Is the big difference between the rich and the poor really luck?

According to my five-year research study on the daily habits of the rich and the poor, the rich believed that they were lucky.

They believed, however, that they created their own good luck. 

I have learned from my research that luck, good or bad, is a major part of success or failure in life.

Here's some of the data from my research regarding luck:

• 41% of the self-made millionaires in my study were born into a poor family. This 41% started life out with bad luck — being born poor.
• 87% of the wealthy people in my study believed they created their own luck.

The rich in my study, particularly the self-made rich, believed that there were numerous factors that contributed to their good luck in life: 

• They had good, caring, responsible parents.
• Their parents taught them good habits.
• They were raised by parents who believed success was possible.
• They were raised by parents who obsessed over homework, learning, and academics.
• They found one or more mentors who taught them success habits, inspired them, and motivated them to succeed.  
• They were voracious readers and lifelong learners.
• They had a lot of friends — people seemed to like them.
• They had a hard work ethic.
• They were disciplined.
• They were obsessed with saving money.
• They were not afraid to take risks.
• They were obsessed with becoming rich.
• They pursued some dream in life.
• They were obsessed with setting and achieving goals.
• They exercised almost every day and had high energy and good overall health.

Wealth and poverty, I learned from my research, are not necessarily circumstantial.

They can be manufactured.

The tools we use to manufacture wealth or poverty are our habits, thinking, our emotions, and the choices we make in life.

Here's what I learned about wealth from my research:

• If you have bad habits and do not change your bad habits, you will not become rich. 
• If you do not read every day to become more knowledgeable at work or in your industry, you will not become rich.
• If you think you cannot become successful, that belief will keep you from becoming rich.
• If you spend more than you make, you will not build wealth.
• If you spend less than you make and prudently invest the difference, you will retire a rich person.
• If you pursue a dream, you increase your chances of becoming rich tenfold.
• If you pursue and achieve goals around your dreams, you will eventually have the life of your dreams.
• If whatever you do adds significant value to the lives of others, they will pay you a lot of money and make you rich

About Tom Corley Tom is a CPA, CFP and heads one of the top financial firms in New Jersey. For 5 years, Tom observed and documented the daily activities of wealthy people and people living in poverty and his research he identified over 200 daily activities that separated the “haves” from the “have nots” which culminated in his #1 bestselling book, Rich Habits – The Daily Success Habits of Wealthy Individuals. Visit the website: www.richhabits.net