Success and happiness, two things that everyone wants. But what do they actually look like? I want to discuss the “Rich Life,” a philosophy from Ramit Sethi . The “Rich Life”, and I Will Teach You to Be Rich in general, is the idea of being financially secure. The beauty of it is that it’s obtainable, something that people can reach by leveraging what they already have. Too many people go through life hoping for success, hoping that doing the same thing over and over will magically lead to amazing results. They ignore proven strategies that can be greatly beneficial.

A key concept of the “Rich Life” is Big Wins. The idea behind big wins is that, by doing one’s research and communicating one’s true value, a person can negotiate a significant raise such as $5000 or 5 percent. Most people never think about this, leaving valuable money on the table. Meanwhile, to Ramit’s pet peeve, they try to compensate by saving $3 on their daily latte. This deprivation worsens the person’s day, all just to save a fraction of the potential salary boost of effective negotiation.

These big wins can help us find financial freedom that we desire. We don’t need a Lamborghini or a mansion in the Hamptons to be happy, it’s the little things that count. An extra $5000 could mean ordering extra appetizers without hesitation, or buying everyone a round of drinks. That’s a peace of mind. Instead of pinching pennies, focus on growth opportunities, network well, and be a top performer. If you do that, money will come and you can live the lifestyle you’ve always imagined.