Our most successful clients have these 8 habits in common

Our passion here at Become Wealth is helping Kiwis get or stay wealthy, so they can achieve what they really want in life. When serving people up and down the country in this way, we’ve noticed a few key things that our wealthiest clients have in common.

On the flipside, some wealth-building people we speak with think to get there you need to have a flashy career title like doctor, CEO, or pilot (or an inheritance or lotto win!). They seem to assume you have to already be wealthy to talk to a financial adviser, but that’s just not true!

Some of the richest clients we work with are humble professionals, sometimes called “the millionaire next door”. They may not have initially been wealthy, but as the years pass, looking at their net worth, it's evident that something they are doing is right. They’re nearly always ‘rich’ in ways other than just monetary wealth too: they have rich family lives, good friends, good health, pastimes, charitable pursuits, and so on.  

Funnily enough, accumulating wealth is much simpler than it seems. Here are the top financial habits which we see again and again in our most successful clients:

1. Attitude

Your attitude has a direct impact on how you communicate and collaborate with others, how you contribute to the culture of your environment, and how you perform your daily tasks and responsibilities – whether those are the responsibilities of teammate, spouse, employee, team member, manager, family member, or something else. Ultimately, your attitude shapes your success and your happiness.

All other things being equal, the person with the best attitude will win any contest.

Almost all the wealthiest among us know this and approach the world – and other people – with a great attitude. That includes a sense of optimism: seeing the best in situations, people, and things.

Control

The reality is that you determine your attitude. Your attitude is one of the few things in life over which you have total control, according to Harvard psychologist Williams James:

“The greatest discovery of my generation is that a human being can alter his life by altering his attitudes of mind.”

If you want to perform at your best, and if you want to maximise your happiness and fulfilment, then you must take control of the life-shaping power of your attitude.

The most successful people realise no other person on Earth has dominion over our attitude. People can impact our attitude by inadvertently teaching us poor thinking habits or unintentionally misinforming us or providing us negative influences, but no one can control our attitude unless we voluntarily surrender that control.

Our wealthiest clients nearly always possess great attitudes.

2. Clear Financial Goals

Having dreams in life is great, but without a map to guide you, it’s easy to get lost.

Setting immediate, mid-term, and future financial goals is an integral step in your journey to becoming financially secure.

When you don’t have set monetary goals you are more likely to spend unnecessarily, ruining your ability to get anywhere.

Our most successful clients either already have financial goals in place that they want our assistance with, or if they don’t, we’ve pulled together a team of experts in every field who will work together to develop a financial plan just for them.

Persistence

The wealthy are often very persistent in pursuing their goals. They don't give up easily and are willing to put in the time and effort necessary to achieve success.

They know they’ll fail at plenty of things, but with a clear path – and clear goals in mind – they know they’ll eventually get there.

3. Savings

This means:

• Something set aside for emergencies, so you don’t have to get into debt when an unfortunate surprise arises. It also means that when an investment opportunity arises you will have the money available to fund it.
• Spending less than is earned!

Our most successful clients always have saving plans in place.

4. Then Invest

In order to build your wealth, you need to invest – and invest wisely.

Investing allows your existing money to work harder for you.

If you don't invest, you are missing out on opportunities to accelerate your financial worth.

Whether this is in funds, shares, or property – or a combination of those things – it’s our passion to help clients choose the right investments to build and sustain long-term wealth.

All too often we see people focussing all their efforts in one area while missing opportunities elsewhere. That's why developing and sticking to an investment plan is key.

5. They Diversify

Diversification means creating an investment portfolio that includes multiple types of investments.

Investment diversification is important because it helps to manage risk and increase the likelihood of positive returns. By spreading your investments across different asset classes, sectors, industries, and geographic regions, you can reduce your exposure to any one particular investment and the risks associated with it.

Diversification can also help to capture the benefits of different investment strategies and opportunities. For instance, certain asset classes, such as New Zealand residential property and international stocks (shares), may perform better during different economic cycles, so having exposure to both these investments can help to increase overall portfolio performance.

Building a diversified and tax-efficient investment portfolio can be a daunting task, which is why our advisers look across a multitude of options tailored to the individual.

6. Healthy Habits

Most successful people have healthy habits that help them maintain their physical and mental well-being, enabling them to perform at their best.

They prioritise their physical and mental health. They exercise regularly, eat a balanced diet, and get enough sleep to maintain their energy levels and productivity.

This might also include regular meditation, practicing effective time management, and maintaining strong social connections. Everything adds up to an overall healthy routine.

Learn more:

• How the rich spend their money
• Get up early
• Pay less tax
• ‍Do you really need a financial adviser?
• Habits of the poor
• How wealthy New Zealanders invest

7. Education

Our lives are greatly affected by what we know, since what we know determines the decisions we will make. The wealthy know this.

The wealthy often have a hunger for knowledge and are always looking for ways to improve themselves. This doesn’t necessarily mean collecting degrees, but it does mean a philosophy of continual learning.

This could include through:

• ‍Books‍
• Seminars and conferences
• Podcasts
• Seeking mentors to help personal development
• Continually keep an open mind to new ideas
• Watching educational or informative videos online
• Micro-courses and micro-credentials
• Being coachable!

8. They Seek Expert Help

Successful people seek expert help because they understand that success is not a solitary journey. It takes a team of experts to help you achieve your goals and reach your full potential. Whether it's a coach, mentor, consultant, or adviser, seeking the guidance of someone who has been there and done that can help you avoid costly mistakes, provide valuable insights, and accelerate your growth.

Remember, success is not a destination, it's a journey. And the journey is much more enjoyable when you have the support and guidance of experts who can help you navigate the ups and downs along the way. So don't be afraid to seek help, embrace it as an opportunity to learn and grow, and watch as your success reaches new heights!

Our most successful clients understand that it’s better to determine things like investing, taxes, and major financial decisions with guidance from the experts.

They may already have some financial knowledge but they understand the value of partnering with a financial adviser.

The Bottom Line: Wealthy Habits

The habits of successful people are not rocket science, but they do require commitment and humility to master. Whether it's committing to a great attitude, setting goals, prioritising physical health, or constantly learning and improving, successful people understand their habits shape their long-term success.

By steadily adopting some of these habits into your own life, you too can set yourself up for success and achieve your goals. Remember, success is not an overnight achievement, but a daily journey. So, start cultivating those positive habits today and watch as they lead you down the path to success.

It’d be the pleasure of one of our trained professionals to help you incorporate these habits into your life, so get in touch today.