Benjamin Desraeli coined the phrase "millionaire" describing the rich who made their fortunes from steam power. Now the term "millionaire" describes a goal that many want to accomplish in their lifetime to ensure a decent retirement over 25 years or more.

1. Relentless Drive To Succeed To achieve financial success, the first personal trait you must possess is a strong desire to be on the leading edge in any enterprise you undertake. This will give you the impetus to work hard towards your higher-than-average goals with relentless drive. You will want to be the very best at what you do, and enlarge your market share. You will possess an entrepreneurial zest for life—believing that nothing is impossible—if it can be conceived and believed. Achievers make plans, and make subsequent high-risk decisions that take them closer to the accomplishment of their dreams. Observers may mistake their drive for sheer egotism, but it is their amazing focus on getting things done that may intimidate those who are less driven to succeed.

2. They Want Control Of Well-Being Beyond religion, or one's personal faith, money to a certain degree, does bring happiness. For example, would you worry if you got behind on your bill payments? Money helps our life to function well. We find financial equilibrium, when we can afford a roof over our head, drive a car, and buy groceries. Most would say that they would prefer to have money at the grocery checkout counter. Predictably, the control of your finances, including your investments, can directly affect control of both your physiological and psychological well-being—because money can solve a lot of life's problems. Wealthy people are generally happier, not because they bought happiness, but because they have been able to alleviate unhappiness that results from financial chaos. In addition to basic health, and good relationships, money can help us stay healthy by giving us time for rest and relaxation, and over-all security, resulting in peace of mind. You will find that many wealthy individuals were poor as kids, and strove to replace their early life of poverty with the opposite—access to money when needed. The desire to control well-being in a relationship, or family, may mean a desire to minimize chaos by developing certain fair guidelines that are well-understood by all involved. This is achieved by caring and constant communication. In our financial plans, this control of well-being is achieved by annual reviews of our portfolio and re-examination of our goals. Where spouses or common law partners are involved, both should be present for the review with their financial advisor. Both spouses should feel part of each financial process that occurs in the relationship and nothing should ever be hidden from the other. Mutual control is the ideal in any partnership, never control over another.

3. The Wealthy Have An Independent Vision Those who become millionaires, have the incredible ability to see the future potential of a service, product, market or technology. Cornelius Vanderbilt, though he never built a railway, took failing railways over and made them efficient, dying in 1877 as the richest self-made man on earth. In 1953 Walter Annenberg published TV Guide as he saw the potential of TV. Bill Gates, today is worth somewhere in the neighborhood of $100 Billion. As a young man, he saw the need for a PC software operating system and created the mass marketed DOS, that evolved into Windows which now operates PCs in most homes. Passionate and innovative; they zealously loved their work. Capitalism provides such men with the freedom to use their independent reason and discernment to accomplish what the crowd cannot do, or is too indifferent to see.

 

4. Millionaires Are Thinkers They are always seeking ways to improve upon a system, to expand to meet future needs. Seeing the bigger picture, they connect all of the smaller functions together, that make things succeed. They read many books, and talk to many advisors who specialize in their field of endeavor. They compare strategies, and calculate risks. For example, Donald Trump was noted as having a copy of The 7 Laws of Success on his bedside table. He has developed his own philosophy on success outlined in two excellent business books. Never underestimate the active minds of these entrepreneurs—their mind is their citadel and source of their success because they know that their thoughts evolve into things in the material world. Napoleon Hill knew this when he wrote Think and Grow Rich. Thus it is important that our minds are kept focused on good thoughts, and not intimidated by fears or what others may think or say of our ideas. We actually attract wealth or poverty, first by what we consistently think, secondly by how we act.

5. They Have The Courage To Act Wealthy folk put their plans into action. They feel competent to act on an opportunity. They prepare and study everything to do with their life's vocation. With confidence they sell their service or product, or combine their energies with a partner, or seek financing—whatever it takes. Every successful venture has a tipping point, when the timing is right to move forward to market the service or product. If one does not act on time, the opportunity may slip away to another who has thought of the same idea. If you are an investor, the answer to creating wealth lies in investing regularly—by acting on a prescribed financial plan—and starting as soon as possible.

6. A Sense Of Urgency About A Cause Or Business If you are passionate about an intimate relationship, you don't procrastinate, sitting around thinking things over too long. The zeal for expressing your love overtakes your every waking hour. You make plans early and advance your cause by calling your beloved and establishing meeting times; you may drive over the speed limit, and you'll drop all unnecessary activities. Similarly, if you have passion for your work, you will also have a strong desire to take immediate action now. You will possess an opportunistic, tenacious sense of "do it now" before another competitor steps in the arena.

7. They Love To Delegate To A Team Henry Ford was accused once of not being too bright. He answered by saying that by pressing a button on his desk he could summon the most intelligent experts in any field to answer his questions and help him succeed. One man or woman does not have the energy to accomplish every related task in his business. "One man band" operators may be great thinkers and seem in control of everything; even generating innovative ideas. But alone, he/she cannot possibly market the product or service to a broad enough audience. Truly, success is achieved only by the organized, maximum utilization of the highly specialized and advanced abilities that others possess.

8. They Have Good Character Those who make their mark, will always have someone ready to knock their character. They possess several traits well thought of by the majority that they serve: honesty, trustworthiness, integrated values, independent action, productivity, and fairness. Look at the CEOs of the companies such as Enron that let America down. Their CEOs and accountants did not practice honesty with their investors and they ended up unsuccessful.

9. Profitable Service or Product To Help Mankind Those who create a high net worth focus their attention on products or services that can generate a speedy and high profit in a niche market. They avoid highly competitive markets that are already full of specialists. With less competition—in many cases none—they can interest more potential buyers rapidly. This adds potential for rapid growth.

10. Correct Vocational Fit Everyone has certain abilities and talents that need expression in a career or business within which they can express them. Many people enter the wrong career or business field only to detest their work. In order to maintain the necessary stamina to create wealth in any venture, one must have a deep desire and love for his/her vocation. Once they know their vocation, they can make realistic decisions and speak with authority. In business, this helps them to enthusiastically attract the best employees and obtain financing.

11. They Prioritize Their Time To Build Relationships Time is the measuring stick of any project. Financially successful people usually have many projects on the go, so they are not time wasters and plan everything efficiently. For example, they know when to delegate to intelligent people, and take the time to build business relationships. And they will realize the importance of establishing their home life and their intimate relationships as first priority. Quality relationships and good communication at home, help alleviate a lot of stress at work.

12. Marriage & Intimacy Matter Never underestimate the power of a great marriage partnership at home. Where there is unity of purpose, two people can find agreement and commit to strategies in every area of life. Energy is focused on every project to complete a commonly understood mandate. Together, the two delegate, sharing responsibilities, but are always moving to achieve goals they have already discussed. They work together to agree, or negotiate to agree on projects, philosophic outlooks, finances, vacations, health and sex, childrearing, educational needs, and are mutually understanding of each other's unified ideals to serve the common cause. Frequently discussing this need for, and commitment to unity, spouses can avoid misunderstanding their so-called democratic "rights". This word "rights" is often erroneously used to imply that one would prefer to contend for a singular unagreed, and uncompromising marital view—when in truth, "rights" really means the just and good right for basic self-determination and self-realization achievable in a healthy relationship. This cultural viewpoint creates discontent, whereas the idea of unity prevents feelings of having to fight for divisive views in a self-defeating power-struggle—which ultimately achieves nothing of lasting value. The family as a whole is more at peace. Wealthy people generally select their spouse to maximize a mutual intimacy on all levels of life. Thus they seek more than just attractive or popular mates. Both men and women who become wealthy, more often chose a spouse who is intelligent, honest, responsible, capable, communicative, supportive and loving. Thus, millionaires generally have long-lasting stable marriages.

13. Replication Of A Service Or Product One of the secrets to wealth creation is the ability to create a widget or service and copy it for sale to as many people as possible. Bill Gates does this with his software programs. Molly Maid does it with their cleaning service. You will find that everyone who is successful does this well. They carve out a market by offering a great product or service at an affordable price. Products that can be copied and easily presented to a market, prove to generate the highest potential incomes. This is why Internet-based e-books presented by email, are making many people wealthy right now.

14. Wealth Creation Tactics Everyone who becomes wealthy, has invested money for retirement. Begin early to invest what you earn. Make the highest possible contribution to your RRSP each year. Select a financial advisor to guide you. Much like Henry Ford when delegating, get professional help when developing a financial plan or purchasing mutual fund investments. Wealthy people—even those successful in business—watch their money and enjoy seeing it grow.

15. Wealthy People Are Optimistic Without a relentlessly positive attitude, the discouraged can't think clearly to plan, nor sell their ideas to the bank or to any other person. Optimistic people find solutions to every problem, knowing that there will be new challenges daily. They also know that successful people lead, and many won't follow or may complain. They expect, yet rise above the intimidation of others. And they balance optimism with realism.

16. They Are Teachable Know-it-alls do not have open minds, so they can never grow in their learning. After all, if you know everything, you don't need to seek wisdom or ask questions. Following the crowd, they seek the status quo more than truth. Thus they never ask the right questions that unlock opportunity. Wealthy mindsets always inquire to the point of looking foolish to the unteachable.

17. Wealthy People Are Generous The greatest libraries, museums, and art galleries in the world were built on donations from the world's wealthiest entrepreneurs. If you have an attitude of serving the needs of mankind either to help the poor, or uplift others in learning or to inculcate the appreciation of culture and the arts, you are moving in the right direction. The old saying "give and it will be given to you" still holds true today. To obtain wealth, freely give of your time, money, and compassion.

18. Be Enthusiastic Enthusiasm is born of a strong belief in what is good for mankind. When you work toward developing a product or service that helps others enjoy life, you can be proud, and you will get excited about it. Enthusiasm rubs off and you get others excited about joining or investing in your wealth-creating ventures.

19. Persistence Pays Off In any business or professional practice, there will be setbacks, need for contingency plans, financing to obtain, and criticism from close associates. Persistence is the sister of enthusiasm, also born of a belief that your enterprise will achieve success. Wealthy people are not easily unnerved, nor give up. They get right back in the saddle and adjust their plans accordingly. At one point in his career, Donald Trump nearly lost his real estate empire, yet was able to regroup and come back stronger than ever.

20. A Reasonable And Progressive Mind It is one's reasonable mind, applied to discern value in any opportunity, that differentiates the risk-taking, wealth-creating individual. We love our work best when we are in full possession of our wits. Thus love of our work—just as we chose to love our spouse or children—is a highly reasonable day-by-day choice. Reasonable people love to read about other successful people, they have faith in the ability to make it happen. You will find them developing their minds by going to seminars and reading lots of books and magazines related to their field. And you will find them taking appropriate time off to exercise, and calm their minds in activities such as golf and meditation.