How to Get Rich by the Owner of Maxim
July 31st, 2006 by Matt InglotI came across this Times Online article today that I could not resist linking to. It’s actually a book excerpt from How to Get Rich by Felix Dennis, the founder of Dennis Publishing of Maxim magazine fame (among other publications).
Aside from being well-written and entertainingly snobby, the excerpt hits home on some important points. Some key excerpts:
Nobody believed that exercise could prove addictive until science stepped in and discovered endorphins. And making money, I assure you, is a hell of a lot more of a rush than jogging.
Up to just seven years ago I was still working 12 to 16 hours a day making money. With hundreds of millions of dollars in assets I just could not let go. It was pathetic. Because whoever dies with the most toys doesn’t win. Real winners are people who know their limits and respect them.
I firmly believe this is true as otherwise we wouldn’t have nearly as many billionaires. At some point you simply don’t need more money. However it’s only pathetic if you’re making money for money’s sake, rather than enjoying the ride.
If you wish to be rich, however, you must grow a carapace. A mental armour. Not so thick as to blind you to well-constructed criticism and advice, especially from those you trust. Nor so thick as to cut you off from friends and family. But thick enough to shrug off the inevitable sniggering and malicious mockery that will follow your inevitable failures. Not to mention the poorly hidden envy that will accompany your eventual success.
After a lifetime of making money and observing better men and women than me fall by the wayside, I am convinced that fear of failing in the eyes of the world is the single biggest impediment to amassing wealth. Trust me on this. If you shy away for any reason whatever, then the way is blocked. You will never get started. You will never get rich.
Fear of failure is almost certainly the reason that you have not already begun to make yourself rich. It haunts all of us.
This is a constantly reiterated concept by successful business owners everywhere. It’s the fundamental barrier that causes people to come up with all sorts of wonderful excuses for not starting that business they’ve been dreaming of. Dennis goes into this in-depth and strikes important point after point.
It’s not very easy to find a book that is both well-written and full of great advice. Based on the excerpt it’s got potential to be entertaining and insightful in the same was as Branson’s Losing My Virginity. I’ll post my full review once I have my hands on it in a month.
Got something to say? Leave a response to this post.
del.icio.us
digg
Reddit
Get the latest updates by subscribing to the feed.
Semi-Related Posts
August 6th, 2006 at 12:01 pm
Loved that article, would love to read your review and hear your thoughts on it.
September 19th, 2006 at 5:34 pm
I totally agree! I actually heard this guy on the radio last Saturday while out driving with my lovely but young and therefore noisy family and I focused on what he was saying above and beyond my tiredness, and guilt -yes guilt at being in the car on a Saturday afternoon when I could have been at home working, but instead decided we needed a family spin in the car and out of the house. I was immediately impressed and heard some familiar sounding truths. I could identify with a lot of what this guy was saying, although I was sad he had not discovered the joy of having a loving wife and beautiful children. Don’t get me wrong - I have never wanted to be wealthy. But I am always up for a challange and am nothing if not “thran” as my father used to call it - it means stubborn - its Irish. I decided about a year ago that I was going to become an internet product developer after discovering a guy called Bill Myers and after spending lots of money, started and paused (because I never quit) a number of projects (with some measure of success - no bullshit like the “I make $250 per second without taking off my pyjamus” that I se so much of on the web). Now I am raring to go i.e. very enthusiastic to rekindle my paused projects. And more importantly, I am no longer afraid of failure which has dogged my former years in so many ways you would not believe. I am even more interested in my own career although after getting shafted by my last - and I mean my last ever - employer, Target Express. I did not pass my ACCA exams for nothing! So now I will get Felix’s book and soak up the wisdom of his experience. Richard Branson - I read his book years ago and was very impressed. Models of success, I call it. Picture where you want to be. Study, soak up, dream, emulate those that you admire. My own philosophy is simple - if you want something and I mean really want it, and are prepared to make sacrifices beyond the ordinary, then you can only succeed!
Good Luck! Choose your life, seize your opportunities and make it happen for you…and never never never let the bastards get you down,Sean .Flanagan
April 22nd, 2008 at 4:52 am
make money online…
Vince James’ business model that he started out with also changed the way I looked at earning money online. Although I’ ve thought about it before I wasn’ t using it except for one affiliate program I was promoting which paid me recurring income …