Post: #26

Cheers for a useful and enlightening thread with bood PDF link attached. Will have a read and come back here with my thoughts.

Post: #27

Finished. Good read. +1 to OP.


My favourite quotes:

I cannot make you happy. I cannot make you healthy. But I'm pretty certain I can improve your chances of becoming rich. Which, in turn, will improve your sex life. People who grow rich almost always improve their sex life. More people want to have sex with them. That's just the way human beings work. (p. 12)


If you want to be rich, you are not looking for a 'career', except as a launch pad or as a chance to infiltrate and understand a particular industry. A job for the rich-in-training is merely something to keep you ticking over, to put food on your plate and wine in your glass. Additionally, it will provide excellent training in man-management and negotiation skills; it will supply inside market information; above all, it will act as a salutary reminder of what happens to 99.99 per cent of your colleagues - the ones who buy lottery tickets and dream of becoming rich but who haven't a hope in hell of achieving any such thing.

Sounds pretty arrogant and selfish, doesn't it? Not exactly 'playing the game' or exhibiting what a human resources manager would call 'a constructive team attitude'. But then, who ever heard of a rich human resources manager? Right. Neither have I. And, in any case, if you do the thing right, there is no reason why such a manager need ever know. Or care. (p. 49)


New or rapidly developing industries, whether glamorous or not, very often provide more opportunities to get rich than established sectors. The three reasons for this are availability of risk capital, ignorance and the power of a rising tide. Investors are drawn to emerging industries in the hope of making a fast buck. To get rich, you will need capital, and to acquire capital you need to be where loose capital is searching for a home. (p. 58)


Capitalism demands that whoever takes the most financial risk calls the piper's tune. The biggest rewards go not to those individuals who came up with the idea, nor to those individuals who built the empire. They go to those entities or individuals who funded the enterprise and own the most stock. (p. 60)


The French socialist Pierre Proudhon had the right of it: 'Property is theft!' he thundered. Aye, so it is. But it is legalised theft, the main pillar of Western capitalism, a rotten and debased system of managing human affairs, and yet the only system that has survived the demise of all rivals. However we may feel about it, capitalism is the only system under which readers of this book are likely to labour. And as its name implies, it requires capital for those who wish to play the game and succeed. (p. 78)


Please think about this if you want to be rich. Ownership is not the most important thing. IT IS THE ONLY THING THAT COUNTS.

Nothing else counts in the getting of money. Shareholder thanks do not count. A good salary and a company car and health plan and pension don't count. Most-share options (usually nothing more than the promise of chickenfeed to salaried employees, and a promise broken half the time, too), don't count. The gratitude of colleagues doesn't count. Nothing counts but what you own in the race to get rich. If you haven't much skill, or much wit, or much talent, or much luck, and yet you insist on owning more than your fair share of any start-up or acquisition, then you can become rich. If you take what you're given, you will probably not get rich. (p. 169)

Post: #28

(04-24-2014 07:49 PM)TheChef Wrote:  And are there any other solid books written by actual millionaires worth reading?

There's 'Your First 100 Million' by Dan Pena. Can't find the buy link on his site anymore but the original edition of the book is on pirate bay. Just search 'dan pena'.

Post: #29

(05-13-2014 03:14 AM)Scuba_Instructor Wrote:  Arguably this links to the premise of diminished returns - reaching that sweet spot where the cost it takes to get to a certain destination (wealth, in this instance) does not outweigh the benefits.

The hard truth Felix packs into the book was completely refreshing. He even defines rich by various net worth, with his ideal level being in the $100+million.

He worked his ass of, spent stupid amounts on frivolous expenses but seems to be on a more stable path at this point (he's in his 50s).

A few other key points was how you need a bit of arrogance to truly believe you will get rich, and deserve to. The hard work and continually upping your game and taking risk are also key, but so is the mindset that you deserve to be wealthy and will do whatever it takes.

Post: #30

(05-16-2014 05:07 AM)Feisbook Control Wrote:  I just spent the past few days reading this book. It's a great book full of great insight and advice. It's definitely an antidote to the usual self-help books. I highly recommend reading it. Thanks for putting me onto it.

Glad you enjoyed it.

Plus I like how he states (I believe genuinely) that the book is meant to be an "anti-self help booK" because most of those are written by guys who did not make millions doing something other than promoting self-help pickups filled with add on DVDs, seminars and coaching.

He keeps telling you NOT to get rich for the first chapter...then states that if you DO want to get rich here is how he did it.

Felix Dennis is the shit

Post: #31

(05-13-2014 10:48 AM)Beyond Borders Wrote:  

(05-12-2014 11:11 PM)wi30 Wrote:  This book along with The Millionaire Fastlane gave me the knowledge and mindset to take the plunge and start my own business late last year.

Good for you.

How's it coming along?

It's going well. There is a learning curve to a lot of aspects of business you wouldn't think of when starting out though. Quoted below is a post I wrote about it in another thread.

(05-20-2014 01:32 AM)wi30 Wrote:  I started my first business last fall (2013). I'm 23.

I'm far from making a living from it, but I absolutely love being a business owner. I am an entrepreneur at heart and I've always felt working for other people doesn't work for me. There are plenty of challenges faced by any owner, but I love solving problems. It gives me an additional reason to wake up in the morning.

The most crucial concept I've learned is that intermediary companies will do nothing but fuck you over. I have completely written off UPS and Western Union due to their horrid business practices and customer service. If there is one thing anyone who is reading this can learn, it's to expect and factor in random fees and sketchy practices from the companies that bridge the gap. Everyone is doing their best to fuck you and take your money. Make your channel as simple as possible and use additional companies as little as you can.

Post: #32

I am reading Felix Dennis' book. He recommends getting start up money from people he refers to as "fishes".

How does one identify "fishes" and get money from them? Seems like all you gotta do is make friends with generous people and ask them for money. Fishes are people that give you money without asking for any ownership of the company in return.

Like literally just go up to people and just ask for bills lol. Anyone got experience with this?

Post: #33

For those with good command of French: Michel Clouscard's Néo-fascisme et idéologie du désir and Le Capitalisme de la séduction are must reads. Well known essays in France that are critical of liberalism and feminism.

I'd also add Michel Houellebecq's Whatever and Atomised.

Post: #34

Looks great, am going to pick it up this week.

Post: #35

I'm currently reading this now. Really enjoy his writing style half way finished. I also plan to reread millionaire fastlane by MJ Demarco which is also a pretty solid book.

Post: #36

(12-28-2014 07:38 PM)BasketBounce Wrote:  I am reading Felix Dennis' book. He recommends getting start up money from people he refers to as "fishes".

How does one identify "fishes" and get money from them? Seems like all you gotta do is make friends with generous people and ask them for money. Fishes are people that give you money without asking for any ownership of the company in return.

Like literally just go up to people and just ask for bills lol. Anyone got experience with this?

You're in the fish tank right now

RVF has a few lawyers, a millionaire, and other talented individuals who post here. Just network with them.