we may experience more time freedom, relationship freedom, spiritual freedom, physical freedom, etc.
However, money is not everything and it easily falls behind the importance of other values such as family, health, and friends.
In light of this, I highly recommend ‘The One Minute Millionaire,’ as the authors (Mark Victor Hansen & Robert Allen) teach us how to become millionaires using and maintaining fundamental spiritual values (enlightened millionaire).
What is an Enlightened Millionaire?
The authors coined the term ‘enlightened millionaire’ to refer to those individuals who, to put simply, create wealth in a way that truly benefits others.
As a result, these types of millionaires focus on adding value, as they believe that all wealth comes with privilege and responsibilities.
‘To become an Enlightened Millionaire is to be free to be, do, and have whatever you desire as long as it hurts no one and simultaneously helps others (p. xxiv).’
As a result, enlightened millionaires pursue a principled approach to wealth, which is to
- First do no harm…
- Second, do much good…
- Third, operate out of stewardship
Importantly, the authors are both millionaires and throughout their careers, they have inspired and coached thousands of others to achieve millionaire status.
Furthermore, in light of their experience, they have written this book to act as our mentors, providing us with the tools and their proven system to make it easier for us to become millionaires.
‘All we are required to do is use their tools and be disciplined enough to follow through.’
The System
Usefully, the authors have distilled their system into a three-stage process, which they call the Millionaire Equation:
A Dream + A Team + A Theme = Millionaire Streams
1. Dream: Building the Millionaire Mind-Set – self confidence and burning desire
2. Team: Attracting mentors and masterminding partners to help make your dream a reality
3. Theme: Selecting and applying one or more of the basic millionaire models for making money fast (p. xvi)
Significantly, they inform us that their system, coupled with step-by-step instructions, is designed to do what the American statistician W. Edward Deming had discovered.
After conducting over 50 years of statistical study, Deming found that in every process, as well as there being a beginning and an end, when you focus on the first 15% (and get it correct) you would be ensuring at least 85% of your desired outcome.
In other words
‘By focusing on the first 15% of anything, the remaining 85% will effortlessly follow (p. xviii).’
To put their system in context, we are told that in ‘the whole wide world of money’ there are only four major ways of becoming a millionaire (using a short route):
- Investments: Accumulating shares of stock, bonds, CD’s
- Real Estate: Owning properties
- Business: Marketing products, services, or ideas
- Internet: Expanding possibilities (p. 12)
And achieving millionaire status may eventually require a combination of all four.
However, no matter what our background, they advise us that it is important to first set about mastering one of these areas, as our primary investment vehicle.
Step By Step Instructions
As part of the first stage of their system, the authors encourage us to develop the characteristics or mind-set of an enlightened millionaire.
Therefore, within the first part of the book, they inform us about 24 Principles of Wealth, and for each principle issue step-by-step instructions, exercises, or techniques on how to build a millionaire mental state.
For example, within the thirteenth principle of wealth: ‘Tap Into Your Genius,’ the authors start by reminding us that extremely successful individuals such as Oprah Winfrey, Bill Gates, and Tiger Woods all commonly tapped into their genius in order to achieve success:
- Passion: They love what they do. If they weren’t getting paid, they’d do if for free
- Talent: They’re good at what they do. Call it talent, ability, or genius – they’ve got it.
- Values: Doing what they do is extremely important to them.
- Destiny: They have a sense that they are doing what they were born to do – making their unique contribution. It’s almost a spiritual thing. It’s their destiny (p. 58).
In accordance with those who have achieved extreme success, the authors believe that every person has unique talents, interests, abilities, and values that only he or she can bring into greatness.
Therefore, they argue that the more we become aware and access the unique parts of our personality:
- The more energy we will feel in our daily activities
- The more fulfilment we will experience
- The more success we will have
- The faster we will become a millionaire
As a result, to allow us to discover our unique genius, which in turn may enable us to become millionaires faster, the authors ask us to complete an exercise called the Genius List that contains some of the following questions:
Destiny: What Was You born to Do?
- What is your unique mission in life?
- What does God want you to do?
- What are your unique opportunities?
- Where can you make a difference (p. 60)?
Conclusion
This book provides the reader with a proven system and step-by-step instructions on how to become an enlightened millionaire.
Fundamentally, I have found that this text contains the essence of all the other bestselling books I have read that relate to personal wealth creation.
As a result, although I had read this book over five years ago, I continue to follow and apply the authors’ system and find their systematic guidance invaluable.
As a concluding point, due to the existence of different learning styles, the authors have made this an untypical book (two books in one) to appeal to all readers.
On the left-hand side of the book’s pages, it contains non-fiction (e.g. the 24 principles of wealth), and on the right-hand side it contains a novel demonstrating the application of the non-fiction.
In addition, the authors also encourage us to visit their website: www.oneminutemillionaire.com for free exercises designed to deepen our understanding of what they teach within the text.
‘Most things in life involve a process. It’s best to establish exactly what that process is before you make any type of commitment!’
In conclusion, if you want to be an enlightened millionaire then I highly recommend that you read this book, primarily, because it contains
‘A proven system with step-by-step guidance on how to become a millionaire’
As always, should you have any questions or would like to discuss further the content of this review, then please feel free to contact me.
In the meantime and until my next reflection … “Keep-it-moving!”
Truly yours,
Tom