There are millions of millionaires, yet most have one, very distinctive thing in common- a specific millionaire mindset.

What do I mean by that- well, I refer to the similar perspectives, as well as views on money and capital, that I have encountered interviewing more than a hundred self-made millionaires. As an investigating journalist specializing in finance, I have had the opportunity to meet and have long conversations with millionaires from a wide range of backgrounds and lines of business. I have learned a great deal from these amazingly wealthy and (most often) highly ambitious individuals. In this article, I want to share some of the most valuable lessons. So keep reading if you want to learn how to grow a mindset that will make you rich.

First of all, the cliche ”there is no such thing as a free lunch” is a cliche for a reason- it is true. Millionaires know that in life, and especially in business, everyone has an egoistic or self-promoting agenda in some form.  Most of them do not consider this fact about the self-serving aspect of the nature of humans, good nor bad. Some of them have learned this the hard way, progressively ”growing out” of their juvenile naivety; some are naturally a bit cynical.  However, in one way or another, the majority of millionaires have developed a cautious view of people’s motivations. If you wish to be as successful in business as practically all self-made millionaires are, I suggest you develop one too.

Secondly, millionaires that have made their own fortune are in general highly specialized. They are simply the very best in their line of business, and the products or services that they offer simply bring more value than their competitors. The multi-millionaire I had the pleasure of meeting most recently had made his first million selling a white label charge point system. A tiny niche at the beginning of the decade when electric vehicles were uncommon and white-label systems were unheard of. Now there are several actors on the market. Still, since he spent tons of resources and time developing his outstanding white label charge point software when the rivalry companies still focused on creating generalized systems, he can now enjoy the benefits of being market-leading and sells his enterprise solution for charge point operators for hundreds of thousands.

Thirdly, millionaires know that there are no shortcuts when it comes to making money. You got to put in the hours and effort. Period.

To conclude, if you aspire to cultivate a million-dollar mindset, you should focus on; stop being wide-eyed about people’s motives, specializing, and realizing that deliberate and persistent hard work is the only key to financial success.