How to Make Money Like Cheating: 5 Proven Wealth-Building Strategies That Work

From prison to $100 million net worth in 10 years - here's the blueprint that transformed an ex-addict into a serial entrepreneur

The Unlikely Success Story

What if I told you that someone went from being a 17-year-old addict fresh out of prison to selling three software companies and building a net worth of over $100 million in just 10 years? It sounds impossible, but it's exactly what happened to one entrepreneur who discovered five key strategies that make wealth-building feel almost effortless.

These aren't get-rich-quick schemes or lottery tickets. They're proven methods that, when implemented correctly, can transform your financial future so dramatically that success feels like cheating the game of life itself.

Strategy #1: Build Skills That Attract Money (Don't Chase It)

The Skill-First Approach to Wealth

The biggest mistake most people make is chasing money directly. Instead, successful entrepreneurs focus on building skills that naturally attract wealth. When you become exceptionally valuable at solving problems, money follows automatically.

The Three Most Valuable Skills to Develop:

1.     Money-Making Skills: Marketing, sales, business development

2.     Money-Saving Skills: Efficiency optimization, cost reduction strategies

3.     Time-Saving Skills: Automation, delegation, process improvement

How to Master Any Skill in 12 Weeks

Here's the game-changing approach using AI to accelerate your learning:

Step 1: Be Specific About Your Goal Don't just say "I want to learn marketing." Instead, identify exactly who you want to help and what problem you'll solve.

Step 2: Design Your Learning Path Use ChatGPT or similar AI tools with this specific prompt: "Create me a very detailed 12-week course on [specific skill]. Include links to the best YouTube videos, organize a daily curriculum for 1 hour per day, and structure it for someone working full-time."

Step 3: Focus on High-Value Problems Look for skills that help people with AI, technology, or emerging trends. These areas have a massive demand and limited supply of experts.

The Mastery Mindset

Top-tier clients and collaborators only work with people who've committed to becoming the best in their field. They don't want dabblers or hobbyists – they want masters.

Why Difficulty is Your Friend:

1.     Hard skills have fewer competitors

2.     Barriers to entry protect your value

3.     Mastery creates premium pricing opportunities

Strategy #2: Charge for Results, Not Time

The $10,000 Hammer Tap

There's a famous story about an electrician who charged $10,000 for a 5-minute machine repair. When questioned about the high price, he explained: "$100 for the time and tap, $9,900 for knowing where to tap."

This illustrates the fundamental shift from selling time to selling outcomes.

How to Transition from Time-Based to Result-Based Pricing

1. Define Clear, Specific Problems Focus on solving one thing exceptionally well rather than being everything to everyone.

2. Design Guaranteed Outcome Processes Create systems that ensure client success. Ask yourself: "If I only got paid when clients achieved results, how would I structure my process?"

3. Sell Value, Not Price Value includes:

1.     Time investment saved

2.     Speed of delivery

3.     Impact magnitude

4.     Experience quality

5.     Brand association benefits

The Five Daily Non-Negotiables Framework

Successful entrepreneurs create systems that guarantee results. Develop your own set of core activities that, when followed consistently, produce predictable outcomes for your clients.

Strategy #3: Prioritize Cash Flow Over Cash Piles

Why Monthly Income Beats Lump Sums

Many people focus on accumulating large amounts of money, but the real key to wealth is consistent, predictable cash flow. Here's why:

Cash Flow Advantages:

1.     Predictable planning and budgeting

2.     Ability to hire and invest confidently

3.     Reduced dependency on market fluctuations

4.     Compound growth opportunities

The Subscription Model Mindset

Software companies understand this principle perfectly. Monthly recurring revenue (MRR) is more valuable than one-time sales because it creates:

1.     Predictable income streams

2.     Scalable business models

3.     Higher company valuations

4.     Reduced financial stress

Think in Flows, Not Totals

Billionaire entrepreneurs focus on how much their assets produce in cash flow rather than total asset value. A $100,000 monthly income is more impressive than a static $1 million because it demonstrates the ability to consistently generate wealth.

Strategy #4: Stop Counting Other People's Money

The Comparison Trap

One of the biggest obstacles to building wealth is spending time analyzing other people's success instead of focusing on your financial growth.

The Rob Syndrome: Many people can tell you exactly how much their competitors make but can't answer basic questions about their own business:

1.     How much did I make today?

2.     What are my monthly trends?

3.     Where are my biggest profit opportunities?

Your Financial Tracking System

Daily Money Habits:

1.     Check bank account balances daily

2.     Review credit card statements

3.     Monitor cash position across all accounts

4.     Track savings and investment performance

Weekly Financial Pillars: Every Friday, rate yourself 1-10 on key areas including money management:

1.     Did I make money this week?

2.     Did I save strategically?

3.     Did I review investment opportunities?

4.     Did I plan for future financial goals?

Monthly Profit & Loss Reviews: Create a simple P&L statement for your finances. This isn't fun, but it's how you get rich.

Remember: Different Chapters, Different Timelines

Don't compare your Chapter 3 to someone else's Chapter 13. A 20-year-old entrepreneur might have started at 10, giving them 10 years of experience. If you're starting at 45, you're not behind – you're just in a different chapter.

Strategy #5: Use Money as a Tool, Not the Goal

The Food Truck Lesson

There's a powerful story about a hardworking immigrant who operated a food truck for 42 years, working 80+ hours per week and hiding cash throughout his house. While he provided for his family, he never learned to use money as a tool for leverage.

Money as Leverage, Not Hoarding

The key insight: money should buy back your time so you can focus on what you do best.

Strategic Money Deployment:

1.     Hire people to handle tasks you don't enjoy

2.     Invest in systems that create efficiency

3.     Buy back time to focus on high-value activities

4.     Create leverage through team building

The Calendar Freedom Test

True wealth isn't measured by your bank account – it's measured by your calendar freedom. The goal is to spend time either:

1.     With people you love

2.     Creating in ways unique to your talents

Everything else should be delegated or automated.

Building Your Support Team

Consider hiring support in these areas:

1.     Executive assistant for administrative tasks

2.     Virtual assistant for routine operations

3.     Specialists for technical work outside your expertise

4.     Service providers for personal tasks

The Executive Assistant Advantage

One of the highest-leverage hires you can make is an executive assistant. A skilled EA can give you back 40-60 hours per week, allowing you to focus on revenue-generating activities.

Common EA Tasks Include:

1.     Calendar management and scheduling

2.     Email management and filtering

3.     Travel planning and logistics

4.     Project coordination and follow-up

5.     Research and data compilation

6.     Client communication management

Implementation: Making It Feel Like Play

The only way to sustain long-term wealth building is to make the process enjoyable. Find activities that feel like play to you but look like work to others.

Key Success Factors:

1.     Align wealth-building activities with your natural interests

2.     Focus on problems you genuinely want to solve

3.     Build systems that reduce friction and increase joy

4.     Celebrate small wins along the journey

Conclusion: Your Wealth-Building Action Plan

These five strategies have transformed countless entrepreneurs from struggling to thriving:

1.     Build skills that attract money - Focus on becoming exceptionally valuable

2.     Charge for results, not time - Sell outcomes and transformations

3.     Prioritize cash flow over cash piles - Create predictable income streams

4.     Stop counting other people's money - Track your financial progress obsessively

5.     Use money as a tool, not the goal - Buy back time to focus on what matters

Remember: wealth building isn't about getting lucky once. It's about developing the skills and systems to consistently create value in the world. When you can do that, making money truly does feel like cheating the game of life.

Start with one strategy, master it, then move to the next. Your future wealthy self will thank you for taking action today.

Ready to build a business that runs itself? The journey from survival to success starts with a single step – and that step is developing skills that others find valuable.