What is a Millionaire...Truly?

The private jet may just be a trope of the past. Think of Billy McFarland of Fyre Festival promising private jets and a private island, trying to sell the millionaire life to twenty somethings who didn’t know what that life truly looked like. But he sold the image only--and those jets were nothing more than a fantasy.

What we dream a successful life to look like may not be what a successful life really looks like. Most millionaires don’t own private jets, and honestly that isn’t a priority for those who have their sights set on a deeper, more meaningful sense of wealth and success.

We call it the true millionaire. And it has much less to do with net worth or flashy images than you think. So what are these true millionaires doing? What do they think about and what are the lives like for those who have reached places of financial prowess-- whether by inheritance or by ventures that took off, or in many cases, both.

For one, the true millionaire works hard. With large projects, businesses, and investments, there is that much more risk of failure, and it takes a lot of work to keep these ventures going. Millionaires can be found more often in offices than private jets--working hard to keep their visions alive and growing.

Let’s talk inheritance. It’s real. But think about this--only twenty percent of millionaires in the US got that way by inheritance, and with that comes a lot of responsibility. That wealth can be gone by one or two generations down the line if they don’t work to keep it up.

Another trope: cars. Well. Cars, like private jets, just don’t show much return. A true millionaire doesn’t bask in flashy purchases for the sake of the look. Instead they go out into the world to see how their wealth can move, see what differences it can make for bigger causes rather than for personal purchases.

Something that makes you look at this whole picture twice is the fact that Bill Gates doesn’t want his same lifestyle for his kids. He made the world’s jaw drop when he announced that he would donate his wealth to charity, leaving ten million each to his three children. He knows what the millionaire life is. But he knows it isn’t worth much if you don’t carry it right.

The true millionaires on the move these days tend to have other priorities, have their minds set on higher sights. They tend to think bigger picture, consider their impact on the planet and the projects they can create in their lifetimes, beyond their private worth.

We’re in a time when we create our own definitions of who we are and what wealth and success mean. And as long as we’re defining success for ourselves, we may as well define what that looks like on the outside.

This new time we live in has a different lens on the look of a millionaire. And whether you are a millionaire or aspire to be that in your coming life, know that it looks like what you want it to look like, just like your life, just like your style. Carry it well.