Comments on: Behind the Green Curtain: An Insider’s View of the Millionaire Mind http://lenpenzo.com/blog/id1192-behind-the-green-curtain-an-insiders-view-of-the-millionaire-mind.html The offbeat personal finance blog for responsible people. Fri, 17 Feb 2012 00:33:27 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.4 By: Bret @ Hope to Prosper http://lenpenzo.com/blog/id1192-behind-the-green-curtain-an-insiders-view-of-the-millionaire-mind.html#comment-3163 Bret @ Hope to Prosper Wed, 20 Apr 2011 20:48:56 +0000 http://lenpenzo.com/blog/?p=1192#comment-3163 Awesome post Kevin. Of anything in the true millionaire's lifestyle, the independence appeals to me the most. Unfortunately, I chose the career path and have to answer to the man. Some day, I hope all of that will change. Awesome post Kevin.

Of anything in the true millionaire’s lifestyle, the independence appeals to me the most. Unfortunately, I chose the career path and have to answer to the man. Some day, I hope all of that will change.

]]> By: Kevin@OutOfYourRut http://lenpenzo.com/blog/id1192-behind-the-green-curtain-an-insiders-view-of-the-millionaire-mind.html#comment-3164 Kevin@OutOfYourRut Wed, 20 Apr 2011 20:48:56 +0000 http://lenpenzo.com/blog/?p=1192#comment-3164 Bret - The independent streak seems so powerful and so universal, that I wonder if at some point it isn't genetic! Maybe it's even the core personal trait--but I wouldn't go that far. I think that drive exists in each of us, and perhaps the real key is that self-made millionaires are more willing to let it out. After all, while growing up we're taught the virtues of conformity, compliance and the power of the group--maybe the would be rich guys kind of block all of that out... Bret – The independent streak seems so powerful and so universal, that I wonder if at some point it isn’t genetic! Maybe it’s even the core personal trait–but I wouldn’t go that far.

I think that drive exists in each of us, and perhaps the real key is that self-made millionaires are more willing to let it out. After all, while growing up we’re taught the virtues of conformity, compliance and the power of the group–maybe the would be rich guys kind of block all of that out…

]]> By: Bret @ Hope to Prosper http://lenpenzo.com/blog/id1192-behind-the-green-curtain-an-insiders-view-of-the-millionaire-mind.html#comment-3165 Bret @ Hope to Prosper Wed, 20 Apr 2011 20:48:56 +0000 http://lenpenzo.com/blog/?p=1192#comment-3165 Kevin, you may be right about it being genetic. My Mom and two of my older brothers are entreprenuers and they are as you said unemployable. My brothers could never survive in the corporate world. Kevin, you may be right about it being genetic. My Mom and two of my older brothers are entreprenuers and they are as you said unemployable. My brothers could never survive in the corporate world.

]]> By: Kevin@OutOfYourRut http://lenpenzo.com/blog/id1192-behind-the-green-curtain-an-insiders-view-of-the-millionaire-mind.html#comment-3166 Kevin@OutOfYourRut Wed, 20 Apr 2011 20:48:56 +0000 http://lenpenzo.com/blog/?p=1192#comment-3166 Brett, your comment just reminded me of Joe Karbo who wrote the Lazy Man's Way to Riches. He said that early in life he held a corporate job for nine months and couldn't stand it, so he quit and immediately begin searching for ways to make a living working for himself. I think he started out selling a pile of surplus boxes, and when he found he could sell them a profit, he moved on to find other niches he could fill. The motivation came from a negative source, but it fired his drive to to his own way. Brett, your comment just reminded me of Joe Karbo who wrote the Lazy Man’s Way to Riches. He said that early in life he held a corporate job for nine months and couldn’t stand it, so he quit and immediately begin searching for ways to make a living working for himself. I think he started out selling a pile of surplus boxes, and when he found he could sell them a profit, he moved on to find other niches he could fill.

The motivation came from a negative source, but it fired his drive to to his own way.

]]> By: Jon DeGroff http://lenpenzo.com/blog/id1192-behind-the-green-curtain-an-insiders-view-of-the-millionaire-mind.html#comment-3167 Jon DeGroff Wed, 20 Apr 2011 20:48:56 +0000 http://lenpenzo.com/blog/?p=1192#comment-3167 Excellent post. The millionaires that I know and the ones that I work with are the same way. They are unassuming and extremely hard-working. They have a 2nd generation iPhone, rather than the newest one, and their 2004 Ford Taurus was bought with cash-in 2007. They do things differently, which is what gets them to this level. I enjoyed the blog. Thanks. Excellent post. The millionaires that I know and the ones that I work with are the same way. They are unassuming and extremely hard-working. They have a 2nd generation iPhone, rather than the newest one, and their 2004 Ford Taurus was bought with cash-in 2007.
They do things differently, which is what gets them to this level.

I enjoyed the blog. Thanks.

]]> By: Kevin@OutOfYourRut http://lenpenzo.com/blog/id1192-behind-the-green-curtain-an-insiders-view-of-the-millionaire-mind.html#comment-3168 Kevin@OutOfYourRut Wed, 20 Apr 2011 20:48:56 +0000 http://lenpenzo.com/blog/?p=1192#comment-3168 Jon - That's the conservatism, both financial and technological. They seem comfortable with being behind the technology curve--maybe that's another advantage. Think how much money they save buying second and second generation! You probably need to have both confidence and conviction to follow that path, which aren't bad qualities either. Jon – That’s the conservatism, both financial and technological. They seem comfortable with being behind the technology curve–maybe that’s another advantage.

Think how much money they save buying second and second generation! You probably need to have both confidence and conviction to follow that path, which aren’t bad qualities either.

]]> By: Khaleef @ KNS Financial http://lenpenzo.com/blog/id1192-behind-the-green-curtain-an-insiders-view-of-the-millionaire-mind.html#comment-3169 Khaleef @ KNS Financial Wed, 20 Apr 2011 20:48:56 +0000 http://lenpenzo.com/blog/?p=1192#comment-3169 This is an EXCELLENT article! It's funny, because independence is the main reason why I started a business. Unfortunately, since I racked up tons of personal debt, I'm forced to work for others to pay it off. I think the stereotype of the "rich" is one of the most detrimental things to the state of personal finance in this country! This is an EXCELLENT article! It’s funny, because independence is the main reason why I started a business. Unfortunately, since I racked up tons of personal debt, I’m forced to work for others to pay it off.

I think the stereotype of the “rich” is one of the most detrimental things to the state of personal finance in this country!

]]> By: Single Mom Rich Mom http://lenpenzo.com/blog/id1192-behind-the-green-curtain-an-insiders-view-of-the-millionaire-mind.html#comment-3170 Single Mom Rich Mom Wed, 20 Apr 2011 20:48:56 +0000 http://lenpenzo.com/blog/?p=1192#comment-3170 Absolutely bang-on Kevin! I've worked in the accounting profession for years too and EVERY SINGLE ONE of the real-life millionaires that I've known (especially the ones in my family which is full of entrepreneurs) exhibit these characteristics. There's a saying in my millionaire dad's world of ranching: Big hat. No cattle. Years ago, I remember Bunker Hunt flying into my dad's ranch to buy cattle - truly an unassuming guy that you would never guess was worth as much as he was (this was before the cornering of the silver market debacle). Although I took the employee and consulting route to make my money, I still treated the job as if I owned the company or my little part of it. It definitely has paid off. Absolutely bang-on Kevin! I’ve worked in the accounting profession for years too and EVERY SINGLE ONE of the real-life millionaires that I’ve known (especially the ones in my family which is full of entrepreneurs) exhibit these characteristics.

There’s a saying in my millionaire dad’s world of ranching:

Big hat. No cattle.

Years ago, I remember Bunker Hunt flying into my dad’s ranch to buy cattle – truly an unassuming guy that you would never guess was worth as much as he was (this was before the cornering of the silver market debacle).

Although I took the employee and consulting route to make my money, I still treated the job as if I owned the company or my little part of it. It definitely has paid off.

]]> By: Kevin@OutOfYourRut http://lenpenzo.com/blog/id1192-behind-the-green-curtain-an-insiders-view-of-the-millionaire-mind.html#comment-3171 Kevin@OutOfYourRut Wed, 20 Apr 2011 20:48:56 +0000 http://lenpenzo.com/blog/?p=1192#comment-3171 Khaleef - in your case independence is driving you twice, in starting a business and in paying off your debt. Most millionaires had debt at one point, but paid it off and stay out. It sounds like you're getting the message. Khaleef – in your case independence is driving you twice, in starting a business and in paying off your debt. Most millionaires had debt at one point, but paid it off and stay out. It sounds like you’re getting the message.

]]> By: Kevin@OutOfYourRut http://lenpenzo.com/blog/id1192-behind-the-green-curtain-an-insiders-view-of-the-millionaire-mind.html#comment-3172 Kevin@OutOfYourRut Wed, 20 Apr 2011 20:48:56 +0000 http://lenpenzo.com/blog/?p=1192#comment-3172 Single Mom, I'd guess that anyone who's worked in public accounting for a few years would have basically the same take on self made millionaires. There's more discipline than magic in what gets them where they go. That's good for all of us, because discipline is something we can all adopt. Most of the barriers seem to be attitude adjustments, or unlearning some things we learned early in life. Single Mom, I’d guess that anyone who’s worked in public accounting for a few years would have basically the same take on self made millionaires. There’s more discipline than magic in what gets them where they go.

That’s good for all of us, because discipline is something we can all adopt. Most of the barriers seem to be attitude adjustments, or unlearning some things we learned early in life.

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