The Savage Truth on Money, 3rd Edition

CHAPTER 1The Savage Truth on Getting RichFinancial Security Demands Smart Choices

Everyone wants to know the secret of getting rich. And lately, people are wondering if it’s even possible to get rich—or at least to live well and then retire confidently. The perceived wide differences between the ordinary American and the very wealthy have created not only financial but political divisions that seem to threaten our future. But those divisions mask the opportunities that are still very much in existence and will be the foundation of our next wave of prosperity.

America faces real challenges, given our country’s burden of debt and our political extremes. It’s tempting to give up, to forget that this is not the first time America has surmounted challenges and gone on to prosperity.

So here’s the Savage Truth: The American Dream is still within reach.

Achieving financial security will require personal traits that have always worked: optimism, persistence, and self-discipline. If you’re willing to try, or try again, you can succeed. You need only to understand the basic Truths, which have not changed despite market volatility, economic uncertainty, and divisive politicians on both sides of the aisle.

It’s a tribute to America that over time there have been many roads to wealth in this country, and they are open to all. It may seem as if barriers and inequities have increased in recent years, but in fact, quite the opposite is true. Technology has given access to new ways of educating ...