Schools never teach you Rule #5
5 Rules You Need To Know To Become Wealthy Despite Your Corporate Job
Rule #1 - The single talent that sets apart wealthy pros from amateurs
I am 40. 3 years ago I gave myself a decade to retire wealthy. I am on track to reach my wealth goal before year 10. There are five wealth rules I follow. They may sound counterintuitive but work.
Firstly, it is possible to get rich working a Corporate Job. But the odds are potentially stacked against you. The bigger reality is this:
Your Corporate Job with the fancy title feeds an illusion of wealth.
The illusion that you are Ms/Mr Busy & Important. So you want your lifestyle to be the size of your illusion.
Along come the shiny adverts for real estate heaven or the latest pair of wheels strategically placed. Let’s be honest, they feed your self -importance don’t they? They whisper sweet nothings to vulnerable you. You satiate your insecurity by adding possessions to your growing kitty.
Warning: The possessions you can’t get enough of are a trap for clueless you!
The debt trap is like quicksand. You will want to scramble out of it one day but it will suck you right in! Meanwhile your dreams of retiring wealthy & early just flew out the window. Didn’t you see them waving goodbye?
What does this all mean? Simple. Your Corporate job will make you wealthy only if your savings > your spending. Yawn. That boring!
Listen up. The boring is what works amigo.
If you are hell-bent on becoming wealthy on a salaried job you need to do this. Practice knowing the difference between your needs & your wants. It all boils down to the right mindset. The mindset to be content with what you have.
I kid you not when I say this.
It follows that the single talent that sets you apart from other Corporate bees who want to become wealthy may well be this. Loving & accepting yourself enough.
So you don’t need validation through owning stuff paid for with debt. Don’t believe me. I’m just talking about my experience. Look around you to figure it out. People stuck in a debt trap are easy to spot once you know where to look.
Rule #2 - The hidden truth about real estate sneaky builders don’t want you to know
Remember Sleeping Beauty who was kissed by the prince while asleep?
All us woke people of today know it was abuse. What am I getting at?
The abusive kiss Real Estate czars steal from us Corporate biggies /not-so biggies. Which is kind of similar. They kiss us while we are in a coma state of competing with the Joneses. In South Asian countries like mine that swear by family, it gets worse. Builders manipulate sentiment so we mortgage our lives on hole-in-the-wall real estate. They call it the barometer to measure family love.
The hidden truth about real estate is this. Investing in self-consumption homes is what fools do. The “asset” is a hidden liability, purchased on a mortgage. Quick calculations will tell you that in the first three years of a loan you are paying interest to the lender. Your loan repayment looms in glory only after year three. Meanwhile the so-called “asset” is illiquid. It yields no return other than sentimental crap.
If you intend to be smart about retiring early & wealthy do this. Live on rent. Invest the money you save.
An even smarter & wealthy move would be to buy commercial property.
You can do something as simple & clever as install a cash vending machine on your property. Or you could rent to a shop owner. This way your real estate earns real income. A bonus- your property will increase in value as footfalls increase. Bonus times 2- it is more liquid that any home you will own.
Again, this is just me talking. Befriend people who’ve earned real wealth. Chances are they have used Rule #2 to their advantage.
Rule #3- Know the 3 basket system
Diversification is a word loosely used by lazy people. The ones who find it tedious to control their money life. Wealth czars know that consolidation gives better results. Ask Warren Buffet.
The 3-basket system is the clincher. It means to put your eggs in not more than 3 baskets. This is what I do.
My basket 1 is a portfolio of shares I hand pick. 70% of my portfolio is split between 15 stocks. This portfolio I nurture like a parent does a precious offspring. It makes me money while I sleep.
Basket 2 is my investment in funds. It will finance future known expenses like my son’s education.
Basket 3 is my contingency fund for when life strikes an unexpected blow.
If you like your gold as we Indians do, that will be basket #4. I don’t go gold. Plus more than 3 is difficult to handle, but if gold fans your heat, go ahead.
I invest consistently, month on month.
Disclaimer: Research before investing. This comes from my experience of what works for me & many others.
Rule #4 - Master the lucrative art of pissing people off
Have you been repeatedly brainwashed with the glories of teamwork? Think about this- It may get average shit done but what does it do for you? Worse- you believe helping others is your route to winning friends & influencing people. You’ve been using Dale Carnegie as your bible haven’t you?
The 3 reasons Dale Carnegie is not your model to wealth | by Zarine Swamy | Aug, 2022 | Medium
Helping others is awesome. It takes a big heart to give. But it could be disastrous for you if:
- You help when there is no real need
- You help with the expectation of getting something in return
My rule of thumb for help seekers is- can they do it by themselves? If they can, they just wanna ride my back to avoid moving their lazy arses.
This means you don’t need to have collaboration & teamwork high on your agenda. Rather, in your Corporate job pick high-visibility projects. More often than not these would be cost-saving/revenue-earning activities. Make some noise about your contribution. Ask for your rewards. If they pay you more, put the extra cash in basket 1.
Trade being Ms. / Mr. nice for your time. Piss a few people off. Say NO more often & without regret.
Rule #5- Scoop up a bit of sinful moolah on the side
Wait a minute? What can you do with the free time you have from pissing people off? Build a side hustle. The creator economy makes it simple. You can start small. Do you have hobbies that you can teach? Do you want to consult in your line of work? Look for opportunities to build your currency. Then build up an audience on social media. Give out free at first to get your audience into a funnel. With time your hustle will grow & earn for you. With a full-time job give it 3 years to take wings.
Get a taste of the forbidden. Scoop up your first bit of sinful moolah your boss knows nothing about.
Patience is the key & it’s where most people fail. Stick to these rules for the long term. The magic will unfold along the way. Draw your own wealth timeline.
And don’t forget to meet me at the wealthy end of the rainbow. I will be there lazing around tequila in hand.
