We’d all like to believe that someday we could be millionaires, but short of winning the lottery or finding some kind of rare and valuable antique hidden in the attic (i.e. winning the lottery), most of us will never reach this financial benchmark. Even if you live like a pauper, save every penny, and invest wisely, the chances that you’ll actually raise a million+ dollars in cash and assets during your lifetime is rather slim. But if you happen to have this popular goal rattling around inside your head, there are some steps you can take that will get you closer to reaching it. So here are just a few things you’ll need to consider if you want to transform yourself into a millionaire in the making.

1. Confidence. Before you can be a millionaire, you need to feel like one. If you’re suffering from self-esteem issues you’re going to have a very hard time reaching even simple goals (like dragging yourself out of bed every morning to face the world). This is not the mentality of a millionaire. You not only have to feel like you are capable of attaining your objective of earning and saving a million dollars; you must also feel that you deserve it, that your purpose is somehow predestined to come to pass.
2. Drive. Believing you can get there may be half the battle, but actually reaching your goal is going to take a ton of motivation and it has to come from within you. So if you’d rather sit on the couch watching reruns than toil away working extra hours at the office for that overtime pay, then perhaps you’re really not ready to become a millionaire. You have to want it so bad that you’re willing to do whatever it takes to climb the ladder and grab hold of that brass ring.
3. Skills. Let’s be honest here; if you’re still working in fast food and offering to upsize drinks when you’re 30, the chances that you’ll become a millionaire are not good. You need to become educated, obtain a degree, and develop some kind of marketable skill that’s going to earn you more than minimum wage. Yes, there are “self-made” millionaires out there, but these people are few and far between, so the chances that you fit into this exclusive category are very minute.
4. A plan. You’re unlikely to meet a millionaire that will tell you he made his fortune on a wing and a prayer (not even Richard Branson, who was halfway there with the wing). Earning and saving money are two things that don’t just happen on their own. You must work hard and have a plan of action in place if you want to reach your goals. A reasonable deadline should be part of that plan, although it can be flexible.
5. Investments. Whether you’re looking for the best mortgage rate California to New York so that you can invest in property, you’d rather stash all your cash in low-risk and pre-taxable retirement funds, or you’re keen to spread the wealth with a diverse portfolio of interests, investing could help you to reach your goals of solvency a bit quicker if you play your cards right. Just remember that this gamble could end up costing you, even if you’re careful.