11 Things You Need to Hear from Millionaires

Who doesn’t want financial freedom? If you’re trying to expand your personal wealth, you might listen to advice from your parents, friends, and colleagues—but how are they doing financially? Wouldn’t you prefer to get tips from someone who has made millions?




These quotes from millionaires can give you insight into what could make you more financially abundant and may change the way that you think about money.

1. David Bach, author of “The Automatic Millionaire”

“If millennials don’t buy a home, their chances of actually having any wealth in this country are little to none. The average homeowner to this day is 38 times wealthier than a renter.”

David Bach is a self-made millionaire who is all about saving money by cutting out small expenses and investing. Putting your money into real estate can save you up to $500,000 on rent over 30 years.

2. Elon Musk, Tesla and Space-X CEO

“Failure is an option here. If things are not failing, you are not innovating enough.”

Many people don’t succeed because they are so afraid of failure. If you don’t take risks, you restrict your growth. Making mistakes shows you what doesn’t work so that you can focus on what does. Failure helps you overcome fears, solve problems, work around obstacles, and learn to cope with hardship.

3. Jeff Bezos, Amazon Founder and CEO

“I think frugality drives innovation, just like other constraints do. One of the only ways to get out of a tight box is to invent your way out.”

Just because you make good money doesn’t mean that you have to throw it around. Learning to live on a budget can help you keep your finances in the bank and be more creative with your savings. If you’re in a tight spot financially, consider how it could propel your growth. If you concentrate on the way that it’s holding you back, you might always stay in that tight spot.

4. Stephen Richards, Author and Multi-Millionaire

“Doing the tough things sets winners apart from losers.”

It’s human nature to avoid change and discomfort. We feel safe when we are in our bubble of familiarity, but if we don’t do anything differently, our financial situation will never shift. 


Many people are afraid of becoming wealthy because it contradicts their longstanding limiting beliefs about wealth. Even though they think that they desire financial freedom, they may also have reservations about managing large sums of money or the implications of wealth. Therefore, they stick to what’s comfortable instead of branching out and trying hard things. 


To truly be successful, you have to get off the couch and take risks.

5. Larry Ellison, Billionaire and Oracle Corporation CEO

“When you innovate, you've got to be prepared for everyone telling you you're nuts.”

It’s not always easy to be the person who is doing something different. There are only about 48 million millionaires in the world. That’s 0.5 percent of the world’s population. 


If you want to be a millionaire, you have to get comfortable with being different. Moreover, the complacent people in your life will wonder why you’re acting so crazy. But you can’t be like everyone else and become a millionaire.

6. Bill Gates, Microsoft Founder

“I choose a lazy person to do a hard job. Because a lazy person will find an easy way to do it.”

We are often told that the best way to be successful is by working hard. But putting in time and effort isn’t always efficient. If you want to be productive, you might need to find the easiest way to achieve your goals. You’ll waste less time and money and get to your destination faster.

7. J.K. Rowling, Author of “Harry Potter”

“You sort of start thinking anything's possible if you've got enough nerve.”

It takes guts to go against the grain. But if you do what you’ve always been doing, then the only thing that’s possible is what you have already achieved. Many millionaires talk about the courage and boldness that it takes to rise above the status quo. Listen to yourself instead of everyone else. You have to show that you’re daring and willing to be different if you want to increase your personal wealth.

8. Oprah Winfrey, Television Personality and Entrepreneur

“It was never about attaining wealth or celebrity. It was about the process of continually seeking to be better, to challenge myself to pursue excellence on every level.”

If your goal is to become rich and famous, you might fall flat if that objective isn’t backed by something meaningful. Author and motivational speaker Simon Sinek emphasizes the importance of finding your why. If you don’t know why you’re pursuing your goals, you might lack the motivation and drive to accomplish them.

9. Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook Co-Founder

“I think a simple rule of business is, if you do the things that are easier first, then you can actually make a lot of progress.”

Overwhelm can paralyze you. If you’re always putting yourself up against a challenge, you may grow, but you might avoid the hard work. Sometimes, you can move forward more easily simply by making the easiest next move instead of moving mountains.

10. Warren Buffett, Businessman and Philanthropist

“If you don’t find a way to make money while you sleep, you will work until you die.”

Most people have it in their minds that they have to make a certain amount of money per hour of work. But time is limited. If you’re only one person, you can’t scale a business that requires you to do per-hour labor. You can expand a passive income stream, however, because it doesn’t rely on your time or effort. Passive income streams allow you to keep making money while you relax, sleep, or play.

11. Bernard Arnault, LVMH Chairman and CEO

“Money is just a consequence. I always say to my team, ‘Don't worry too much about profitability. If you do your job well, the profitability will come.'”

Does money really matter if you don’t live a fulfilling life? Ultimately, if you live with integrity, passion, and drive, you can achieve your dreams.

Final Thoughts

Whether you’re a fresh graduate or a full-fledged adult trying to carve out a career, there’s something to learn here. The theme behind all of these quotes is to break out of your comfort zone, take risks, and maximize your efficiency. But most importantly, you should express yourself authentically. When you’re in alignment with your desires, you can do great things.

Related: Here’s Every Reason Why You Should Invest Right Now