--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There are lots of things about…" description: "\"There are lots of things about millionaires that make them pretty ordinary, but what's not ordinary is their ability to accumulate wealth, how hard the..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/54c/thomas-j-stanley-11790_ability_there-are-lots-of-things-about-millionai_2011604.png" --- # There are lots of things about millionaires that make them… ![“There are lots of things about millionaires that make them pretty ordinary, but what's not ordinary is their ability to accumulate wealth, how hard they work, and what they do for a living.” quote by Thomas J. Stanley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/54c/thomas-j-stanley-11790_ability_there-are-lots-of-things-about-millionai_2011604.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/54c/thomas-j-stanley-11790_ability_there-are-lots-of-things-about-millionai_2011604.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/54c/thomas-j-stanley-11790_ability_there-are-lots-of-things-about-millionai_2011604.png) > “There are lots of things about millionaires that make them pretty ordinary, but what's not ordinary is their ability to accumulate wealth, how hard they work, and what they do for a living.” [Thomas J. Stanley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-j-stanley/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Ordinary people can become wealthy through hard work and strategic choices, despite appearing typical. **In simple terms:** Hard work and smart choices lead to wealth despite ordinary appearance. Key Takeaway Focus on disciplined saving and entrepreneurship. Themes wealth hard work ordinary life Mood inspirational pragmatic Type financial educational When to use this quote - career planning - investment strategies - personal finance - entrepreneurship Key Concepts economic mobility financial habits Questions to Reflect On - What habits differentiate wealthy individuals? - How do societal factors influence wealth building? A Different Perspective It may ignore systemic barriers to wealth accumulation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) [Hard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hard/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Living](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/living/) [Millionaires](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/millionaires/) [Millionaires Make](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/millionaires-make-3594931/) [Money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money/) [Rich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rich/) [Things Millionaires](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/things-millionaires-3594930/) [Wealth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wealth/) [Wealth Hard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wealth-hard-1163707/) [Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work/) ## Related quotes > [Here's something we're rarely told growing up: our world rewards wealth, not hard work or talent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winnie-byanyima/here-s-something-we-re-rarely-told-growing-up-our-world-rewards/) [Winnie Byanyima](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winnie-byanyima/) > [There are about 300,000 neighborhoods in the United States, and more than half of them have at least one millionaire living there. Most millionaires…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-j-stanley/there-are-about-300-000-neighborhoods-in-the-united-states-and-more/) [Thomas J. Stanley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-j-stanley/) > [Millionaires are risk-takers, and they don't become millionaires until they're 40 or 50. It's a slower process than a lot of people think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-j-stanley/millionaires-are-risk-takers-and-they-don-t-become-millionaires-until/) [Thomas J. Stanley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-j-stanley/) > [“His view of millionaires is shared by most people who are not wealthy. They think millionaires own expensive clothes, watches, and other status artifacts.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-j-stanley/his-view-of-millionaires-is-shared-by-most-people-who-are-not-wealthy/) [Thomas J. Stanley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-j-stanley/) > [“Interestingly, self-employed people make up less than 20 percent of the workers in America but account for two-thirds of the millionaires.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-j-stanley/interestingly-self-employed-people-make-up-less-than-20-percent-of/) [Thomas J. Stanley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-j-stanley/) > [“After twenty years of studying millionaires across a wide spectrum of industries, we have concluded that the character of the business owner is more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-j-stanley/after-twenty-years-of-studying-millionaires-across-a-wide-spectrum-of/) [Thomas J. Stanley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-j-stanley/) > [“They became millionaires by budgeting and controlling expenses, and they maintain their affluent status the same way. Sometimes”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-j-stanley/they-became-millionaires-by-budgeting-and-controlling-expenses-and/) [Thomas J. Stanley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-j-stanley/) > [“Most people who become millionaires have confidence in their own abilities. They do not spend time worrying about whether or not their parents were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-j-stanley/most-people-who-become-millionaires-have-confidence-in-their-own/) [Thomas J. Stanley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-j-stanley/) > [“Eighty percent of America’s millionaires are first-generation rich.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-j-stanley/eighty-percent-of-america-s-millionaires-are-first-generation-rich/) [Thomas J. Stanley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-j-stanley/) > [One of the reasons that millionaires are economically successful is that they think differently.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-j-stanley/one-of-the-reasons-that-millionaires-are-economically-successful-is/) [Thomas J. Stanley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-j-stanley/) > [“About one-half of the millionaires in America don’t live in upscale neighborhoods.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-j-stanley/about-one-half-of-the-millionaires-in-america-don-t-live-in-upscale/) [Thomas J. Stanley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-j-stanley/) > [If you are creative enough to select the ideal vocation, you can win, win big time. The really brilliant millionaires are those who selected…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-j-stanley/if-you-are-creative-enough-to-select-the-ideal-vocation-you-can-win/) [Thomas J. Stanley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-j-stanley/) > [Ten million new millionaires will be created by 2016, and you can become one of them--especiall y if you are in direct selling, technology…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-zane-pilzer/ten-million-new-millionaires-will-be-created-by-2016-and-you-can/) [Paul Zane Pilzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-zane-pilzer/) > [I think it's quite difficult to understand what kind of life a writer leads. They might be millionaires, or they might be starving people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kazuo-ishiguro/i-think-it-s-quite-difficult-to-understand-what-kind-of-life-a-writer/) [Kazuo Ishiguro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kazuo-ishiguro/) > [What puzzles me is the way that some of the smaller, unknown chateaux imagine that because Chinese millionaires pay ludicrous sums for the great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-hoggart/what-puzzles-me-is-the-way-that-some-of-the-smaller-unknown-chateaux/) [Simon Hoggart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-hoggart/) ## More by Thomas J. Stanley > [I am not impressed with what people own. But I’m impressed with what they achieve. I’m proud to be a physician. Always strive to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-j-stanley/i-am-not-impressed-with-what-people-own-but-i-m-impressed-with-what/) [Thomas J. Stanley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-j-stanley/) > [“There is an inverse relationship between the time spent purchasing luxury items such as cars and clothes and the time spent planning one’s financial…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-j-stanley/there-is-an-inverse-relationship-between-the-time-spent-purchasing/) [Thomas J. Stanley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-j-stanley/) > [There are about 300,000 neighborhoods in the United States, and more than half of them have at least one millionaire living there. Most millionaires…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-j-stanley/there-are-about-300-000-neighborhoods-in-the-united-states-and-more/) [Thomas J. Stanley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-j-stanley/) > [Money should never change one’s values…. Making money is only a report card. It’s a way to tell how you’re doing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-j-stanley/money-should-never-change-one-s-values-making-money-is-only-a-report/) [Thomas J. Stanley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-j-stanley/) > [“Great offense and poor defense translate into under accumulation of wealth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-j-stanley/great-offense-and-poor-defense-translate-into-under-accumulation-of/) [Thomas J. Stanley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-j-stanley/) > [“if you’re not financially independent, you will spend an increasing amount of your time and energy worrying about your socioeconomic future.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-j-stanley/if-you-re-not-financially-independent-you-will-spend-an-increasing/) [Thomas J. Stanley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-j-stanley/) > [Most people have it all wrong about wealth in America. Wealth is not the same as income. If you make a good income each…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-j-stanley/most-people-have-it-all-wrong-about-wealth-in-america-wealth-is-not/) [Thomas J. Stanley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-j-stanley/) > [“I am my favorite charity.” “WEALTHY”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-j-stanley/i-am-my-favorite-charity-wealthy/) [Thomas J. Stanley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-j-stanley/) > [“If your goal is to become financially secure, you’ll likely attain it…. But if your motive is to make money to spend money on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-j-stanley/if-your-goal-is-to-become-financially-secure-you-ll-likely-attain-it/) [Thomas J. Stanley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-j-stanley/) > [If you are creative enough to select the ideal vocation, you can win, win big time. The really brilliant millionaires are those who selected…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-j-stanley/if-you-are-creative-enough-to-select-the-ideal-vocation-you-can-win/) [Thomas J. Stanley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-j-stanley/) > [Wealth is more often the result of a lifestyle of hard work, perseverance, planning, and, most of all, self-discipline.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-j-stanley/wealth-is-more-often-the-result-of-a-lifestyle-of-hard-work/) [Thomas J. Stanley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-j-stanley/) > [Before you can become a millionaire, you must learn to think like one. You must learn how to motivate yourself to counter fear with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-j-stanley/before-you-can-become-a-millionaire-you-must-learn-to-think-like-one/) [Thomas J. Stanley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-j-stanley/) > [The reason that so few people are financially independent today is that they place many negative roadblocks in their heads. Becoming wealthy is, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-j-stanley/the-reason-that-so-few-people-are-financially-independent-today-is/) [Thomas J. Stanley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-j-stanley/) > [“What if he had taken full advantage of the tax-advantaged benefit from the time he was first employed? Today he would be a millionaire.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-j-stanley/what-if-he-had-taken-full-advantage-of-the-tax-advantaged-benefit/) [Thomas J. Stanley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-j-stanley/) > [“Have you ever noticed those people whom you see jogging day after day? They are the ones who seem not to need to jog.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-j-stanley/have-you-ever-noticed-those-people-whom-you-see-jogging-day-after-day/) [Thomas J. Stanley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-j-stanley/) [Explore all 58 Thomas J. Stanley quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-j-stanley/) ## More Ability quotes > [I don't think there's a direct correlation between my sexuality and my skiing ability. But I think because I was so concerned about it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-kenworthy/i-don-t-think-there-s-a-direct-correlation-between-my-sexuality-and/) [Gus Kenworthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-kenworthy/) > [“the importance of ability. The things that make a great job great, I discovered, are rare and valuable. If you want them in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-newport/the-importance-of-ability-the-things-that-make-a-great-job-great-i/) [Cal Newport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-newport/) > [Ambition drives you on, ability certainly helps, but the fickle finger of fate and luck are great things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fergus-henderson/ambition-drives-you-on-ability-certainly-helps-but-the-fickle-finger/) [Fergus Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fergus-henderson/) > [The ability of the gospel to unite us on common strengths and common truths is one of the great miracles . . . of the gospel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-holland/the-ability-of-the-gospel-to-unite-us-on-common-strengths-and-common/) [Jeffrey R. Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-holland/) > [Maybe law enforcement would like the ability to turn on the camera on your Mac.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-cook/maybe-law-enforcement-would-like-the-ability-to-turn-on-the-camera-on/) [Tim Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-cook/) > [I've seen guys come along with more ability - they've been faster or bigger or stronger - but they never worked hard to develop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-largent/i-ve-seen-guys-come-along-with-more-ability-they-ve-been-faster-or/) [Steve Largent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-largent/) > [The youth of India has the strength to move the entire World with a click of a mouse, we have generated that ability!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narendra-modi/the-youth-of-india-has-the-strength-to-move-the-entire-world-with-a/) [Narendra Modi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narendra-modi/) > [Time hath not yet so dried this blood of mine, Nor age so eat up my invention, Nor fortune made such havoc of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/time-hath-not-yet-so-dried-this-blood-of-mine-nor-age-so-eat-up-my/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [An absolutely necessary part of a writer's equipment, almost as necessary as talent, is the ability to stand up under punishment, both the punishment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irwin-shaw/an-absolutely-necessary-part-of-a-writer-s-equipment-almost-as/) [Irwin Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irwin-shaw/) > [I'd be more frightened by not using whatever abilities I'd been given. I'd be more frightened by procrastination and laziness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denzel-washington/i-d-be-more-frightened-by-not-using-whatever-abilities-i-d-been-given/) [Denzel Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denzel-washington/) > [Bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. Take what I cannot give: my heart, body, thoughts, time, abilities, money, health, strength,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-prentiss/bring-into-captivity-every-thought-to-the-obedience-of-christ-take/) [Elizabeth Prentiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-prentiss/) > [You can only do the work to the very best of your ability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-baranski/you-can-only-do-the-work-to-the-very-best-of-your-ability/) [Christine Baranski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-baranski/) > [Judge a person not by his ability to make money but by his ability to retain it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/judge-a-person-not-by-his-ability-to-make-money-but-by-his-ability-to/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [Balance is the ability to be happy in the midst of the most chaotic or even boring or transient circumstance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/balance-is-the-ability-to-be-happy-in-the-midst-of-the-most-chaotic/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Bobby had faith in my ability as a singer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-london/bobby-had-faith-in-my-ability-as-a-singer/) [Julie London](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-london/) [Browse all 9,990 Ability quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "There are lots of things about millionaires that make them pretty ordinary, but what's not ordinary is their ability to accumulate wealth, how hard they work, and what they do for a living.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Thomas J. 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