 The reality is that if you do the right things, you work hard, you save your money, you live on a budget, you put money in your 401k, your IRA, pay your home down, blah, blah, blah, all the stuff you think is the right thing to do, you will end up financial middle class. You'll be okay. You'll survive. But you will never be rich because you can't get rich by doing those things that make you mediocre. You could be a very qualified mediocre person.