Back when I was a young lad, I would often sweep the floors at a local deli for chump change. This was a great way to make some extra cash, and it taught me great work ethics, like always showing up on time, how to manage money, and how hard work translates into purchasing power (minimum wage was a lot for anyone my age at that time). Most of my friends were broke and didn't know how to save, and I became that way. I would spend Friday nights and every weekend at clubs and dance floors blowing away my hard earned cash. This meant that I was never progressing to anything more financially. I was always one paycheck away from being evicted. Of course, this is how a lot of people live, and I was no exception. All my friends were the same way, living paycheck to paycheck, never thinking about the future and always pursuing instant gratification over long term satisfaction. They would buy huge TV's for their cobweb filled living rooms and giant surround sound speakers, then complain that they had no money to feed the children. I spent a lot of time around them, so naturally, I turned out the same way. Then one day, something happened. I moved. Which meant I had to start fresh and make new friends. What happened next may surprise you. All my friends were financially savvy, always saving 15% of their income and regularly setting money into their retirement accounts. Through them, I learned to budget, open a 401k, and plan for the future. No longer was I spending my Friday nights wasted at clubs. Instead, I was spending my Friday nights at professional development sessions. I was finding ways to improve my earning potential and live like my rich friends. Seeing them drive luxury cars, talking about the next hot stock on their balcony, and travelling 2 to 3 times a month made me realize that if you spend time around 10 millionaires, you become the 11th. So the moral of this story is if you want to become rich... spend more time with rich people and pick their brains. Likewise, if you want to become fit, spend more time with fit people. If you want to become broke, spend more time with broke people. If you want to become a republican, spend more time around republicans. You will eventually become who you spend the most time around.