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MJ DeMarco
I followed the science; all I found was money.
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but for those that don't mind please tell us what becoming a millionaire felt like the first day you woke and realized "Shit... I am a millionaire." Before you say well a million dollars doesn't make you rich, allow me to retort by saying, to those that aren't anywhere close to making a million, it is symbolic of a milestone reached.
So begin here. What did it feel like the first day you woke up and knew that you weren't dreaming? You could look into your account and see a solid 7 figures and every penny was yours.
You're probably gonna be disappointed with my answer.
First, I celebrated the milestone with dinner. I vividly remember the day. I was elated and proud.
However, please note the source of that feeling. It wasn't the liquid million that created this feeling, it was the achievement. The accomplishment. The process of hitting a goal set years ago.
All of you out there who think "being a millionaire" is some type of elusive status that immediately endows some type of immediate "feeling" I'm here to tell you that the difference between that day, and a few weeks earlier (when I wasn't a millionaire) wasn't much different.
To give you a little perspective, I just finished the TMF audiobook which was produced in house and is currently at the production facility getting duplicated ... when I finished that project, that feeling was similar, almost identical to the feeling of reaching millionaire status. Why? Because I made it through the process. I learned. I accomplished. I achieved. I hit a goal. Money (if people buy the TMF audiobook) just adds to that feeling.
As I write in my book "a millionaire" is just upper middle class.
Once that status was reached, I didn't suddenly feel uber-rich, like I could go out and do, or buy anything ... its just a different elevation of security to know that if you want to go out to dinner at a nice restaurant, you can. The mortgage and electric bill will be paid. I can travel wherever, and whenever.
Again, I started to feel true freedom when I became wholly self-employed and self-reliant (and then I was broke.) The millionaire status makes this feeling stronger.
Now at $5M liquid, the feeling is a little different and you start to feel "rich" where money becomes less and less as an obstacle. However, even at this level you still have to be mindful as to what you buy. Again, expenditures don't care about titles (multimillionaire, millionaire etc.) because if you spend more than you earn, you will go broke.
When I see a $400K Aventador I think "gee, I can buy that now, pay cash for it, and not be burdened to it." That's a great feeling. However, just because "I can" doesn't mean I will, or should as it decreases my margin of error. This type of thinking, done too many times, leads to the Sidewalk.
I imagine at $25M the feeling of freedom and security would be even more pronounced and the margin of error gets larger.
Do your friends treat you differently?
Not really. However, some of my other friends who only know me through my book tend to treat you as if you are atypical ... like, drinking cheap beer or staying at a dive hotel is "out of the question". It isn't. Other than my house (and my Lambo which I just sold), I blend in like everyone else. I still shop at Target and Walmart. I still shop at Safeway.
I drive a car that is nearly 7 years old with 70,000 miles ... my "non Fastlane" friends all drive newer cars.
Do you buy more elaborate gifts now?
No.
Are class reunions better than ever now?
Not even sure any one in HS knows anything about me. My penname and real name are different. Some of my old college buddies have bought my book and enjoyed it, but I haven't seen them in years.
Buying the dream house or car, the places you travel now and how your life has changed in general.
When I wake up the morning sometimes I have to pinch myself. The view in my house is gorgeous.
Again, when I bought my first Lambo, (a Diablo) it was a great feeling of accomplishment because it was a goal achieved. Freedom is fantastic. The feeling that I can write for days and weeks, and not have to worry about money is great. The feeling that I don't know "what's next" is scary, and exhilarating all at once.
However, life is not all unicorns and rainbows. I stress about things too. (For example, for years I've struggled to get health insurance and still do -- my health insurance premiums now cost more than most peoples mortgage ... this is an uncontrollable variable and can dictate future security)