How to make a million

The Millionaire Dream: When Goals Lack Meaning

When I was younger, I constantly told myself that becoming a millionaire by 30 was my top goal. I didn't know how to achieve it or why I wanted it, but I believed it was the most important thing I needed to do in my life.

Looking back now, I realise I was mad. There are things in life that matter far more than money—relationships, health, purpose, and genuine fulfilment. While I don't see anything wrong with anyone having wealth as a goal, it's essential to understand what lies beneath this "mission." Too many people chase after millions without ever questioning why.

This is the core issue: many people chasing wealth haven't done the inner work to understand their true motivations. Without that clarity, the pursuit feels empty and ultimately unsatisfying, even if they achieve their financial goals.

Mother's Wisdom: Why Money Isn't the Real Prize

My Mum, the wisest and most influential person in my life, often made me stop and think whenever I made a statement or declaration. She possessed a remarkable talent for asking powerful questions, ones that compelled me to reflect deeply on my motivations. She consistently encouraged me to pause and analyse the reasons behind my actions, helping me understand why I wanted to pursue certain things.

So, when I used to say to her, "I want to make a million" or "I want to be a multi-millionaire," she would simply ask why. I would always say, "I want to look after you, Mum. I want to give you a perfect life, everything you could possibly want."

Mum would smile warmly and say, "That's nice," then tell me something that fundamentally changed how I see money: she did not need anyone to make a million to look after her.

She explained that life's true focus isn't on pursuing money. She mentioned that our family and ancestors never actively chased wealth. Any riches gained by family members were a byproduct of doing meaningful work and living intentionally. At the time, I didn't quite grasp her point. I would simply reply, "Okay, Mum," and then continue trying to figure out how to earn a million.

She didn't give up on me. Each time I mentioned becoming a millionaire, she would subtly suggest I think about why I felt the need for such money. The reality is, I didn't require a million pounds; no one does to survive. Extraordinary wealth isn't necessary for a fulfilling, secure, and happy life.

What I truly needed was a clear understanding of my values and purpose.

Stop Making Millions Your Aim—Start Making Meaning Your Focus

You should never make making a million your primary aim in life. Instead, ask yourself honestly: Is a million essential to your well-being right now?

The reality is that if you honestly assess your current life, you'll probably find that most people who become multi-millionaires or billionaires didn't make wealth their main goal. Instead, their millions often came as a by-product of their actual priorities.

This distinction is vital. When you pursue the outcome (wealth), you often overlook the process (excellence). When you concentrate on the process, the outcome often occurs naturally.

Real Examples: When Passion Creates Profit

Beyoncé: From Dance to Dominance

Think about Beyoncé. She initially aimed to be a dancer, which eventually led her to singing. From childhood, she loved to dance and sing, driven by a desire to perform. Unlike someone sitting with business or sales books, planning to earn a fortune, she focused on her passion for performing. Her millions are a direct by-product of her enjoyment of performing. She earned millions because countless people worldwide wanted to see and hear her perform.

Her focus wasn't on accumulating wealth; instead, she prioritised mastery in her craft, and the financial success came as a natural result.

Pelé: The Beautiful Game Creates Beautiful Wealth

Pelé was arguably one of the greatest football players of all time. During his playing days, even reserve players today would refuse the wages he earned back then. If Pelé played now, he would make millions. However, what truly mattered to him was playing football. He loved the game, and his earnings were simply a by-product of his dedication. His obsession was mastering his craft, not accumulating wealth.

This is the pattern you'll see among the majority of successful people: they became obsessed with their craft first, and money followed as a natural consequence.

The Neuroscience of Intrinsic Motivation

Research on intrinsic motivation, where people do something because they find it truly rewarding, shows that people who pursue meaningful work tend to experience better learning, improved performance, creativity, and overall psychological well-being. When you're genuinely motivated from within, like striving for mastery and purpose, your brain releases dopamine that helps you stay focused and committed. On the other hand, when motivation comes mainly from external rewards, such as money, it can sometimes lead to burnout and less satisfying results.

Why Most People Fail to Make a Million (And Why That Might Be Good News)

The Control Illusion

Here's the reality: if your main focus is on becoming a millionaire, you'll quickly realise that you don't have complete control over whether you can achieve this outcome.

Why do some football players and singers become millionaires while others do not? People do not have full control over their earning potential. Instead, they can only influence their actions and their passions.

The customer, not you, controls your income because it's the consumer who decides if they find enough value in your offering to pay for it. You might buy a house and value it at a million pounds, but its worth is only a million if someone is willing to pay that amount. You can't control market demand; you can only influence the quality of what you provide.

This realisation is freeing when understood properly. While controlling wealth directly is impossible, you can focus on your effort, concentration, and dedication to excellence.

The Uncomfortable Reality: Luck, Privilege, and Systemic Barriers

While chasing your passion and striving for excellence are really important, it's also good to remember that building wealth in the UK (and around the world) isn't just about merit. Recent studies show that billionaire wealth in the UK has increased by over 1000% since 1990. However, this remarkable growth hasn't mainly come from innovation and creating value; instead, it's been fuelled by property, inheritance, and financial gains.

By 2025, over a quarter of UK billionaires will derive their wealth from property and inheritance. Another quarter will accumulate wealth through financial markets—often using methods that add little real value to society.

For most people, especially those not born into wealth, the journey to a million is much more complex and challenging than commonly portrayed. Factors such as your postcode, family background, access to capital, and starting point all greatly influence your chances.​

What You Can Control: Building Value Over Chasing Wealth

What separates those who build genuine, sustainable success from those who struggle isn't luck alone—it's mindset about what success actually means. Successful entrepreneurs and creators understand that:

• Skill development matters more than salary chasing. The more you love what you do, the more determined you become to master it.
• Value creation precedes wealth creation. Money flows to people and businesses that solve real problems and create genuine value.
• Autonomy and purpose drive sustained effort. When you control what you're working on and why, you perform better and persist longer.​
• Data beats intuition for decisions. Successful people make strategic choices based on facts, not feelings.​