I Want to Be Rich

How many times have you asked a child this question: "What do you want to be when you grow up?" Most times, depending on the age of the child, the response will be anything from a garbage collector to a fire fighter to a doctor. Ask that same question to a college student and your answer will more than likely be, "I want to be rich."

In this day and age, and in our more affluent societies, being rich is the ultimate goal for a great many people. Having a lot of money and a lot of things seems like the happy-ever-after ending to life. Although there are some entrepreneurs who seem to have the magic touch with whatever they attempt, and others who may inherit a fortune or "marry into money," more times than not this type of lifestyle does not just happen. It seems to me there are at least three major hurdles that must be conquered to even come close to "being rich": planning, education, and hard work. Along with a little bit of luck, these three steps, done well, can propel a person along the route to financial security.

Planning for your future is something that young people quite often overlook. When you've got your whole life ahead of you, it might seem silly to think about what lies ahead. But, an important step in being successful in life is having attainable goals. Setting three, five, and ten-year plans, thinking through where you would like your life to be at those stages, can make all the difference in how well you accomplish what you set out to do. For example, if you are graduating high school and have the goal of working for a law firm in five years, you'll know what schools you need to apply to, what kind of classes you'll need, and what kind of grades you'll need. Without that plan, you could just squander those college years without a goal in mind.

Education flows right into your plan. If you are going to have a hope of working for that law firm, you must get the education that will give you qualifications above and beyond all of the others who will be vying for the same position. Researching schools, striving for scholarships, seeking internships - all of these will be a benefit. "Keep your nose to the grindstone" is an old, trite expression, but very applicable in this situation. Being committed to your goal will help you stick with it when you might feel that it's beyond your reach.

No matter how well you plan or how prestigious the school is that you're attending, if you fail to work hard and fulfill the requirements put before you, everything else will be worthless. Hard work is one of life's greatest achievements. A feeling of accomplishment at a job well done is well worth the effort. Being able to pull in a six or seven-figure salary with a minimal amount of effort is highly unlikely. Your planning and education should, however, allow you to work "smarter" while you're working hard. The value of learning the ins and outs of the profession you're tackling can be immeasurable when it comes to being successful in your chosen field.

Planning for your future, preparing with a good education, then working hard to become successful are the key steps to becoming financially secure. Just remember, being "rich" only in the financial sense can lead to a very lonely life. Make sure that along the way you've also learned to appreciate the other things in life, and then you truly will be rich in every sense of the word.

Do you want to become rich? Check out http://www.waystobecomerich.com for all the information you need to start your journey

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Shannon_Michael