1. They Pay Themselves First

“In order to be rich, you must have the self-discipline to pay yourself first. By this, I simply mean using your income to invest in cash-flowing assets before you pay your bills or buy anything fun. This, in turn, will create more income that you can use to invest in more, cash-flowing assets. Do that and you’ll have more money than you k now what to do with.” – Robert Kiyosaki, Rich Dad author

Paying yourself first is one of the most crucial pillars of personal finance. And mentally strong people abide by it. Before buying groceries, paying the electric bill or spending on anything else, they set aside money for their future. They do this because they know that an investment in themselves is a gateway to a secure financial future and are mentally tough enough to abstain from making unnecessary purchases that may “feel good” in the now. Some tangible ways that they pay themselves first are by funding their 401(k) accounts to the max and making it a habit to not only save a portion of their income but also invest that income into a well-researched portfolio that continues to grow as time passes.