Ever since she was little, Jaime Masters wanted to be a millionaire.

It wasn't until she was 24 years old, over $70,000 in debt, and in a job she hated that she made the effort.


She paid off her debt in 16 months.

"It was under these conditions that I took the first major step toward building a new, fulfilling life for myself," writes Masters, who wrote under the name Tardy, in her book, " The Eventual Millionaire: How Anyone Can Be an Entrepreneur and Successfully Grow Their Startup ."She worked extra hours at her job as a project manager for a company that installed cable equipment, sold her almost-new car, and drastically cut back her expenses.

But Masters is not a millionaire. She's an "Eventual Millionaire."

According to her definition, "Eventual Millionaires" want to be millionaires, but on their own terms with an enjoyable life and an enjoyable business. They put the process of making money into perspective and are usually overachievers who are willing to work hard, but not sacrifice their daily lives for their goals.


In her quest for $1 million, Masters began to study and interview people who had already reached that goal. (You can read some of her case studies on her website.) Soon enough, she started to come across commonalities that she realized influenced their success.


Do you consistently think of ideas to earn more money? Do you usually care about value and spend less than you earn? Do you already feel successful in many things, but aren't sure you can do something on your own? Do you know you are destined for great things, but feel like things aren't moving fast enough? Have you always wanted to be in control of your own time and experiences, but right now feel like you are just trying to get by? Have you tried business ideas that didn't work out before, but still have the passion to try new ones? Does the idea of working for someone else the rest of your life scare you? Does having a boss feel constricting, and you don't want someone telling you what to do? Do you have the idea of waiting until retirement to enjoy your life and the world? Do you believe that success and wealth are in your power, but you don't want to rely on others? Do you want to travel more but don't have enough vacation days? Are you able to daydream about what you want to be when you grow up, no matter how old you are? Do you only sleep four to five hours per night because you are too excited about your new ideas or business? Do you read success stories and think, "What made them so successful? How come I haven't made it yet?" Do you want to do work that matters, not just something that pays well? Do you want to become a better person through personal growth? Do you want to leave a legacy? Do you want to give more, but feel unable right now?

No one can predict the future, but Masters found answering "yes" to more than half of the following questions may indicate you have a mindset similar to those who have earned $1 million already - which says good things for your chances of doing it yourself.Masters suggests you ask:

Of course, the "Eventual Millionaire" mindset is only a piece of the puzzle.

Ultimately, earning a million is up to you.