Items in italics are direct quotes from the articles below
http://www.businessinsider.com/signs-youll-never-be-rich-2016-4/
Contrary to popular belief, “Everyone has the same opportunity to acquire wealth,” says self-made millionaire Steve Siebold. But is wealth in the cards for you? To help you evaluate that, we’ve rounded up nine red flags to watch out for. While no one can predict the future, the following choices most likely won’t accelerate your path to riches. The 9 signs you’ll never be rich are: you put too much emphasis on saving – and not enough on earning, you haven’t started investing, you’re content with a steady paycheck, you buy things you can’t afford, you’re pursuing someone else’s dreams – not your own, you rarely step outside of your comfort zone, you don’t have goals for your money, you spend first and save what’s left over, and you believe getting rich is out of your reach. It’s important to save money to invest, however at some point you must take action and begin to focus on earning. “The masses are so focused on clipping coupons and living frugally they miss major opportunities,” Siebold writes. It’s important to not focus on losing money, but to focus on making it work hard for you. Some experts say that “it’s not about how much money you make, it’s about how much you keep,” but this shouldn’t be an excuse to disregard earning completely. To keep money, you have to earn it in the first place. A common thread among millionaires is that they develop multiple streams of income and have smart savings habits. It’s important to start investing today. It’s true the earlier you invest, the more the power of compound interest can help you, but also keep in mind that taking action is one of the most important steps. Your average person is content with being paid for their time vs. a rich person will wait to be paid based on results. Another important factor is if you’re living above your means then the unnecessary luxury items could be hindering your ability to build wealth. “When you pursue someone else’s dreams or goals, you may eventually become unhappy with your chosen profession,” he writes in “Change Your Habits, Change Your Life.” “Your performance and compensation will reflect it. You will eke out a living, struggling financially. You simply won’t have the passion that is necessary for success to happen.” You must be willing to step out of your comfort zone, and by doing this step, you’ll in time grow into a new level of personal success. Everything worthwhile in life is uphill. Rich people want to attain wealth and set attainable measurable goals. Put it down on paper and go after it. If you want to get rich, pay yourself first. “What most people do when they earn a dollar is pay everyone else first,” self-made millionaire David Bach writes in “The Automatic Millionaire.” “They pay the landlord, the credit card company, the telephone company, the government, and on and on.” Rather than spending and then saving whatever is leftover, save first. Set aside at least 10% of your gross income and make the process automatic, Bach emphasizes. That way, you’ll never even see the money and you’ll learn to live without it. Finally, what you personally think is critical. Your thoughts are words, and your words are powerful because they do become flesh. You live in an abundant world and you’re blessed with unique gifts, and perspective. Use your life to create massive value for those around you. Blessed are the problem solvers, so go find some problems to solve.
NBA great Charles Barkley has some sound advice for rookies: Don’t give your money away to family and friends. “The first thing you do is learn how to save your money ’cause your family and friends are the worst people to spend your money. It has been that way for a long time. Barkley estimates that 60% or 70% of professional athletes go broke, “and 90% of the time it is because of family and friends.” “You have to learn to say the magic word: no,” Barkley recommends. “I do not owe you anything. If I want to do something for family, I’ll do it — but I do not have to keep them on payroll and support them their entire life. I lost a lot of family and friends because of that, and it was money well spent getting rid of them.” It’s not easy to say no, however there are moments when you want to take inventory of the situation and then weigh the consequences of saying yes. If you don’t stand for something, then you’ll fall for everything. Personally, I measure my yes and no against my value system which is the Bible. I also will consult with my wife and closest friends on issues that could involve a no. If it’s a financial decision then I talk with my wife even if I know the answer will be yes out of mutual respect and trust. Sometimes you can’t trust your own judgement so seek wise counsel.
If you are interested in creating a budget, then contact me for a financial checkup in the contact me section. Also, learn more about the self-lending principle in the mustard seed section.
This week, I’ve included STOP WISHING , START DOING – Powerful Motivation from the Success Archive YouTube channel.
“If you think you know it all, you’re a fool for sure; real survivors learn wisdom from others.”
Proverbs 28:26 MSG
Pursuit of Excellence 
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