I started from nothing. I remember working at McDonald’s during high school for $4.25/hour and being happy with my paychecks. My parents raised me to have a strong sense of core values and discipline. However, that’s all I left the house with when I joined the Marines in 1999.
I met my wife one day in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan. She spoke no English, only Russian. She also came from nothing. Again, her parents give her a strong sense of core values, hard work, and teamwork.
We became a team in 2006 when we were married in Helsinki, Finland. Since then, we have become inseparable. Don’t get me wrong, the Marine Corps has put miles of distance between us for many years at times, but we have never been apart.
How the Rich Buy Their Bling
I remember one day in Afghanistan around 2010. It was a crisp, clear night in December, and the base I was on was relatively isolated. I could see the stars for miles because there was no cloud layer. I remember looking up and thinking that at least one person in the world is also looking up and thinking of me. That’s when I knew the purpose of being married.
This is a picture of Kristina and me in 2020, right before I left for a two-year tour in Japan. Kris and I have been through a lot throughout our 15-year marriage. All marriages have better days than others, but we don’t feel that anything has been overly burdensome.
When we were younger, it was harder for us to use our words. We are not taught how to be good husbands and wives, so there is always a steep learning curve. But we made it with two kids, and now it’s time to get rich.
Life threw us lemons. We didn’t start with any money in life. Luckily, our parents made us good people with good values and above-average work ethics. As far as cash and assets, that is a big fat zero. So we made passive income lemonade!
When is Enough Money….Enough Money?
Now I am 40, and Kris is 37 (you didn’t hear that from me), and we have more money than we know what to do with. We avoided the middle-class trap of bigger homes, cars, and vacations.
We will also avoid the other income trap of resting on our laurels. We are making a ton of cash flow, $17,000/month versus $4,000/month expenses, but we aren’t going to stop searching for new income streams.
You see, that is what the rich do to increase their income; they keep adding assets to their portfolio. They do not go and find another job, work more hours, or beg their boss for a pay raise. They search for assets they can build, create, or obtain, and they add them to their list of assets that produce income.
They do this for their entire lives. They don’t stop when they think they have enough money. They don’t consider it greedy to keep adding assets to their portfolio. I’ll let you know something. There are enough resources, money, time, assets for everyone to become wealthy.
Success is a Habit, What is Your Daily Routine?
Some people will have more than others, but everyone could live a good life. As you gain more and more assets, you do not mind spending money on other people using their minds to create new experiences or businesses.
For instance, we have three acres of grassland at our house in Florida. I could cut it myself or pay $100/month to have someone else do it. I will pay someone to cut it for two reasons. A) I hate cutting grass B) I have something more valuable I can do with my time.
I could keep my $100 and cut the grass, or I could use the 4-5 hours to publish a book that could make me $1000+ over its lifetime. Most rich people use this equation to decide what is worth spending their time or money on. They are making passive income lemonade.
Are You Too Old to Start a Business?
No back to the person cutting my grass. They can continue to keep cutting grass all their lives or decide to make the same choices that the rich person made. At some point, they can hire an assistant and have them cut the grass. The assistant could make $70, and the owner would take $30. The owner is now free to find more business; it is called business automation via management.
The only person holding you back from being wealthy is you. Everyone brings something unique to the table, everyone. I am here writing books and articles every day, but I was never a creative. I decided that I wanted to earn passive income from royalties, so that is what I did.
I started a blog, read 50 books, including books on writing, blogging, advertising, and design. And I started writing each and every day. It takes 10,000 hours to become a master at something, and I am about 600-800 hours in. So I have a few YEARS before I am where I need to be. I look forward to the challenge.
But here’s the truth, 97% of people won’t do what I did. That is to decide to better themselves and go after their goal. Wealth is a mindset, and most people (97%) do not have the proper vision to obtain great wealth.
The good part of growing up poor is you have a unique frame of reference. When I receive dividends, royalties, and rents (mailbox money), I still consider it free money. I can still remember those days working my butt off at McDonald’s, earning a low wage, but being happy.
Now, I am bringing in new money every day. Every. Single. Day. Each day a different lump sum is earned from my books, dividends, rents, or cryptocurrencies. My wife said that a man is so much more satisfied with life when he has his finances together. I can second that.
We are rich now. We started from the bottom. My mom bought us our first mattress in 2006, when Kris arrived in America, young and pregnant. Now, we have three homes, a dividend portfolio almost at $175,000, and a young book business.
Do I Need Lots of Money to Start Investing?
We still have a lot to go. Our job is to ensure our kids get off to a great start, learn about passive income, become homeowners, and find great spouses. I have never been more content in my life. There is nothing for Kris and me to argue about; we are rich. You’ll be surprised at how little you argue about when money isn’t an issue.
So, what lemons did life give you? Did you grow up poor, have some kind of childhood trauma, lack education, crappy job or spouse, etc.? Yes, we all have something that COULD hold us back. The best revenge is living a good life.
Once you decide to make passive income lemonade, I have lots of resources for you. I have over 450 articles on my website. Luckily I have been gathering my pieces and making books along the way. Blogs are notorious for hiding information along the way.
Start here with “The Well Rounded Millionaire (book).” Inside, you will find ways to improve your mindset and then start with retirement planning, stock market investing, cryptocurrencies, real estate, and business.
If you are reading this, you are well on your way to making passive income lemonade. And boy, is it the best drink that I have ever had. Good Luck!
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Disclosure: I am not a financial advisor or money manager, and any knowledge is given as guidance and not direct actionable investment advice. I am an Amazon Affiliate. Please research any investment vehicles that are being considered. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it. I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.
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