I prefer being rich to poor, and I've tried both. I used to think that being a millionaire was for other people - for me it seemed just a ridiculous dream. I'm telling you this to show you that I've been exactly where you are right now. I am merely further up the mountain path than you. I am not unchaseable, indeed I invite you to overtake me! Come on up, the air is cleaner and fresher here, I can promise you that. 

Five tips for making a lot of money are as follows:

1. Do something. That's what this article is all about. Don't sit around any longer. Forget TV, forget the bar; start taking action to improve your life, even if it is just that first, small step. I judge people by what they do rather than what they say.

2. Be rationally selfish. Take 'good for me' decisions. You don't owe anything to anyone apart from your kids. They need love, consistency and honesty. They don't need Adidas trainers and Nintendo games machines. When you live your life trying to take 'good for others' decisions, you are playing God and trying to second-guess other people's lives. This is arrogant.

3. Stop believing in something for nothing. This one tip can save you thousands of pounds and a lot of lost time. There is no such thing as something for nothing. Ditch all of those 'business opportunities' which come your way. 99% of them are scams operated by small minded people of limited vision trying to cheat their way to a fortune. They are relying upon your laziness and gullibility. Don't support them, and above all, don't join them. The financial loss is minimal, but the loss of time and momentum is far more serious.

4. You should have one burning question which you must answer as soon as possible: "What honest value can I create which others will voluntarily buy from me time and time again in order that I might become guiltlessly wealthy?"

Only you can answer this question and you must work at it rather than expecting the answer for nothing. Nobody is going to hand you a wonderful, magic pre-packaged business on a plate. It's obvious why. If you had some superb practical 'make a million' business, would you operate it yourself and make a million, or sell a 30-page 'how to' manual for £24.95 to a few hundred punters via an advert in Exchange and Mart?

5. When you create values you become wealthy. When you trade equal values you merely survive. There is nothing wrong with survival. Most people do only this. But make sure you have consciously selected this option, and not chosen it by default out of laziness or fear.

Most businesses merely allow you to trade values - "You watch my sheep and I'll mend your roof" - and so you will not become wealthy by operating one of the 10,000 or so businesses you might think about getting involved in. For example, "I'll cook fish and chips if you repair my car." At best, you will do slightly better than average due to the division of labor and your superior bartering skills, but you will never make a million.

To become wealthy you must create new values which didn't exist before and then run with your idea until the copycats grab your idea and rake over the bones of your fortune. Then you have another, new idea which creates more unique values and you run with that... These ideas do not have to be earth-shattering; many are just small creative twists on an existing idea.

Copyright 2001. Stuart Goldsmith. All Rights Reserved.