The 8 Levels of Financial Success: How I went from $2500 a month to 7-Figures
There are different levels of finances. The government has their own levels, it’s called Tax Brackets. Today, I’m going to show you the Cardone Levels of Finance. As you read them, keep in mind how you can transform yourself to get to the next level. A transformation is defined as a thorough or dramatic change in form or appearance; a metamorphosis; the induced or spontaneous change of one element into another.
What can you do to get to the next level financially?
Cardone Levels of Finance:
Level 0 (Broke): This is the poorest of the poor financially — those who can’t survive without charity or people just handing them money for nothing but pity. It takes many things to go wrong to end up homeless, and it’s a sad situation, but I encourage everyone who might be here to know they can begin climbing back up. In fact, it’s the only way to go.
Level 1 (Broke): This is basic necessities. It’s government assistance to minimum wage — all the way up to around $50,000 a year depending on where you live. It’s Walmart shopping, it’s no cash for a car, much less a car repair. This is poverty, though it is a step above living on the streets. But that’s the thing, you’re literally one step away, one mistake, one illness, one bad thing to happen and you’re going to be without a home, a car, or start slipping further into debt.
The bottom line is there is no money here, it’s scrapping for survival.
Level 2 (Broke): These people make around $50,000 a year up to $125,000 a year depending on location. This is what many have defined as the “middle class” but it’s not really the middle class anymore, though it’s stilled called so by the media. These are 9 to 5 workers and many have houses in the suburbs. They can pay their bills so long as there are no surprise expenses and mostly live paycheck to paycheck. It’s a vacation sometimes — at the Holiday Inn with the free breakfast buffet.
If you’ve made it to Level 2, you too can stay at the Holiday Inn…
Level 3 (Just Getting By): Once you start making north of $125K a year you are doing better than most. Don’t get caught comparing yourself to others though. Just as those who are in the stages of broke shouldn’t compare themselves with someone in a 3rd world country, nobody at this initial level of just getting by should be comparing themselves with someone making $80,000 in Level 2.
The truth is until you hit $200,000 a year you can’t even be an accredited investor.
That means you’re still too broke by law to even be allowed to invest your money with me or anyone else outside of Wall Street.
Level 4 (Just Getting By): This is the “professional” crowd — the doctors, the lawyers, the bankers, and some high-level salespeople. They make $200,000 to $400,000 year. They have some disposable income in general, though not enough to invest much yet. There is enough income here to have some savings at this level, but it leaves you wanting more. It’s still basically paycheck to paycheck even though you can cover unexpected expenses and frequently go out to eat at restaurants and go on halfway decent vacations.
Level 5 (Just Getting By): This level belongs to entrepreneurs, salespeople, professional athletes, or the doctors from the previous level who’ve been in the game for a long time and have been able to accumulate a few million dollars. Many in this category may have an exotic car — though they shouldn’t yet. These are the mere millionaires. Remember that the millionaire next door is actually the new middle class. You’re almost to success at this level but you need to keep pushing.
Mere millionaires are at Level 5 can’t afford to splurge on exotic cars yet!
Level 6 (Success): I went on Lewis Howe’s School of Greatness Podcast and told him a person needs about $20 million before they can be considered “rich”. This is because most people haven’t actually done the math to know how much they really need. Until you hit $20 million, you should not consider yourself financially successful. This is the bare minimum, in my opinion, to be considered financially successful.
Level 7 (Success): Once you get north of $50 million, it will be hard to screw it all up. When you have over $100 million you can really start getting into big money real estate and this becomes a game changer. There are many hecta-millionaires out there (individuals with 100’s of millions of dollars) — and many are satisfied to stay at this level, but there is still another level to get to. Level 7 is the level I’m currently at.
Level 8 (Success): One word — billionaire. There are only a few thousand of these individuals on planet Earth. I’m not there yet, though I’m looking to climb my way in soon. When you start throwing around the B-word it’s unreal to most people, even those up to Level 5.
This is the level where you can really start to make a large impact and change communities with charitable giving.
Comment below where you’re at and what you think you need to do to take yourself to the next level.
By the way, I built my new 7 Figure Sales Certification to take you beyond the “Broke” and “Just Getting By” levels to hit the level of Success most people only dream of. Just know this, it’s harder making $83,000 a year than it is to make $83,000 a month! Sign up today.
Be great,
GC
Grant Cardone is a New York Times bestselling author, the #1 sales trainer in the world, and an internationally renowned speaker on leadership, real estate investing, entrepreneurship, social media, and finance. His 5 privately held companies have annual revenues exceeding $100 million. Forbes named Mr. Cardone #1 of the “25 Marketing Influencers to Watch in 2017”. Grant’s straight-shooting viewpoints on the economy, the middle class, and business have made him a valuable resource for media seeking commentary and insights on real topics that matter. He regularly appears on Fox News, Fox Business, CNBC, and MSNBC, and writes for Forbes, Success Magazine, Business Insider, Entrepreneur.com, and the Huffington Post. He urges his followers and clients to make success their duty, responsibility, and obligation. He currently resides in South Florida with his wife and two daughters.
