What if I told you that a 1% difference in fees could cost you 10 years of retirement income? What if missing just 10 of the best trading days in the market reduced your returns by 50%? The ultra-wealthy don’t just have better information, they make fundamentally different decisions. In this book, I’ll give you the same systems they use, the same access they have, allowing you to play the financial game not just to win, but to win the only way that matters: on your terms.

The simplest way to own the stock market is to hold the classic S&P 500 Index fund. But I now recommend a total stock market index fund that includes virtually every stock in the U.S. market. Why? Because it eliminates the risk that the S&P 500—largely composed of giant companies—will falter, while smaller- and mid-sized stocks thrive.

You’re not broke because you’re irresponsible, you’re broke because no one ever taught you what to do with your money. This book will help you take control of your finances, whether you’re drowning in student loans, trying to save for your first apartment, or just sick of living paycheck to paycheck. Let’s fix this.

Money can buy freedom. Freedom to work or not. Freedom to explore. Freedom to live life on your terms. The path isn’t complicated: Spend less than you earn, avoid debt, and invest the rest in low-cost index funds. Then wait. The market will rise and fall, but history shows it always climbs. Stay calm, stay the course, and let compounding work its magic. Wealth isn’t about getting rich quick. It’s about getting rich surely.

Do you know Ronald Read? A gas station janitor who quietly saved small sums for decades—and left $8 million to charity. His story isn’t about stock picks; it’s about time, restraint, and ignoring Wall Street’s noise. Money’s greatest paradox: The flashy rarely stay rich, and the boring often thrive. Why? Because finance isn’t math, it’s psychology. And your brain is your biggest asset… or liability.