The Millionaire Myth

Editor's Note: The following has been excerpted from The Millionaire Zone: Seven Winning Steps to a Seven-Figure Fortune by Jennifer Openshaw.

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You could say rugged individualism is the American way. It's the story we see all around us. It's the ethic behind Hollywood's power hitters, and it's behind the Horatio Alger mantra that, no matter what, we can all pull ourselves up by our own bootstraps. We're told all we have to do is buckle down and work hard, and eventually we'll succeed.

That's the story we're told -- and it's the story we believe when we read about John D. Rockefeller, Henry Ford, Bill Gates, Warren Buffett and a few women such as Mary Kay, Martha Stewart and Oprah, or any of the millionaires and billionaires whose stories surround us on television and in magazines.

The usual line is that these people struggled against terrific odds, alone against the world. They achieved the American dream and became extremely wealthy because they were extraordinary individuals. To make it in this world, we're told, you've got to make things happen on your own. We've all been taught that the way to make money is through individualism. To get ahead, you have to do it on your own -- it's all up to you.

There's only one problem with this story: It's not true. The financially successful people you see all around you did not get there on their own.

I'm going to tell you in this book exactly how people in the Millionaire Zone got there. And I'll tell you exactly how to make this solution work for you, just like the real-life stories you'll read.

After years of working with, talking to and observing very wealthy individuals, I began to see a common theme. Successful people don't get there alone. That's the revolutionary message behind this book.

There are thousands of theories espousing the next great way to get rich, but you have to execute them on your own. You have to get into real estate on your own, you have to daytrade on your own, you have to do X or Y or Z on your own. It's always all on your shoulders. The experts say, "Here's how, now go out and get 'em!" That's very simplistic and of little real value. You either get it or you don't. Good luck!

The typical working American rarely achieves anything substantial by going it alone. We're too busy with our kids, dragged down by our jobs, fearful of the risk, unsure of what to do, or confused. Sound familiar to you? You're not alone. According to my research, 53% of Americans say they'd like to supplement their income or start their own business but feel anxious about venturing out on their own.

The Rules Have Changed

Even when I attended business school, the fundamental philosophy seemed to be to just go out, find a job and make money. That usually meant to go work for someone else.

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Jennifer Openshaw, a passionate advocate for helping Americans improve their finances and build their personal fortunes, is CEO of The Millionaire Zone and America Online's personal finance editor. In addition to appearing regularly on TV shows such as "Oprah" and "Good Morning America" and on CNN, Openshaw is host of ABC Radio's "Winning Advice" and serves as an adviser to some of America's top corporations. Her new book, "The Millionaire Zone," will hit bookstores in April 2007.