Book Summary: "Millionaire Upgrade" by Richard Parkes Cordock

I came across this book in March 2021, and with the UK still in (partial) lockdown, I had plenty of time to reflect and think about what I got out of this short but succinct read. It's inspired by a true story of a flight with Sir Richard Branson, and the moment an ordinary businessman found himself sitting next to him. The book takes place during the duration of the flight, during which the millionaire gives advice to the businessman. It was an interesting read on how to change your mindset and thought process, and below I discuss what I think are the key take away messages.

Richard Parkes Cordock uses the acronym " I BELIEVE" to explain the main points of the book. I've listed them below (for those who are a bit tight on time and don't want to read the rest of the blog):

I believe in myself
Be passionate and want it
Extend your comfort zone
Lies and luck don't work
Install goals
Enjoy hard work
Very,very persistent
Expect failure

1. I believe in myself
Cordock refers to 2 types of mindset: a millionaire and employee one, and states that it is up to us to choose which one to have. Self-belief is critical here (note that this is different from arrogance), and you can develop this by stepping outside your comfort zone. In my case, a good example would be the opportunities I have at university to take on positions of responsibility within clubs & societies, providing me a good challenge to develop.

2. Be passionate and want it
If you do something that you are passionate about and genuinely believe in, then it will be much easier for you to be successful. Often whilst money can initially be a good enough incentive, as one go down the line their priorities and ambitions may change, leading to a realisation that money isn't everything. So find something you enjoy and you'll be more likely to see success (spoiler alert: I am currently working on a blog series that will showcase people who have found their passion in something, so keep an eye out for that!)

3. Extend your comfort zone
This point links with the phrase that one should 'get comfortable being uncomfortable'. By pushing your boundaries, you are able to see what you can really achieve, you'll be pleasantly surprised!

4. Lies and luck don't work
One of my favourite lines from this book is that 'Luck is the crossroads of preparation and opportunity'. People don't just get lucky, it's often the position that they've put themselves in that can then 'create luck' for them. The second point from this chapter is that you must be honest with yourself all the time, as telling excuses to yourself only hinders you.

5. Install goals
By having goals with deadlines, it allows you to work towards something. The goal and deadline should be almost unachievable, that way you'll be challenged and stretched the most. A deadline clearly defines your goal, and can bring more focus to it when needed.

6. Enjoy hard work
There are times we all have had to forgo a social event because we have work to do, but Richard argues that you should embrace this. Enjoy your work, and it should be something that motivates you such that it doesn't actually feel like work.

7. Very, very persistent
Keep at your goals, even if it seems like you'll never reach them. By being persistent, it will let you think creatively and flexibly when looking for a solution to the problem.

8. Expect failure
We can learn from our mistakes, turning failures into something positive. This was clearly evident for me when I first started learning how to code in MATLAB. For weeks I would see those red lines of error code, but I eventually learnt from my mistakes in the past.

2+2=5
When you can, work in a team. Teams create synergy, and allow you to create more than you could on your own. University societies are a great example: one lone student would not be able to host events, socials and meetings on their own, but as a team students are able to create something amazing.

Reflecting on the above points, I agree with all of them, although some I need to actively remember to try and implement, while others are easier to do so. Although this book has a main focus on entrepreneurship, I think that these skills can be applied to our daily lives too! I hope you found this useful, thanks for reading!