Do you dream about being on Forbes’ list of the 400 Richest Americans or World’s Billionaires?  How close are you?  Whether you’re just getting started, halfway there, or still pondering the very idea, you need a game plan.  The specific road to becoming ultra wealthy will be up to you, but the basic principles on how to get there remain the same.

Define Ultra Wealthy

First, you need to define ultra wealthy for yourself.  Do you agree that it means you are worth $30 million or more?  Is the title of billionaire the only acceptable definition?  Is it more simple, such as being able to pay your bills and have plenty leftover to play with?  Does it mean owning property on each side of the country or being able to retire very early?

Set Goals

This one is of utmost importance.  You need to set goals and you MUST write them down.  Don’t leave them floating in your head.  Either you’ll forget them or you’ll start to feel overwhelmed and wind up never reaching your goal.  Chalene Johnson, my favorite motivator, is constantly reminding people to work on their to-do lists.  She claims she is average in every way, but her ability to write down her goals and follow through sets her apart.

Take a few minutes to write down some goals for today, then for the week, the month, and the entire year.  Break down the large tasks (such as “Save $10,000 by the end of the year”) into smaller ones to tackle on your daily or weekly lists.  It will make them more realistic and tangible—you’ll know you’re making progress.  And you’re not too busy to do this—in fact, you’ll either learn that you’re not as busy as you think you are, or you’ll learn better time management.  I guarantee from personal experience that you will feel LESS stress.

Take Action

Now that you have your goals on paper, it’s time to DO SOMETHING.  You will not become ultra wealthy by reading your to-do list.  You have to take action.  When you know you have to accomplish something by the end of the day and it’s staring you down, you’ll actually look for ways to make sure you get it done.  There are few things as satisfying as crossing a goal off of your list.

Once you’re a few months (or maybe years) in, it will still be important to set and go after goals.  To remain ultra wealthy, you have to remain active.  If you started a business, you can delegate responsibilities as much as you want, but you need to know what’s going on and continue to be creative and find ways to keep things running smoothly or even improve.  If you invested your money, you need to stay educated on companies and trends and know what moves to make when.

Maintain Good Money Habits

According to Forbes.com, the main reason people fall off of the Billionaire list is death; the next reason is allowing too much debt to accumulate.  You can’t control the first one, but you can control the second one.  You do this by continuing to set goals, taking action, and maintaining good money habits.  The ultra wealthy who remain on these top lists know how to protect the money they’ve made.  When you reach this point (or even if you’re steadily on your way), your risk of a sudden and dramatic loss increases.  Make sure you have a few safe investments and/or savings set up to avoid this danger.

If you’re still in the “pondering” phase, you’re likely to talk yourself out of taking the first few steps.  There’s no doubt that it’s a little scary to start on such an ambitious path as becoming ultra wealthy.  But don’t let that fear of failure get in the way.  If you don’t write down your goals, break them down into easily digestible steps, and take action now, when will you?  Small steps and small savings are always a positive start.  Aim big, but don’t be afraid to start small.

How have you fared during this recession?  Were you an unfortunate victim of job cuts?  Are you deeper in debt?  Or have you emerged with a successful battle plan?  Whether or not you believe that we’re nearing the end, you’ve probably learned a few lessons about yourself and your money.  See if these are on your list.

• How to make a budget and stick to it. We were all forced to reevaluate our spending habits.  Even worse, we had to actually sit down and compare income vs. spending, one of the scariest processes in the known world.  But we learned that that was the most difficult part, and everything that came after was easier than expected.  Once you figure out how to spend within your limits, it almost becomes second nature.
• The difference between wants and needs.  That little budget plan caused us to look not only at the amount we were spending every month, but what we were spending it on.  Maybe you realized that you were spending $60 a month on designer coffee when you could brew it at home instead for $6 a month.  Or that family movie night was better spent at home with a movie from Netflix and some homemade popcorn.  Maybe you chose to repair some of your household items and possessions rather than buy new.
• How to pay off debt successfully. Unless you suffered a severe blow to your finances that was most likely out of your control, there’s a good chance you surprised yourself by climbing your way OUT of debt during the recession—never saw that one coming, did you?  You probably found some extra money you never knew you had through your budget and controlled spending, and you probably put that toward your debt.
• How to save money. Perhaps you put some of that extra money into a savings.  Did you open up your first savings account in the recession?  How about an IRA?  Did you finally see the advantages of a 401(k)?  We all learned the importance of having an emergency fund ready.  Even a measly $10 a week into a regular savings account can add up by time you need to dip into it.  One big trick to successfully saving that extra money is to stash it away immediately—don’t let yourself cut back in one place only to spend that money somewhere else instead.
• How to negotiate. We needed to cut back to save money, and nothing was safe.  You might have learned that you were paying way too much for your cell phone bill or internet service, so you either insisted on a new deal or found a new provider.  You learned to scrutinize all of your bills and statements to make sure that you weren’t overcharged, double-charged, or charged for any unnecessary or ludicrous fees.
• If you’re in the right profession. Maybe you came to a more profound realization.  If you lost your job or experienced severe cutbacks at work due to the recession, you were forced to reevaluate your priorities and your life situation as well.  Perhaps you took the opportunity to learn a new skill, sneak in some night classes, or search for a new job entirely.  The job market has been tough, but you went after a positive change anyway, and hopefully you were successful.

The next trick is to remember the lessons learned from this recession and keep them in place.  Once we’re completely on the other side, you can relax a little, but don’t use it as an excuse to go back to old habits.  There’s no telling what the future can bring—there can always be another recession.  Continue your positive money-management skills and you’ll be prepared!

When I look down some of the main roads where I live, I can expect to see mostly fast food and burger joints.  I definitely wouldn’t call myself a health nut—I enjoy a good burger and fries loaded with ketchup, and I had pizza for dinner last night—but on the whole, I prefer to eat healthy.  When making healthy choices becomes a natural habit, you start to notice how good and energetic you feel when you snack on fruit, as opposed to feeling a little slower after snacking on a frosted brownie that’s just hanging out in your stomach like a rock.

And while making your own meals at home is always the cheapest and easiest way to eat healthy, it’s inevitable to want to get out of the house!  That’s okay—you’re not limited to the greasy, fried stuff if you want to keep it cheap.  Even with so many fast food places staring at you, you can make cheap, healthy choices when eating out.

Where To Go

What places come to mind for you when you think of eating healthy?  Subway might be at the top of the list.  Other places like Noodles and Company, Panera Bread, and Cosi might show up, too, and Chipotle has even been mentioned as a healthy option.  The truth is, you can eat healthy just about anywhere.  The trick lies with your personal choices.

Choose the Right Drink

Let’s start with the drink.  Just say no to that almost-expected soda, even a diet one.  It’s overpriced, caffeinated, high-fructose corn syrup.  Your best bet is always water.  It’s free, it’s clean, and it makes up 80% of you.  Coffee and tea can be healthy and cheap options; just keep any additives like cream, sugar, honey, etc., to a minimum.

Plenty of Meal Options

Now for your meal.  You’re not restricted to a boring salad.  In fact, even if you do choose a salad, watch out.  You’ll want to shy away from creamy dressings, too much cheese, and any other ingredients that are notorious for high calorie and fat content.  Also watch out for salads with too much of each healthy ingredient—they may be good for you, but you still need to watch calories.  Stick with simple dressings like a balsamic or raspberry vinaigrette, or ask what their light dressing options are.  So in other words, avoid the taco salad and go with the grilled chicken salad.

If you’re looking for a sandwich, similar rules apply.  Just because you’re in line at Subway doesn’t mean that any sub is a healthy choice.  You still want to look for lean protein like chicken, shy away from the cheese (or at least don’t ask for extra cheese), and say no to bacon and creamy dressings again.  At a place like Panera or Cosi, be sure to analyze the ingredients.  A turkey and artichoke panini might sound perfect, but take a look at additional ingredients like cheese or a cream sauce or anything that could add grease and extra fat.  If you’re at a pasta place, stick with simpler items like pasta with marinara sauce.  Beef stroganoff or mac and cheese are probably not the lightest fare available.

Read the Nutritional Information

It’s a good idea to check the nutritional information before choosing, if possible.  It can help put some of the menu items in perspective—you might see something whose name implies that it’s a healthy choice, but it’ll cost you two days’ worth of calories!  Ask how certain items are prepared, if possible.  An entrée might come with vegetables, but if they’re sautéed in loads of butter and oil, they’re just as bad as the burger you avoided.  Don’t be afraid to ask if something can be prepared differently, or placed on wheat or whole-grain bread instead of white.  Most places will accommodate without an extra fee, but if they do and it’s reasonable, go with it.  This is your health you’re talking about!

If you’re simply dying for a big, juicy burger, don’t deny yourself the pleasure.  Just don’t do it everyday!  And don’t let yourself feel guilty about the times that you indulge.  If you don’t give in occasionally, you’re more likely to go on a binge and let your diet start to slide.  You don’t have to go all or nothing.  Just be sure to watch portion sizes and enjoy your indulgences in moderation.  Happy eating!