Mark Ford

From Mark Ford, founder, Palm Beach Research Group: You’re middle aged. Your net worth is meager. Your income is barely sufficient to meet your expenses… and those expenses are going up. The War on Cash is looming. Economists are predicting things will get worse.

What can you do? Should you give up your dream of retiring comfortably one day? Should you accept a future of increasingly meager existence? Should you grow bitter and curse the powers that be for putting you in this situation?

Or should you take responsibility for your situation and make changes?

That last question was rhetorical, of course. But sometimes, I wonder if people really do understand their options. There are things that happen in life that we can’t control. But we can control the way we respond to them…

I understand that when you are halfway through your life and barely making ends meet, it seems like the only chance to become financially successful is to win the lottery (either an actual lottery or the stock market equivalent of one). So it may be frustrating to hear some rich guy from Palm Beach say you can’t quickly turn $25,000 into $1 million by investing in stocks.

But I believe—no, I am certain—that anyone who has modest intelligence and a positive attitude can become monetarily independent in seven years or less… if he or she is willing to work incredibly hard.

You don’t have to give up your dream of being wealthy. You always have the ability to change your financial life. It will just take a bit of time and patience. And it will require you to change some of the feelings you have about your relationship with wealth.

The first thing you must do is accept the fact that you are solely responsible for your current financial situation. Before you react defensively, read that sentence again. I didn’t say you are the cause of your situation. I said you are responsible for it.

By taking responsibility for your current condition, you also assume responsibility for your future. Nobody can change your fortune but you. And nobody else will. The sooner you accept that reality, the sooner you will shed your anger and blame and begin to feel financially powerful.

I’m not giving you a pep talk. I’m telling you the truth. I’ve done it myself, and I’ve coached dozens of people to do it, too. It’s a simple adjustment of your thinking, but it’s instantaneous and extremely powerful. Without it, you can’t move forward—not even by a single inch.

The next thing you must do is set realistic expectations. I’ve had people tell me they don’t want to make 10% or 15% per year on their money. They think returns like that are “ho-hum.” They want some incredible stock tip or secret get-rich-quick technique. When I hear someone say that, I think, “This person will never become wealthy.”

Realize 10-15% is a high rate of return. Warren Buffett—the most successful investor of all time and one of the richest people on the planet—has averaged 19% on his investments over his entire career.

And realize the journey to millions of dollars is earned $100 at a time. You must be willing to accept this fact to move your financial life forward. Your financial life is like a stalled train. And right now, you want to be driving it at 100 miles per hour.

But it can’t go from zero to 100 miles per hour in no time flat. Inertia is against you. Be happy with 10 miles per hour now… then 20… then 30. This is how wealth accumulates: gradually at first, but eventually at lightning speed.

The third thing you must do is thoroughly understand the difference between spending and saving. With every paycheck you get, cover your necessary expenses first (bills, mortgage, etc.). Then put some money toward saving. This includes what you use to invest, as there’s no distinction between good savings and good investing. You can leverage what you save to create additional income. Only after you have “paid yourself” by saving should you add to your “spending” account.

The fourth thing you must do is recognize that your net investable income (the amount of cash you have after spending and saving) is the single most important factor in determining how quickly you will become wealthy.

Commit to adding to your income with a second income. Make an honest count of the number of hours each month you devote to television and other nonproductive activities. Devote them to wealth building instead. Cast aside the comfortable shoes of victimization. Put on the working boots of a financial hero.

It’s not fun to realize, in the midst of your life, that you haven’t acquired the wealth you want. But the good news is your past doesn’t have to be a prologue… unless you allow it to be one. You can change your fortunes today by doing the four things I’ve just told you to do.

You are only 47, not 87. You have plenty of time to increase your income and grow your net worth. Why do you assume all is lost when—as any 87-year-old will tell you—you have a whole wonderful life ahead of you… a life that can be rich in 100 ways?

Reeves’ Note: Mark’s developed a life-changing system to add a million dollars to your net worth. And right now, you have a truly rare opportunity to learn this system from the man himself…

In a special, 100%-free four-day training event, Mark will be sharing the strategies he’s used to become a Palm Beach millionaire… build almost a dozen multimillion-dollar businesses… become a best-selling author… and more.

Plus, you’ll receive three complimentary wealth-building gifts just for signing up. To sign up instantly, click here now.