It’s a curious thing, isn’t it? Two people grow up on the same street. They go to the same school, sit in the same classrooms, play at the same parks, maybe even dream some of the same dreams. But years later, one seems to thrive, to be successful, to have a good career, strong finances, options galore, multiple opportunities. At the same time the other one? They’re still struggling, paycheck to paycheck, unsure of what went wrong or what’s missing. They have little idea of what is next in life and have even less plans to make changes to make their own lives better.
I have watched, listened, read books as I studied people to get the answer to this one question.
How/why does this happen?
The truth is, we are all born equal in worth and spirit, but we are not equal in value to the marketplace. That might sound harsh, but it’s reality. Success in life, especially in business and wealth, depends on the value you bring, what you have to offer the marketplace, not the zip code you were born into.
Jim Rohn said it best:
“We get paid for bringing value to the marketplace. It takes time… but we don’t get paid for time, we get paid for value.”
This idea isn’t about being better than someone else, it’s about becoming more valuable to the marketplace and in return to more people.
It is a belief that if you can become more valuable to more people giving them what they want, you in return can have everything you want.
Let’s look at a real-world example:
Two classmates from a small-town high school graduate the same year. One goes off to college, not to party, but to master marketing and sales. On the side, he reads books by Napoleon Hill, Tony Robbins, and Dean Graziosi. He takes seminars, joins masterminds, and gets mentors. He works long nights building a small online business. Within five years, he’s earning six figures, then seven, helping others along the way.
The other classmate? He works hard, no doubt. But he believes showing up on time is enough. He thinks success will “eventually” come, if he just waits his turn. He sees education as something finished after high school. He might even mock the idea of seminars or self-help books.
Same start. Same tools, same opportunities. Totally different uses of those tools. Totally different desires that lead to these different lives.
Here’s the secret: success is not about conditions. It’s about decisions.
“Formal education will make you a living. Self-education will make you a fortune.” — Jim Rohn
“Don’t wish it were easier; wish you were better.” — Also Jim Rohn
“The market pays for value. You become more valuable by becoming more skilled, more disciplined, and more focused.” — Tony Robbins
You can’t wish your way to success, and you can’t wait your way there either. The people who become more valuable—more skilled, more educated, more driven—can often earn 3x, 5x, even 10x more than those who don’t.
This isn’t theory. This is reality in any profession:
- A nurse who takes specialty training can double her income.
- A teacher who learns to create online courses can make more in a month than in a semester.
- A mechanic who builds a YouTube following teaching others how to fix cars could earn what a traditional shop owner makes annually—in ad revenue alone.
So how do you become more valuable?
3 Simple Steps to Raise Your Market Value:
- Invest in Yourself Daily
Read, listen, learn. Never stop. Buy books, take courses, attend events. Self-education is the key that opens all doors. - Master a Skill that Pays
Learn what your industry rewards. Whether it’s coding, selling, speaking, or solving problems—go all in. - Show Up Differently
Do more than what’s required. Be known as the person who brings energy, solutions, and results. The market notices excellence.
We all start life with different challenges and blessings. But in the end, the marketplace doesn’t care where you come from. It cares about what skills you have, what you bring. If you want to thrive, you have to become more, a better version of yourself every day.
Because the truth is, while two people can start on the same street, only one of them chose to become unstoppable.
Let’s end with his:
- Success isn’t handed out—it’s earned by increasing your value to the market.
- People who invest in self-education and growth can dramatically out-earn those who don’t.
- Your past doesn’t define you—your decisions do.
- You don’t have to be better than others , just better than yourself from yesterday, then remember to rinse and repeat this every day.
Thank You for Your Time:
RED…