13 quotes that will change the way you think about money

Lessons on how to get rich, change your self-image, and invest from How To Live by Derek Sivers:

1. Making money isn't evil

Making money isn't evil, greedy, shallow, or vain.

Your biggest obstacle to getting rich is the harmful meaning you've attached to it.

2. A natural exchange of value

Making money is nothing more than a neutral exchange of value.

Making money is proof you're adding value to people's lives.

Aiming to get rich is aiming to be useful to the world.

3. How to get rich

To get rich, don't think about what's valuable to you.

Think about what's valuable to others.

4. Money is motivating

Money is a great motivator.

It works better than force, rules, punishment, or appealing to generosity.

Great art has been created in pursuit of great profit.

5. Money is a reflection of your self-image

Charge more than is comfortable to your current self-image.

Value yourself higher, than rise to fit this valuation.

6. Make money in boring industries

Boring industries have little competition, since most people are seeking status in glamorous new fields.

Find an old industry and solve an old problem in a new way.

7. Be an average investor

Investing is easy unless you try to beat the market.

Settle for average.

Keep it simple & manage it yourself.

Avoid exciting investments.

8. Money amplifies who you are

Money makes problems go away, but amplifies personality traits.

Money won't change you – but it will amplify who you are.

9. You get what you think you deserve

If you subconsciously feel you don't deserve to be rich, you'll sabotage your pursuit.

But if you feel you truly deserve it, you'll do whatever it takes.

So adjust your self-image first.

10. Money & friends

Don't loan money to a friend, or you'll lose money and a friend.

You'd be better off just giving them the money.

The return is the same ($0) but you'd skip the bad feelings.

11. The way money traps you

Don't buy too many things, too big of a house, or hire too many people.

Rich people who do this feel trapped and miserable.

The less you buy, the more you're in control.

12. Money comes from action

Ideas are worth almost nothing.

Execution is everything.

The world is filled with ideas, yet so few take action and make them happen.

13. Customers are more than a sale

Instead of thinking of customers as leading to a sale, think of each sale as leading to a life-long relationship with a customer.

This book is pure signal.

As always, Derek Sivers has no wasted words.

But to truly understand these quotes, you need to pick up a copy of the full book.

It's 27 short chapters answering the question: How to Live.

The chapter "Get Rich" was just one of those ways.

If you found these useful, be sure to follow me (Dickie Bush) for more posts like this.

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