Introduction
At 33, I’m a multi-millionaire.
But rewind a few years and the picture looks very different.
My first two years in business? I made $2,000 total. That’s not a typo. That’s two years of effort for pocket change.
So if I could go back and sit my teenage self down—before the mistakes, before the delays, before the wasted years—this is exactly what I’d tell him.
Not tactics. Not hacks.
Rules. The kind that actually change how you move through life.
20 Rules I’d Give My Younger Self to Get Rich Faster (And Live Better)
Quick Summary
Clarity beats drifting. You need a direction.
Expect resistance. From others and from yourself.
Integrity, discipline, and consistency compound.
Pain, conflict, and fear aren’t enemies—they’re teachers.
Success comes from growth, service, and showing up longer than everyone else.
Now let’s get into it.
Rule #1: Don’t Walk Down the Wrong Path
Most people float through life.
No plan.
No mission.
No clear direction.
They wake up, follow the crowd, and ten years later wonder why they’re broke and unhappy.
You need a target. Something you actually want.
Because when life forces hard decisions, your goal tells you what to say yes to—and what to walk away from.
Clarity creates power.
Without it, you’re just reacting.
Rule #2: Stop Expecting Everyone to Support Your Dream
Most people won’t get it.
They’re scared of risk. They value comfort. And when you talk about big goals, it makes them uncomfortable—so they’ll call it “unrealistic.”
That’s not wisdom. That’s fear.
You don’t need universal support.
You need the right environment.
Cut the anchors. Find people who chase growth, not safety.
Rule #3: Never Take Shortcuts
There’s only one real way to build something meaningful: the right way.
Cut corners, sell garbage, partner with shady people—it always comes back around.
Think of the gym. You can cheat reps and lift heavier weight, but the strength won’t last.
Business is the same.
Integrity might slow you down early, but it takes you much further.
Rule #4: Be Willing to Create Conflict
Most people avoid conflict at all costs.
They stay quiet.
They tolerate bad clients.
They build teams they secretly resent.
And it eats them alive.
Peace doesn’t come from avoiding conflict.
It comes from addressing problems head-on.
If something’s broken, confront it. That’s how you earn real calm.
Rule #5: Don’t Take Yourself So Seriously
Zoom out.
You’re one person out of billions on a floating rock in space. That’s not depressing—it’s freeing.
Your failures won’t matter in a few years.
Your mistakes aren’t permanent.
So enjoy the game. Build with passion. Laugh when things go sideways. Growth isn’t about perfection—it’s about progress.
Rule #6: Nobody Actually Cares If You’re Successful
If your only motivation is impressing others, you’ll burn out fast.
Most people are too busy dealing with their own problems to care about your wins.
So do it for something deeper:
Growth
Mastery
Becoming someone you respect
External validation is a weak fuel source.
Rule #7: The Perfect Time Isn’t Coming
Conditions will never be ideal.
If you wait until things feel easy, you’ll never do anything important.
The great builders move forward in uncertainty.
They start messy.
They build strength in chaos.
Start now.
Rule #8: Learn to Work With People
You can’t build anything big alone.
People are the multiplier.
Which means you have to learn how to work with them—even when it’s uncomfortable.
Leadership isn’t optional if you want scale.
Rule #9: Turn Doubt Into Fuel
I’ve been laughed at.
Dismissed by family.
Left by a girlfriend because of a business I was starting.
Instead of arguing, I used it.
Every painful comment became fuel. I trained harder. Worked longer. Focused deeper.
And when success showed up, the same people came back. Some apologized. Some asked for help.
That’s real power.
Rule #10: Avoid the Work, Get No Results
I wasted three years making excuses.
I knew I needed to invest in myself, but I told myself I couldn’t afford it.
When I finally did? One week later, I made $10,000—triple what I used to make in a month.
Lesson: the longer you delay what you know you need to do, the longer you stay stuck.
Pay the price now—or stay broke later.
Rule #11: Expect to Be Misunderstood
If you’re aiming for greatness, people won’t get you.
They don’t want what you want, so they won’t understand the effort.
That’s fine.
The higher you climb, the fewer people you’ll meet who relate—but the ones who do are worth the wait.
Rule #12: Stop Letting Fear Run Your Life
Fear lies.
It only shows you what could go wrong—never what could go right.
Even failure makes you stronger. That’s the whole point.
Trying and failing beats not trying and wondering. Every time.
Rule #13: Discipline the Body to Discipline the Mind
I train every day—not for looks, but for discipline.
Pushing your body teaches your brain focus, grit, and endurance.
If you want mental toughness, start physical.
Strong body. Strong mind.
Rule #14: Not Everyone Will Cheer for You
Your growth makes people uncomfortable.
You reflect back what they’re not doing.
Don’t take it personally. Just keep rising.
Eventually, the noise fades. Results speak.
Rule #15: Consistency Solves Everything
You don’t need to be a genius.
You just need to show up longer than most people are willing to.
Consistency compounds.
Quitting resets the clock.
Be the one who doesn’t stop.
Rule #16: Even Big Wins Won’t Get Applause
I hit $1 million a month in revenue within 18 months.
And guess what?
Nobody cared.
At first, it hurt. Then it clicked—I wasn’t doing this for them. I was doing it because I love the game.
Chasing applause will never fulfill you.
Rule #17: Pain Builds Strength
Growth doesn’t come from comfort.
It comes from problems, pressure, and responsibility.
The more problems you can solve, the more valuable you become.
And people pay a lot for people who solve hard problems.
Rule #18: Expectations Create Suffering
Most pain comes from expectation.
Expecting people to act a certain way.
Expecting success to feel a certain way.
The truth? When you get what you want, you usually want something else.
Happiness comes from appreciation—not outcomes.
Rule #19: You Get What You Give
Success isn’t about you.
It’s about what you create for others.
Focus on helping people win, and your own success multiplies as a side effect.
Value creates value.
Rule #20: Problems Show You Where You’re Not Free
Every problem is a signal.
It points to something you haven’t built, learned, or mastered yet.
Don’t avoid problems. Get curious about them. Fix them.
That’s how you buy your freedom.
Final Thought
Getting rich faster isn’t about luck or hype.
It’s about clarity, discipline, integrity, and staying in the game when most people quit.
Pick one rule from this list and apply it today.
Not tomorrow. Not when you feel ready.
Today.
That’s how everything changes.
