Book Review: Who’s Afraid To Be A Millionaire? By Kelvin Boston
Review: Who’s Afraid To Be A Millionaire?Are you afraid to be a millionaire? Maybe you are and you don’t even know it. At least that’s what Kelvin Boston, host of the PBS show Moneywise, is saying in his new book titled–wait for it–Who’s Afraid To Be A Millionaire?
You may not be afraid of having money, of course. But you may be afraid of doing what it takes to be a millionaire, even though the potential is there for just about all of us, regardless of our salaries. The world is a financial game, and if you’re not playing, you’re losing. More than anything, Boston’s goal with this book is to get the average person to at least consider playing, by taking the steps necessary to put a plan in place and follow it.
To that end, Boston spends the first quarter of the book talking less about getting money and more about the psychology that holds people back from financial success (or any other kind of success). Fear of making decisions, fear of taking responsibility, fear of leaving your comfort zone, fear of losing money, fear of old age and death–all these fears and more come into play, stopping many people before they even start.
Once Boston feels he’s got you on board, he goes through the essential building blocks of financial success, including creating a financial plan, managing credit, buying a home, investing/retirement planning, and insurance.
I found it interesting that Boston also includes a chapter on starting a business. Not because it’s a bad idea–it’s certainly not–but because even though Boston is targeting the average person with modest means, encouraging readers to start a business shows that he also means, well, business. Yes, he wants you to find financial success regardless of your income, but he also wants you to stretch yourself to increase your income, and owning a business may be the most difficult yet rewarding option of all. To take this step means overcoming perhaps the biggest fear anyone faces in attempting to become a millionaire–fear of failure.
While Boston offers various levels of detail on each of the financial building blocks, it’s mostly at a beginner level. If you’re fairly confident on financial matters, you probably won’t find much new here. On the other hand, if you’re a newbie, Boston does a good job of getting you pumped up to do something about your financial future, then sets you on the path without overwheming you in detail. Who’s Afraid To Be A Millionaire? isn’t about drawing up every play, it’s about getting you off the sidelines and into the game.
Disclaimer:The information in this article is believed to be accurate as of the date it was written. Please keep in mind that credit card offers change frequently. Therefore, we cannot guarantee the accuracy of the information in this article. Reasonable efforts are made to maintain accurate information. See the online credit card application for full terms and conditions on offers and rewards. Please verify all terms and conditions of any credit card prior to applying.
This content is not provided by any company mentioned in this article. Any opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed here are those of the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any such company. CardRatings.com does not review every company or every offer available on the market.
Published (Modified )