06/23/2026
If you could teach your kids only ONE lesson about money, what would it be?
Mine might upset a few people:
Working harder is not the fastest path to wealth.
Before you tell me I’m wrong, think about it.
A teacher, firefighter, nurse, or construction worker can work 60 hours a week for 40 years and still struggle to build significant wealth.
Meanwhile, someone (even though it’s listed above) who learns how to acquire appreciating and cash-flowing assets can create wealth while they sleep.
That’s why I teach my kids this:
Don’t spend your life working for money.
Learn how to own cash flowing and appreciating assets that work for you.
Here are five principles I’d want every young person to understand:
1. Time is the greatest wealth-building tool.
The longer you own an appreciating asset, the more opportunity it has to grow in value. Start now.
2. Leverage (borrowing money) can speed up the wealth creation process.
You putting up relatively small down payment can give you control of a much larger asset while a lender (usually a bank) provides the rest of the money needed to own an investment property.
3. Renters can help build your wealth.
A well-bought investment property generates income that covers the mortgage and operating expenses. The right property basically becomes free for you as renters pay the bills.
4. Create a clear investing criteria (“buy box”) and stick to it.
Knowing exactly what you’re looking for removes emotion from investing and gives you confidence to move quickly when the right opportunities appear.
5. Never stop learning.
The best investors are constantly looking for ways to increase revenue, reduce expenses, and improve returns.
If you take only one thing away from this message, let it be this:
Most people spend their lives working for money.
Teach your kids how to acquire appreciating and cash-flowing assets, and they’ll learn how to make money work for them.
And once they understand that…
Teach them perhaps the biggest lesson of them all… teach them to dream really big.
That’s what I’m doing.
Curious:
If you could teach your kids only ONE lesson about money, what would it be?