I Once Asked One of the Richest Men in My State What I Will Do to Be Like Him — I Was Surprised What He Told Me
A few years ago, I had an encounter that completely changed my perspective about wealth and success.
At that time, I was young, ambitious, and hungry to succeed. I had read many motivational books, attended business seminars, and followed successful people online. But something was still missing.
No matter how much I tried, the resu
lts didn’t match my efforts. So, one day, I decided to go straight to the source.
I approached one of the richest men in my state — a quiet, humble businessman whose name was often whispered in admiration but rarely seen in the media. He wasn’t a celebrity; he was simply powerful through results.
When I got the chance to speak with him, I asked, with genuine curiosity:
“Sir, what can I do to be like you?”
He smiled, looked at me for a while, and said something that didn’t sound like the usual success advice. In fact, it sounded so simple that I almost thought he was joking.
But those few words have since shaped everything I know about success.
Here’s what he told me.
1. “First, Stop Trying to Be Like Me.”
That was the first thing he said.
At first, I was confused. I thought he didn’t want to share his secret, but he continued:
“You cannot become me because you didn’t come into this world to repeat what I did. You came to create your own version of greatness.”
That line hit me hard.
He explained that most young people fail not because they lack talent, but because they’re too busy copying others instead of discovering themselves.
“When you chase someone else’s definition of success,” he said, “you lose your originality — and without originality, you can’t build lasting wealth.”
That day, I realized I had been making a big mistake. I wanted to walk his path instead of finding mine.
The first secret to success, he said, is self-discovery — knowing who you are, what drives you, and where your strengths truly lie.
2. “Focus on Solving Problems, Not Making Money.”
He leaned forward and said,
“The reason I am wealthy today is not because I chased money, but because I solved problems that others ignored.”
He explained that money is a reward for usefulness. The more people you serve, the more wealth naturally flows to you.
He asked me a question that I’ll never forget:
“When was the last time you made someone else’s life easier or better — and didn’t expect immediate payment for it?”
That question changed everything.
He told me that true business minds think in terms of value, not profit. If you focus on creating value, profit will chase you. But if you chase profit without value, you’ll end up exhausted and broke.
He mentioned examples — how tech giants like Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, and even local entrepreneurs became wealthy because they focused on solving real-life problems: transportation, convenience, communication, logistics, or comfort.
“Money hides in problems,” he said. “Find the right problem, and you’ll find wealth.”
3. “Learn to Delay Enjoyment — Most People Can’t.”
Then he smiled again and said something that sounded like a warning:
“The reason most people will never be rich is because they eat the seed meant to be planted.”
He explained that discipline and patience separate the truly wealthy from those who only look rich.
“When I started, I invested almost every profit back into my business. I lived below my means for years. I watched my friends buy cars and build houses while I reinvested in growth. Today, they are watching me expand globally.”
His words reminded me of a powerful truth:
Most people want success, but they don’t want to wait for it.
They want the reward of a seed without planting it.
He told me, “If you can master self-control — if you can sacrifice comfort for growth — you will always stay ahead of 90% of people.”
That was the discipline that built his empire.
4. “Never Stop Learning.”
Then he leaned back and asked me,
“Do you know what makes me different from most business owners?”
I said, “Your wealth?”
He laughed. “No — my curiosity.”
He told me he reads more now than when he was broke. He studies trends, technology, leadership, and even psychology because the world keeps changing.
“The day you stop learning is the day your business starts dying.”
He said most entrepreneurs stop growing after their first taste of success. They think they know enough.
But in a world evolving so fast, ignorance is expensive.
He said, “Knowledge is not just power — it’s protection. It keeps you relevant when times change.”
That day, I realized learning wasn’t just a phase; it was a lifestyle.
5. “Don’t Rush to Impress People.”
He looked at me again and said:
“If your goal in business is to impress people, you will remain poor trying to look rich.”
He explained that one of the biggest traps young entrepreneurs fall into is image obsession. They want to look successful before they become successful.
Expensive phones, fancy clothes, rented offices, show-off lifestyles — all for validation.
“While you’re trying to look rich,” he said, “someone else is quietly becoming rich.”
He told me he still drives a modest car even though he could afford dozens of luxury ones.
“I don’t spend money to prove a point. I spend money to make more money.”
That statement redefined my idea of wealth. Real wealth doesn’t shout; it speaks quietly through impact, stability, and peace of mind.
6. “Build Relationships Before You Need Them.”
He went on:
“Success is not a solo project. Wealth grows faster when you grow your relationships.”
He told me that he spends time cultivating connections — not just business partners, but mentors, staff, and even competitors.
“I didn’t get here alone. People opened doors for me. But they only did because I had spent years building trust.”
He said one of the worst mistakes people make is ignoring people until they need help.
“Relationships are like savings. If you don’t deposit kindness, loyalty, and trust, you won’t have anything to withdraw when crisis comes.”
That piece of advice has stayed with me — and it works in every area of life, not just business.
7. “Don’t Envy Others — Learn From Them.”
He said, “Envy is a sign of ignorance.”
He explained that instead of being jealous of someone’s success, we should study their strategy.
“Every successful person leaves clues — habits, routines, decisions — that you can learn from.”
He admitted that when he was younger, he used to envy competitors. But as he matured, he started collaborating with them instead.
“Competition is healthy, but collaboration creates empires.”
He said he’s never lost anything by learning from someone better — but he’s lost time and peace when he envied others.
That lesson taught me that jealousy wastes energy that could be used for creativity.
8. “Success Without Character Is Temporary.”
Then his tone changed — it became more serious.
“Don’t try to be successful if your character cannot carry it.”
He said he had seen many wealthy people lose everything overnight — not because of the economy, but because of arrogance, dishonesty, or greed.
“Integrity is the most expensive currency in business. Once you lose it, everything else crashes.”
He told me he prefers to lose money than lose his name.
“My reputation built my business faster than my advertising ever did.”
That day, I understood that how you make money matters more than how much you make.
9. “Success Has a Price — Pay It.”
Finally, he looked me straight in the eye and said:
“Everyone wants the results, but very few are willing to pay the price.”
He explained that real success demands sleepless nights, sacrifices, failures, and rejection.
“There were times I almost gave up, but I kept going because I knew the result would be worth it.”
He said, “If you can remain consistent even when nobody believes in you — if you can keep doing the right thing even when results are slow — success will eventually find you.”
His final advice was simple:
“Stop chasing shortcuts. Focus on principles. Success will come, but only when you’re ready to carry it.”
The Lesson That Changed My Life
As I left his office that day, I didn’t get the ‘magic formula’ I had expected.
No secret investment strategy. No overnight trick.
But I walked away with something far more powerful — wisdom.
I realized that true success isn’t built by chance; it’s built by principles — patience, discipline, learning, and humility.
And above all, success isn’t about becoming someone else — it’s about becoming your best self.
Final Words
That conversation changed the way I think, work, and dream.
Today, when people ask me what that rich man told me, I smile and say:
“He didn’t teach me how to be like him — he taught me how to be me.”
If you truly want to be successful, stop looking for shortcuts. Stop comparing yourself to others.
Start focusing on value, growth, and character.
Because the richest people in the world didn’t just chase money — they built themselves until money started chasing them.
Thanks for reading my blog;
Let me know if you have been with a rich man before. What advice did he give to you? Please your reply will be very useful to me.
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