facebook twitter instagram linkedin google youtube vimeo tumblr yelp rss email podcast phone blog external search brokercheck brokercheck Play Pause
Seven Steps Toward Serious Wealth: A Roadmap for Financial Success Thumbnail

Seven Steps Toward Serious Wealth: A Roadmap for Financial Success


As a preeminent wealth advisor, I’ve witnessed firsthand how individuals achieve remarkable financial success and, just as importantly, why they pursue it. For many, building wealth goes beyond amassing assets—it’s about creating the freedom to take care of loved ones, contribute meaningfully to society, and realize dreams that might otherwise remain out of reach.

The principles outlined here, distilled from insights by Russ Alan Prince, provide a practical framework for anyone aspiring to reach significant wealth. Whether your goal is to be a multimillionaire or enhance your financial standing, these steps can illuminate the path forward.

Why Build Wealth?

Wealth is often misunderstood as mere accumulation. In truth, for most affluent individuals, wealth creation is deeply tied to purpose:

  • Providing for family and loved ones. Ninety-four percent of successful business owners cite this as their primary motivator for growing wealth.
  • Making a difference. Over 70% of affluent individuals are philanthropically inclined, seeing wealth as a way to leave a positive mark on the world.
  • Achieving big visions. Many use their resources to innovate and support ideas that can change lives globally.


Wealth, when purpose-driven, becomes a tool to enable a life of meaning and fulfillment.

How Much Is Enough?

The right wealth target is unique to each individual and their aspirations. For many, a net worth of $20 million represents a threshold for “serious wealth,” offering the freedom to:

  • Secure their financial future.
  • Support multiple generations of loved ones.
  • Contribute meaningfully to causes they care about.


Your number might be higher or lower, depending on your goals, responsibilities, and vision for the future. Clarity about this target is the first step toward achieving it.

The Seven Rules of Serious Wealth

Building substantial wealth requires commitment, strategy, and a mindset of continuous improvement. These seven rules, drawn from the habits of the ultra-wealthy, can serve as your guide:

  1. Commit to extreme wealth. Success starts with a mindset. Commit to your financial goals with clarity and determination, knowing sacrifices may be required to stay on course.
  2. Engage in enlightened self-interest. Make decisions that balance your interests with the value you create for others. From negotiations to strategic partnerships, this principle drives sustainable wealth creation.
  3. Put yourself in the line of money. Choose endeavors that offer significant financial potential. Many self-made wealthy individuals build businesses or acquire equity in high-growth opportunities, ensuring they have a stake in the success.
  4. Pay everyone involved. Reward the people who help you succeed through competitive compensation, equity, or other incentives. Loyalty and alignment often follow fair recognition.
  5. Connect for-profit and results. Build a deep, impactful network of relationships. A small, high-quality network can yield outsized results when cultivated thoughtfully.
  6. Use failure to improve and refocus. View setbacks as opportunities to learn and grow. Resilience and adaptability are hallmarks of the wealthy, who often emerge stronger after failure.
  7. Stay highly centered. Focus on what you do exceptionally well and delegate the rest. The ultra-wealthy often excel at aligning their efforts with their core strengths, avoiding distractions that dilute their impact.


Your Path to Financial Freedom

Not everyone aspires to be a billionaire—or even a multimillionaire—and that’s okay. What matters is identifying the level of wealth that allows you to live with financial freedom and meaning.

By adopting even a few of these rules, you can make significant progress toward your goals. Whether you aim to secure your family’s future, support transformative causes, or enjoy the freedom wealth provides, the journey begins with a decision to take purposeful action.

Are you ready to begin your journey? Let’s map out your plan together. You can achieve wealth that aligns with your vision and values with the right strategy and mindset.

This approach to wealth creation is about more than just numbers. It’s about empowering you to live a life of impact, purpose, and freedom. Let’s take the next step toward building the future you deserve.

Insights from John J. Bowen Jr. inspired this blog.


We Are Committed To Understanding Your Needs


LEARN MORE