I read an article this week about a young guy who became a millionaire only a few short years after being broke. He was disciplined, worked hard, and spent wisely. He focused on reducing his spending and finding ways to make more money. It was a great story of how fast someone can turn around their financial well-being.
I usually read the comments on articles like these to see what other people think about the story. It’s a quick look into the financial mindset of the readers, something I’m always interested in.
I saw almost no comments praising this guy on his accomplishments. Very little positive feedback. Most of the comments sounded like sour grapes. Some of the comments criticized him for being cheap. Other comments talked about how it’s only because he doesn’t have kids yet. Many comments suggested he’s depriving himself and missing out on life.
Several comments hinted that he got lucky in a hot market. A few people said he’d probably lose it all anyway. Others ripped him because he was single, and no married person could do something like this. Then there were the old “must be nice”, “I could never do that”, and “impossible on a regular salary” comments.
Unfortunately, the comments on articles like these are almost always the same. It seems like whenever someone is financially successful, people look for ways to put them down.
What if we shifted our mindset from criticizing the successful to learning from them? And I’m not just talking about people who are financially successful. It can be in any area of life: family, fitness, career, personal finance, anything really.
This guy completely turned around his financial nightmare in just a few years. He took action and greatly improved his life. We can all learn something from him, even if it’s only one small takeaway. When we stop learning and growing, we stop improving.
We have to train ourselves to have a growth mindset. When we read an article about someone successful, consider it an opportunity to learn. Here are some examples of the old way of thinking versus a growth mindset.
| Old Way of Thinking | Growth Mindset |
| Yeah, but this guy had to get roommates. | If I got a roommate for one year I could save at least $9,000. |
| I’m not going to be cheap like that. | There are a lot of things I buy that I don’t really want, I could do better in that area. |
| Just wait until he has kids! | He put his future family in a great spot. |
| He got lucky in a hot market. | If I consistently invest, I’ll hit a good market cycle too. |
| There’s no way it’s going to last, he’s going to blow it. | Good financial habits like this last a lifetime. |
| Must be nice! | If he can do it, I can do it. |
| Try doing that on a regular salary. | I’m going to look for ways to improve my income too. |
| I’m not going to deprive myself and miss out. | I spend money on things I value. |
| Articles like this are a waste of time. Clickbait! | The guy in this article was a little extreme for my taste, but I got a couple good ideas from him. |
Changing our thinking helps us to change our actions. Our actions then change our lives. The next time you read an article about someone doing well, be happy for that person, and find at least one takeaway you can add to your life. I think you’ll find it makes a big difference.
What person have you learned the most from?
