Books

The Difference

the_difference_book
My latest book, The Difference, answers one burning question:  Why is it that some people seem to move relatively easily from paycheck-to-paycheck into comfort or wealth, while others get stuck or – worse – fall back?

Not to toot my own horn, but this book couldn’t have come at a better time.  These days, more than ever, you need to know how to make your own luck, how to zero in on the things you’re doing everyday – right and wrong – that have an affect on your bottom line.  I’ll show you how to develop your intuition so you can recognize when to take a risk, help you increase your resilience in this bad economy, and tell you why it’s important to pinpoint your passion and make it your career (believe me, the money will follow).

All of this is based on a study I did with Merrill Lynch and Harris Interactive.  We talked to more than 5,000 people from all walks of life.  Three percent categorized themselves as wealthy; 27 percent said they are financially comfortable; 54 percent are living paycheck-to-paycheck and 15 percent are quickly spiraling further into debt.  We dug deep to uncover the factors that made The Difference.

The good news?  For the bulk of the people at the top of the financial ladder, wealth has come in the last ten years.   Some had a brilliant idea that satisfied a need in the market and quickly blossomed into a multimillion dollar business (ever heard of Spanx?  I talked to the founder, Sara Blakely, who started the company with $5,000).  Some saved steadily over the years and are now enjoying the fruits of those labors.  And others took risks that paid off in a big way.

Whether you want to be in the top three percent or the top 30 percent, you can do it.

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