I often get emails and direct messages from my peers, family, and even former faculty asking how I managed to become so accomplished at my age. I started my first business at 18 years old, which brought in thousands of dollars in revenue and received recognition from a former Marvel editorial director. Since then, I became financially independent, received over 100k in scholarships by the end of 2022, and am currently training under one of the largest research agencies in the world.
“How on Earth did you achieve all of this? You MUST be magical!”
This isn’t luck, magic, or bribery. In fact, these accomplishments are something almost anyone can achieve. By developing the millionaire mindset, I can achieve any goal I set my mind to.
Step 1: You Create Your Reality.
The first and most important step is knowing you are in control of your life. I was diagnosed with a life-threatening condition and was told I would never truly recover from my illness. I was told I would never be successful or graduate high school. I was told I could never lose weight or be worthy of love. Instead of letting what seemed to be my reality control me, I let all of those statements fuel the fire that hungered for success.
I created physical vision boards surrounding my vision of future success. Pinterest boards emulating the lifestyle I dreamed to achieve. I told people every single day I would be successful, no matter what anyone said.
You control yourself, no one else does. Don’t let ANYONE stop you from achieving whatever you set your mind to.
Step 2: Be Delusional.
At age 19 In the summer of 2021, I watched Scream Queens for the first time. When Chanel Oberlin, fashionably chic and leader of her “minions”, waltzed onto the screen for the first time, I had an epiphany: I would be Chanel Oberlin.
I quite literally took on the persona of the prissy final girl who ruled over her university. I gave myself blonde box braids, completely changed my wardrobe, and walked around campus with an inflated ego and false sense of confidence. Every morning before class I would repeat to myself in a mirror: I am perfect, beautiful, smart, and always right.“
2021 was the year I began to achieve my goals. It was this summer I became a finalist for Tarte Cosmetic’s Big EGO scholarship, which typically includes an all-expenses trip to Disney and a chance to win a $5,000 scholarship. I then received the opportunity to participate in an international hackathon, received thousands of dollars in scholarships from my university, brought my first vehicle all by myself, got my very first apartment (that was very chique mind you), and my first career as a child therapist. All within six months.
Moral of the story?
Confidence is everything (fake it till you make it). I applied for these national scholarships knowing I would win. If asked why I should be chosen as a candidate, it was because I was a valuable asset that they needed. I walked around campus fashionably dressed head to toe daily, and gained quite a reputation. I preached my goals to everyone I spoke to, always speaking in the present tense. “I am winning a scholarship soon. I already have this brand-new car”. My fake confidence eventually turned real, and I became a true leadership figure on campus; always advocating for myself and others, and never taking no for an answer. Professors and peers who recognized my outfits, campus contributions, and understood my goals referred me to other individuals, which eventually helped me land a career. Networking is key.
Of course, some people didn’t like this overly confident black girl who claimed to be a success story. And of course, these are the same individuals who have booked one-on-one coaching meetings with me. You’ll always have haters, don’t let anyone stop you from being delusional
Step 3: Plan to Action
So you’ve created your reality and you’re delusional. Now what? Make a plan.
I recently attended a goal-setting workshop under Brian Tracy, a self-made millionaire. During the event, I realized we shared the same goal-setting methods that helped me achieve every single goal I set since 2021. I would suggest watching his video on The Methods of Goal Setting.
I used to write every single goal in a notebook, and research how I would achieve those goals. If my goal was purchasing a new car, I wrote down everything related to cars: make and model, budget, loans, credit score, and more. I was meticulous to the T, but this is what ensures you can achieve a goal. If you can plan out every single aspect of your goal, then it’s practically in your hands. You just need to take the leap of faith.
an example of my goal-setting notebook
Step 4: Be Nosey as Hell
You’ve created your plan and did your research, but you’re having trouble turning your chicken-scratch notes into a reality. This is your opportunity to pry into other people’s lives.
If your goal is grad school, ask your professors how they did it. Ask about their lifestyle, their living expenses, what they did in undergrad, and anything they would do differently (note: this works especially well when you’ve achieved the status of a high-achieving, likable student as seen in step 2). Be respectful of their time of course, and only ask for a few minutes of their day every so often. You don’t want to make them feel uncomfortable and you are not entitled to their knowledge.
Ask your friends, advisors, and even strangers on the street. Post on forums. Post on TikTok. Ask those questions and network because knowledge is power and niche advice is everything.
This method helped me find niche scholarships, land a good deal on a nice apartment, and negotiate my salary in my first career. You have to broaden your horizon to shine.
Step 5: Achieving Your Goals.
Now that everything is in place, you have to make a realistic timeline. When do you want to achieve your goal? Within the day? Within the week?
If your goal is within a year, add a biweekly or monthly checkmark that helps you inch closer to achieving that goal. Action orientation is a brilliant thing that turns “ifs” into “is”
For example, my goal was to purchase my first vehicle before the 2021 semester began, giving me a year to make this a reality. My first checkmark was to raise my credit score, which wasn’t too difficult. This helped me get a loan with a pretty good APR at such a young age. My next checkmark was raising $3,000 by the beginning of summer, which I achieved by working multiple jobs. I broke down every step of my plan, and after achieving each mini-goal, buying my car was a breeze. I even accomplished it before my deadline!
But What if I Fail?
If you fail, get right back up again. I love failure because it is a valuable learning opportunity. Revise, rework, and get back on track. It took applying to hundreds of scholarships before finally winning my national achievements. I never let my tenacity waver, because things always went according to my plan. I always accounted for the possibility of failure and would move on to Plan B, C, D…… Z
The skill of accomplishment is an art form that improves every aspect of your livelihood, turning dreamers into success stories. As Brian Tracy once said:
“Be patient with yourself. It has taken you a lifetime to become the person you are. It’s not possible to change everything overnight”.
Millionaire Mindset
Be persistent, be resilient, and be the change you wish to see in the world.
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