You don't hang around very affluent people in a bank made for wealthy people and not pick up a thing or two. Well, at least that's how I thought of it. My thought process was if I'm going to be able to service these people, I might as well ask some questions to see how they got there. This was probably the best school of making money ever created! Thank you, sweet baby black Jesus.
One of my favorite questions to ask was (and this is verbatim), "I love getting to know about the stories of my clients who are wealthy and happy. Emphasis on the happy part. Could you share a few tips from how you started so I can continue on my journey?"
And of course, they would start speaking because they were flattered. Allow me to preface by saying I didn't ask everyone that question. Yes, I saw sometimes the wealthiest of the wealthy but noticed how some of them treated people and sometimes their spouses rudely. It felt like torture to be around some of them. I took note of that and told myself, ahh let's not do that. I don't want to be like that.
I tried to look for the ones with peace to match with their success. That alone piqued my interest to discover their mindset. These were some of the lessons I've learned:
Start em' young (Or for God's sakes, just start where you are...for God's sake)
Earning money is a skill set and a language at the same time. I couldn't count how many times I saw a wealthy client bring their child into the branch and immediately start speaking in financial terms. I noticed how the child would start to pick up on the lingo and start to reciprocate. The natural curiosity of that young age would then become attuned to thinking of money as a game rather than Pokemon cards. I saw how some 16 and 17-year-old already had their businesses. Just like mommy and daddy. I never had that opportunity growing up but I did have one hell of a Pokemon deck. Who had that better childhood by those standards? You may have your money, kid, but I had 5 Pikachu's. I think I won that one.
What I gleaned from this is that wealth building is a culture. If you grow up in it, you're going to learn how to do it if you choose to.
Keep Learning
Every time I would ask these people for tangible takeaways, they would invariably give me a book recommendation or a person to follow. There was one experience that stuck on to me.
I was sitting down at my desk getting ready for my next client and this middle-aged gentleman walked in. Something about him seemed so engaging and so friendly even before he said hi.
As we began talking, I sensed the warmth and kindness that I always looked for in my best clients. I saw the ostensible financial success matched with the emotional success. Then again, maybe he was just having a good day.
When I asked about his wealth, he taught me as someone who genuinely wanted to help me. It seemed like he had all the time in the world to do so. When I saw that bank account, I thought to myself, maybe he does lol. He told me to read The Richest Man in Babylon and to study the lives of my clients so I could learn better how to work with them.
When I finally read Richest Man months later, I knew why he recommended it to me. That book is like the wealth-building Bible (Please don't sleep on this book). It is simply classic and timeless. To this day, I recommend Richest Man in Man to all of my friends who are on the journey to achieve financial independence.
Own Something
I couldn't keep track of how many business owners I met in that role. These were all men and women at the top of their field. They created something and had ownership of it. CEOs and founders and entrepreneurs. Anyone who did not fit that bill was usually involved in oil and gas and obtained their wealth through that path.
Be rather than to seem to be
As I dived headfirst into this habitat for the wealthy, I noticed that there were different types of wealth. My colleagues and I would categorize our clients based on the behaviors they displayed. It became a great way to pass the time.
The first type were those who arrived at the money game and wanted everyone to notice. With these people, we saw the latest cars and the fanciest clothes. For some reason, it seemed that the luxuries they brandished created enmity between us and them.
Then, we had the more established and seasoned wealthy people. They still had nice cars but it wasn't as luxurious and overstated.
Last, we had the most wealthy. These were the people that would astound you with how much success they have achieved. The thing is, you would have never known it.
They drove classic Oldsmobiles and wore the simplest attires and cars that look like they have been maintained since the 70s or 80s. It was so fascinating to see. Usually, they were older but I remember seeing a couple of 30 or 40 somethings that fit the mold.
Stay Humble and Kind
You know what they say. Whoever they are. Money doesn't buy happiness. It can help you get there though. During my tenure, I got to spend time with people that I've only thought existed on television. I got to see them up close and personal. What I got to see was that they were just like me. They had just as many issues as I did. What I also got to see was that happiness was not inextricably linked to the number of zeros in your bank account. It was a state of mind. From dealing with so many personalities, I determined in my heart that as I would try my best to remain humble and kind to people along my journey. The amount of money you have doesn't make. After all, you can't take it with you. Somehow, the majority of the most wealthy that I found seem to grasp that. Some are still struggling to realize that
I learned that wealth can be achieved through a multitude of means. How you traverse your trail is completely up to you. Getting to the destination will not automatically make you happy. It can make you more crotchety and uptight. That's not fun for anyone involved. As I have seen, there is a better way. In the words of the late great Jim Rohn, "learn to be happy with what you have while you pursue what you want." That way, you can live in peace while you get to where you want to go.
Please feel free to comment below what your thoughts are and share with friends if this has helped you. Buh-byeeeeeee
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