What can we learn from the words of millionaires? A lot it turns out…
Inspirational quotes can get a bad reputation. They can be cheesy. They can be used almost as an alternative to getting any work done by lazy folks and Instagram ‘influencers’. But like most things, beneath the bullshit and flowers, there is solid information and ideas there that we can learn from. And there are many that have been really beneficial and have actually helped me a lot over the years.
So I have put together for you a list of quotes from some of the business and motivational superstars. Many you will have heard of, some I am sure you won’t. But they are all great and will help you learn something and think differently.
Before we delve into our list of quotes from millionaires, and what we can learn from them, I want to kick things off by sharing my favourite quote and how it has helped me in business and my personal life.
“80% of Success is showing up”
Whether it’s his original quote or not I don’t know, but these words are preached by Grant Cardone. It is a very simple but powerful quote, especially in today’s world where people are getting lazier and more entitled by the day. All people seem to want to talk about nowadays is ‘work smart not hard’, ‘earn passive income’, ‘earn more do less’.
Whilst obviously all of these things make sense in a certain context, they are typically being spoken about from a place of laziness by people who want something for nothing. So if you are struggling to be successful, maybe it is time to take an honest look at how much effort you are actually putting in.
Stop worrying about how many days of annual leave your next job will have. Stop moaning about everything your government has done wrong. Stop blaming everyone for the troubles in your life. And just start showing up and getting shit done!
Show up with you are tired. (I am writing this at 6.30 am on a train to Leeds after a 3-hours of sleep. Of course, I would rather be in bed! But that’s not going to get me paid and help me achieve my goal!)
Show up when you are sick. Show up when your friends are trying to drag you somewhere else. I guarantee all of a sudden your levels of success will start looking dramatically different.
“There is no monopoly on becoming a millionaire. If you’re jealous of those with more money, don’t just sit there and complain. Do something to make more money yourself – spend less time drinking, or smoking and socializing and more time working.” ~ Gina Rinehart
Running a business isn’t a hobby, it’s a full-time job that requires sacrifices. When I first started out, I realised very quickly that I needed to make changes to my life in order to succeed.
And lately, a healthier, more organised lifestyle has improved my focus, motivation and my ability to remain calm in high-pressure situations. If you dedicate more time to working on yourself, rather than simply indulging, you’ll be a better businessman and human being overall!
“At least eighty percent of millionaires are self-made. That is, they started with nothing but ambition and energy, the same way most of us start.” ~ Brian Tracy
We recently discussed in my Debunking Business Myths blog that not all millionaires start out rich, and it’s absolutely true. In fact, most businesses can be started with next to nothing. The currencies you DO need to help start and run a successful business are determination, ambition and resilience – if you possess those qualities and have the drive to better yourself, you’re off to a good start.
But if you do need investment for your business – here are a few tips about how to secure funding.
No matter how smart you are, if you don’t know how to work with people, your dreams will just be dreams. ~ Jack Ma.
Behind every business, there are people; employers, investors, manufacturers- the list goes on. And in order to create trusting relationships with them all, you need to earn their respect as much as they need to earn yours. So if you’re a complete dick, no one will work with you and your business will be isolated.
If you’re not a ‘people person’, it is time to invest in your self-development, how to communicate and how to create a good, long-lasting impression. The aim isn’t to be loved by all, it’s to show that you can listen, learn and respond in a way that’s beneficial to all.
“Your most unhappy customers are your greatest source of learning.” ~ Bill Gates
You’ll never please everyone, that’s just a fact. But if you don’t take on board any criticism or feedback from your customers- the people paying your wage- you’ll fail to grow and will lose business in the process.
Negative feedback is a great opportunity to improve your products or services in ways you hadn’t previously thought of.
Rather than dwell and feel sorry for yourself, appreciate that you’ve been given free, honest feedback that could benefit your company going forward.
Formal education will make you a living; self-education will make you a fortune. – Jim Rohn
If you don’t already know, I made the decision to drop out of university to work in my family uniform business full time – I was 18 years old.
I decided that real-world business experience was going to be more valuable to me than three years of lectures- and I was right. There is nothing wrong with earning qualifications and studying, it can be really beneficial in the right circumstances.
But, always remember that experience in the field will always be more valuable than anything you read in a book.
“Get a millionaire mentor. Most of us were brought up middle class or poor and then hold ourselves to the limits and ideas of that group. I have been studying millionaires to duplicate what they did. Get your own personal millionaire mentor and study them. Most rich people are extremely generous with their knowledge and their resources.” ~ Grant Cardone
It took losing my businesses and filing for bankruptcy to realise I needed a mentor. If I had sought one out early in my career, I wouldn’t have found myself in that situation.
Learning from someone who has experienced all the wins, the losses, and the failures- is more valuable to you, and your business, than any amount of money.
It doesn’t matter how many books you read or podcasts you listen to, real-world business advice and guidance is undoubtedly the best source of knowledge you can receive when starting out.
So, if you’re thinking about starting a business or need advice and how to expand the one you already have, get in touch with me via info@matt-haycox.com to see how I can help.
“There are very few self-made millionaires, if any, who have not taken risks which would make the rest of us unable to sleep at night, or keep our food down.” ~ Dominic Lawson
There are no guarantees in business, no secret formula that will ensure world domination. All (and I mean all) entrepreneurs take risks – it’s part and parcel of the job.
Whether it’s taking a chance on an investment, taking a leap of faith with a distributor or launching a unique product or service, you will never make it in the industry if you aren’t prepared to make that decision at some point during your career.
If you’ve played your cards right, secured multiple lines of revenue (as we talk about next) and it fails, you’ve covered your own back.
“Many drops make a bucket, many buckets make a pond, many ponds make a lake, and many lakes make an ocean.” ~ Percy Ross
I talk a lot about having multiple streams of income and will reiterate until I’m blue in the face how important it is.
As we discussed recently in my Andrew Tate blog, relying on one stream of anything not only puts you at risk if it goes under, but you’re also limiting yourself from expanding your portfolio and making more money. As this quote implies, multiple drops will become an ocean.
But in our case, multiple ventures will build an empire.
“The most dangerous poison is the feeling of achievement. The antidote is to every evening think what can be done better tomorrow.”‒ Ingvar Kamprad.
Reaching a particular milestone isn’t the moment to stop and retire- it’s the moment to set a new goal, invest more and aim higher. When I made my first million, my first thought wasn’t, ‘i’ve made it’, it was, ‘how can I make another?’.
NEVER get comfortable, always keep pushing forward and working towards something better than before.
Strive to be the best person you can be, don’t be lazy and keep making money – you’ll not believe how quickly you can lose it all!
“Always be eager to learn, no matter how successful you might already be. In the Millionaires’ Club, we sometimes invite a billionaire to come talk to us. He says, ‘You’re doing okay, but come on. How about if you really poured it on!’” ~ Jim Rohn
Just like the economy, the rules of business change constantly and you need to keep up.
The only way to do that is to continuously learn, grow and expand your knowledge. Whether it’s reading a book, listening to a podcast or getting some qualifications, always take the time to explore new ideas, concepts and theories to ensure you’re leading your business and team to the height of its potential.
“If you want to be a millionaire, start with a billion dollars and launch a new airline.” -Richard Branson.
What this quote teaches us is that historically, launching an airline is a terrible idea. But more importantly, this quote perfectly sums up how easy it is to be seduced by something ‘sexy’. Don’t jump on the bandwagon just because something seems glamorous and will produce a guaranteed profit. NOTHING is certain. Launching a business or investing in industries such as airlines is a HUGE risk. Only do it if you have multiple lines of income elsewhere, to ensure you’ll stay afloat if it fails.
If we can take one thing from Branson’s experience, it’s that just because something seems sexy, doesn’t mean it is.
“The only difference between a rich person and a poor person is how they use their time.”‒ Robert Kiyosaki.
If you follow my youtube channel, you’ll see that my life is pretty much non-stop. However, over the years I’ve found a way to balance my work, fitness, family and friends to gain the most I can from them all.
All of the time, whether it’s taking a business call, taking my daughter for lunch or travelling benefits me one way or another- I’m either making money or making myself happy. In order to find success in business AND life, you need to do both.
How you spend your time right now will determine your future – what do you want that to look like?
“Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life.” — Steve Jobs
One of the best pieces of advice you’ll ever receive is to always be true to yourself- don’t be a sheep.
Be the brand you’re trying to sell!
If you have an opinion, give it. If you want to post nude pictures on Instagram, do it (I certainly have, click here to see my best ASSet!) and if you want to swear, fucking do it!
If you’re honest about who you are, what you want and what you’re willing to do to get it, you’ll be respected for it. Not everyone will like you, but who cares when you’re living the life you want and getting paid for it!
If you don’t find a way to make money while you sleep, you will work until you die. ~ Warren Buffett.
Passive income streams are sources of cash flow that allow you to make money 24/7 with minimal effort. In other words, you can literally make money while you sleep.
For example, this can include income from stocks, interest from savings accounts, building an affiliate site, selling designs online or creating an app.
Creating a passive income stream is a smart move for people in and outside of business, but it’s important to note that it’s only possible if you’ve put in the groundwork first. For instance, owning a rental property portfolio is a fantastic way to ensure a monthly income but that’s only possible if you’ve worked hard enough to raise enough funds to buy the property in the first place!
The best time to expand is when no one dares to take risks. ~ Andrew Carnegie
When I was in my early 20’s, I spotted a gap in the market. Lap Dancing clubs had a bad reputation for being sleazy, but I saw an opportunity to inject serious business principles into the industry and make them more reputable – to create a mainstream business from a shunned market.
And just like that, Wildcats was born, quickly becoming the country’s biggest chain of strip clubs. When the credit crunch hit, it all went to shit, but that’s another story. The moral of this story is to look for those gaps and take risks.
Need some more no-bullshit advice and tips about your business? Get in touch or follow me on social media!
