In this podcast, you’ll get a peek into the habits, thoughts, and actions of a self-made millionaire as I talk with Jaime Tardy whose website, podcast and book all titled Eventual Millionaire have been guiding and inspiring entrepreneurs for years. She shares insights into what makes them tick and how you can position yourself into millionaire status.   What Are Some Common Habits of a Millionaire? After interviewing over 200 millionaires Jaime says there are three common habits among them. Surprisingly, none of them have anything to do with daily routine such as diet or exercise however, she does find that they rarely watch much TV or movies - although, I am definitely the exception to the rule :) Instead, she has found common themes in their approach to business (and life): No Excuses Approach - To be prosperous you can’t let your excuses stand in your way. We all have our reasons not to do something (no money, no time, etc.) but these are solvable. The millionaire gets it done despite their reasons or excuses. Continuous Forward Motion - Successful people aren’t afraid to make a move - even if it’s the wrong move. A lot of us are afraid to fail and let that hold us back. Some millionaires have had success right away but many fail 3 or 4 times before reaching success. Well, Jaime didn’t actually get to divulge the third habit but you can read about it on her site. Fearing the Tall Poppy Syndrome It happens. When one person does really well people tend to wind up feeling bad about themselves. The typical reaction is resentment and oftentimes colleagues or peers will attack, criticize, or “cut down” the tall poppy among them. Don’t let the fear of the tall poppy syndrome stop you. Succeed anyway. Jaime believes people with integrity should be the ones with money and influence as they’re the ones who can do the most good with it. Jaime finds self-made millionaires are appreciative and humble. The stereotype is that the wealthy are also very greedy. However, the vast majority she talks to are some of the most giving and generous people she knows. Live the Life You Want Jaime learned the lesson the hard way with her own career. At a very early age she had a six-figure corporate career, expense account, big house and an expensive car. Sounds awesome! But she hated her job and dreaded Sunday nights because they marked the end of a weekend and start of a new work week. In time she changed all that but admits it can be difficult when you don’t have much cushion in your budget. She implores us to have the life we want and then consider money. “I made one decision in my life based on money. And I swore I would never do it again.” ~ Brad Pitt as Billy Beane in Moneyball Never make decisions based on money alone. I know what you’re thinking: “Sure, it’s easy to turn down money when you already have it.” As an agency owner you have responsibilities and pressures like payroll and other fixed costs. You might be tempted to take on some of the wrong clients just to pay the bills. I strongly caution you against this. Bad clients may pay you but the long-term expense of having them will far exceed the short-term fix they give you in your cash flow. Bad clients drain your time, your resources, and your energy. No one can run a successful business in that state. Calculate the Opportunity Cost Instead of taking on the wrong clients, take time to determine the opportunity cost. I looked at my own opportunity cost in January. By eliminating the wrong clients, I brought in an additional $35,000 in revenue. Here’s the breakdown: With my screening process, I turned down 20 “wrong clients” for a $1,000 program. At a 75% close rate, I could have closed 15 of them and made $15,000. I would have spent one hour with each of those 20, but I utilized those 20 hours differently. By reallocating those 20 hours I worked on a program that made $50,000. The difference in how I spent my time brought in an incremental $35,000! How Highly Successful People Face Ch