Sandra Newman @sannewman
THE SEVEN SECRETS OF HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL PEOPLE
- Private school
- Legacy lvy admission
- Nepotism hire
- Seed capital from family
- Club memberships
- Personal assistant, nanny, ghost writer answer
- Journalists who ask, “What’s your secret?” and uncritically publish the
Wealthy, not rich, not even affluent. Wealthy just means I can afford to live comfortably as long as I don’t get a prolonged illness or get sued. They key to happiness is the management of expectations.
Honestly to me a “rich person” is kinda just someone who can pay rent on time every month, without stressing about it.
I hear ya. It’s all relative. I remember back in 1997 I had done a little job, got paid for it, and deposited the check. It was the first time I saw that I had $424 in my bank account mid month and I didn’t have to stress about rent. I remember because I thought it was so much money that I had to show my wife.
My wife was the first to get “a good job” (it was actually terrible) and I remember when she got her first paycheck. It was $998.86 and we just happy cried in the car.
My mother died during my senior year of high school and her parents are in a poor Eastern European country. No help was coming. These memories stick around because, wether other people think it or not, being that desperate leaves a permanent mark, and these were the first glimpses of hope.
PS: The place we rented for $275 (yes, it was a ghetto) twenty five years ago goes for $1200 now. I genuinely have no idea how people are supposed to survive.
In my mind, affluent < rich < wealthy. But it’s all relative anyway.
To me:
Affluent: Nice house, nice car, nice clothes, in debt up to their eye balls. Can afford college for the kids…for more debt. Kids will graduate with crippling debt.
Wealthy: Can afford to buy nice things. Can afford to send kids to college. No debt.
Rich: Fuck you money
Billionaires: Honestly, my brain can’t reconcile this level of wealth. I just can’t comprehend it.