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How To Develop Your Millionaire Mindset

By Debbi King | Published August 2, 2023 | 7 min read

Having a millionaire mindset is crucial if you want to see your net worth hit seven digits (or more).

There is no one who would turn down the opportunity to have a million dollars in their bank account – so they could give more, travel more, spend more, or work less.

Whether we like it or not, you can’t function in the world without money, and the more you have, the more freedom it entails.

Before you can become a millionaire in your finances, however, you have to become a millionaire in your mind.

Even if you win the lottery and become an instant millionaire, you will NOT be able to keep it without a millionaire mindset.

Here’s why.

What is a Millionaire Mindset?

You can have a millionaire mindset without having a million dollars in your bank account.

It is all about how you think about your finances and how you make decisions when it comes to money.

Don’t wait until you have the million to change your thinking.

Start developing a millionaire mindset now.

This will do two very important things: it will help you reach those million dollars, and help you to keep it once you have it.

Even if you never reach the exact $1 million mark, you will have more and be able to do more because you have a millionaire mindset.

So how do you develop this particular way of thinking?

For me, it took many years and lots of studying current millionaires and how they got to where they are now.

I also looked at successful people around me who were what Thomas Stanley calls The Millionaires Next Door (a must-read, by the way).

I am going to share a few things that you can start doing right now to begin changing your thinking to that of a millionaire.

How To Develop a Millionaire Mindset Today

Having a millionaire mindset means that you save first, then spend.

Warren Buffett says:

“Do not save what is left after spending, but spend what is left after saving.”

If you always spend 100 percent (or more) of what you make, you will never have money.

However, if you save 10 percent and spend the rest, you can become a millionaire just by using the awesome tools available to everyone.

For example: if you invest $100 a month from age 25-65 in a good growth stock mutual fund (most average 10-12 percent over time), then you will have $1.7 million.

And I’m here to tell you, you have $100 a month.

You may currently be spending it on lattes, eating out, movies, clothes, etc., but if you look real close, you have it.

Just doing this one thing early in life can set you up for a great retirement.

Don’t think because you are older than 25 that there is no hope for you.

Start somewhere: start small if necessary, but begin forming the habit of saving something first – and then spending what’s left.

Coupled with my next piece of advice, you will be on your way to wealth and financial freedom.

Debt Is Not an Asset

You will never hear a millionaire say that it was their debt that got them there.

Debt is when you owe more than you have.

Basically, when your net worth is less than 0.

Using debt to pay for stuff mortgages your future because of something you want right now.

Having a millionaire mindset is having the patience to wait to purchase an item or take a trip until you have the cash to do so.

Yes, this means you may have to wait – and yes, it may mean you miss an opportunity altogether.

But it is worth it in the long run.

Whenever you are looking to make a purchase, take a moment to look at the future.

What will you have to sacrifice and is it worth it?

I know a lot of people who wait 24 hours before they buy anything.

And what they find is that most of the time, they end up not buying the item at all.

The impulse passed and their dreams and goals prevailed.

This doesn’t mean you can’t buy what you want.

It simply means to take the time to evaluate how important something is – and then make sure you have the money to back it up.

Always Think about the Future

People with a millionaire mindset do not live just for today.

They know that there is a future out there and they prepare for it.

This way of thinking not only encompasses the examples above but also includes their goals and dreams.

You see, millionaire thinkers have goals.

They have dreamt about what they want their life to look like and they have a tentative plan on how to achieve it.

Goals are essential to any success story.

Good goals have four very important elements, they are:

written
realistic
adjustable
and specific

You have an awesome, bright future ahead of you no matter what your current circumstances are.

But to move your dreams from your head to reality, you need to have a plan.

Millionaires have a plan.

Their plans may change as they journey through life, but they never give up on their future.

Consider Your Perspective

How I see things is my reality.

Two people can look at the same thing and see two completely different things.

For example, a broke person buying a car simply looks at the monthly payment.

What is the most they can squeeze out every month and still make it?

However, a millionaire mindset person will look at the total cost.

How much will this car cost them over its total lifespan?

A broke mindset is based on monthly payments; the millionaire mindset is based on the total cost. The biggest thing that millionaires think about differently is they believe they can become – and stay – millionaires.

What you believe will become your reality.

If you believe you will never be a millionaire, odds are you won’t.

This is not because someone has an advantage over you, or has better luck than you do.

It is simply because they believe they could, and they set about developing a plan to do so.

Remember in the example above, it only takes a small amount per month (depending on your age) to invest in good things – and anyone can do it!

When I was in college, I worked at Wal-Mart.

I knew at least three employees who had a net worth of over a million dollars.

To the average person, they looked poor.

However, they had taken a portion of their paycheck and purchased Wal-Mart stock each week.

At that time, it was splitting like crazy and ended up being worth a lot.

They had a millionaire mindset.

They took the necessary steps to become millionaires and they believed, in spite of the fact that they worked at Wal-Mart, that someday they too, could be millionaires.