I graduated from the University of Liverpool in the UK over 10 years ago with a 2:1 Honours Degree in Business Economics.
I was bright-eyed and enthused to enter the world of work and enjoy explosive earnings running into 6 figures.
However, the true nature of making a 6 figure salary, especially for me as a small business owner, is a little more complicated than I first imagined. That’s not to say I don’t fully believe it is possible. In fact, there are many thousands of people that have incomes that eclipse the $100,000 benchmark.
But how realistic is this for the average folk among us? And are there ways we can speed up the process of making over $100,000 a year, and possibly saving that amount of cash as well?
What is 6 Figures?
When people talk about 6 figures they are more than likely referring to $100,000 – as that is the first whole number that contains 6 figures – although anything up to $999,000 would also constitute 6 figures.
This is a way people refer to income, but can also be used when referencing lump-sum amounts, for example, savings or costs.
6 Figure Realism
Making $100,000 a year probably sounds pretty good, but in reality, less than half of working Americans make this amount. In fact, $49,764 per year is the median wage for US workers.
This is however overshadowed by the mega earners making well into the 7 and 8 figure salaries.
And then, of course, you have the cream of the crop, with the US alone being home to 18.6 million millionaires. Crazy, right?
But this doesn’t mean the average Joe can’t strive towards that figure income and possibly build a nest egg of $100,000 or more. It does require some work and dare I say it, a little luck.
Doing More
Since being diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes last year I have been on a mission. I want to grow my wealth and provide financial security for my future.
Why did diabetes inspire me on this journey?
Because it was a wake up call.
We get one life, and I am not the sort of person that likes to be told they can’t achieve something. So I have made it my mission to get to that holy grail of 6 figures, come rain or shine.
Side hustling has always been something I’ve done, even before the buzz word side hustle became common parlance. My main business takes most of my time and attention. But cutting down TV watching, drinking alcohol and having late nights has provided me with the opportunity to do more.
I blog for about 25-30 hours a week in order to grow my online business and I also invest what little extra I have at the end of each month.
Having a number of strategies running in tandem is the best way to grow your wealth. It diversifies your risk and gives you more opportunities to grow.
Mindeset
The journey to 6 figures is something many of us are on without even realising. We work so many hours to provide for our families and try to enjoy what little time is left over.
However, if you get your-self focused and prioritise your spare time, you really can make a difference to your bank balance.
And I’m not advocating that having more money should be your key focus in life. The problem is, having more money does make life easier. And it provides more opportunities to enjoy, live, grow and develop.
It also gives us a rare opportunity to help those around us. And that is always easier to do when you have the means to do it.
So if you think $100,000 income and savings sound like something you should strive for, then do it! Instil the mindset that you have the ability to achieve the goal. And make changes in your life to make it happen.
6 Figures could be closer than you think.