Is one of your goals in life to be financially successful? Would you like to earn a six figure income by leveraging your strengths and pursuing your passions? Would you like to be self-employed and work toward your own goals versus someone else’s? Have you often considered how to become a millionaire by the time you turned 30?

5 years ago, I would have said — YES. I’m serious – just ask my former co-worker, Matt, and my boss, Scott. I distinctly remember walking into work one day and telling them I would be a millionaire by 30. I actually believed it. And even better – instead of laughing at me, they both asked me how I was planning to accomplish this goal. The truth is – I had no clue how I was going to accomplish my goal, but I knew, I honestly believed, I would be a successful businesswoman by 30. At the time of that very bold declaration, I was working 70 hours a week and making about 30,000 per year. I was a glorified secretary for a college admissions office, and ramping up my own fitness business training clients for $10 per hour. Brandon and I were living in a 500 square foot apartment and scraping by. HA! So – how did I do it? How did I make a shift from trading dollars for hours to creating a thriving business?

Here are a few of my tips for success based on my experience.

1. Believe you have what it takes to be successful. Your reality is a reflection of the things you believe most strongly are possible.

2. Surround yourself with positive people who are supportive of your dreams. Most of my friends laughed at me 5 years ago when I talked about my dreams and goals (I was 23, I am now 28). But I didn’t let that get me down. I knew I had what it took to be successful. I kept my supporters close. I still routinely check-in with friends who believe in me and clap when I succeed. These are friends I would lay down my life for. When you find like-minded friends who lift you higher – keep them close for the long-term. The company you keep will either be your flight or downfall.

3. Remain optimistic. The best predictor of success is optimism. If you can push through inevitable challenges and hurdles with a smile on your face and hope for the future – you will be successful.

4. Create a scalable business and prudent streams of passive income. Early on in my fitness business, I realized I would not become a millionaire by trading dollars for hours via gym sessions. I decided to create online boot camps which are easily duplicatable and scalable. I also decided to partner with the makers of P90X and INSANITY to generate a prudent stream of passive/residual income. This is “paying off” in significant ways.

5. Write down your goals. With very few exceptions, professionals who write down their goals are successful. Create attainable, measurable, and specific goals quarterly, monthly, weekly, and daily.

6. Identify your strengths and leverage them. Become an expert in an area of strength. Be the smartest person in the room regarding a certain topic. For example, over the years, I have become and Instagram expert. I love this social media platform, and I truly don’t know anyone who has more experience helping others ramp up their IG platform to effectively generate qualified leads and conversions for their small business. As a result, I’ve had the opportunity to do a lot of consulting work to earn money sharing my Instagram strategies.

7. Realize that it’s not what you know – it’s who you know. Truly. I believe there is some benefit in a college education, but it’s extremely important to network and develop genuine relationships through your early 20s. When my classmates were studying for Gen Ed History (a class where I never even took the time to purchase the semester textbook – sorry Dr. Mach), I was busy skipping class and working at a local financial planner and prospecting companies all over our area to network with business leaders. Ultimately, I received a C in the class and some amazing relationships that have served me extremely well over the years.

8. Find a unique purpose that drives your business. In order to work your business with passionate excellence for the long-term, you need a purpose that goes beyond yourself. For example, my passion is to help women be the very best version of themselves. I find that I am truly fulfilled when I help others exceed their potential physically with fitness plans, or professionally via my marketing mentorship program.

9. Save early. Brandon and I worked extremely hard in our early 20s to pay off his college debt before he graduated. He secured a position at the local Air Force Base where they paid for his graduate school education. We put every extra penny toward our investments. We maxed out our Roths and Brokerage accounts. I learned the value of short-term stock bonds, mutual funds, matching programs at Brandon’s workplace, and other long-term investment scenarios including real estate. I am 28 and Brandon is 27 and our money is working for us in huge ways. At 26, I was able to make a strategic decision to build our dream home in a neighborhood with several custom-built million dollar homes. The value of our home has already increased significantly, and I feel very confident in our home re-sale value moving forward.

10. Prioritize personal and professional development every single day with no exceptions. Besides the blessings of God, professional development is the greatest door opener in your life. Read for at least 30 minutes each day or until you find 4 quotes and nuggets of truth to share.

I sincerely hope you found these tips helpful. I would love to learn more about you, your goals, your unique passions, your small business, and why you hope to be financially successful. If you would like information about my business mentorship program or Instagram academy, please fill out the form below.