The Incredible True Story of How Taylor Conroy Went from $50,000 a Year to $500,000 - in One Year!

This story is almost too good to be true, except it very much is true!

Taylor Conroy is one amazing entrepreneur.

A 4x Ted speaker, Taylor made his first million before at 26, went bankrupt at 35, and then became a millionaire again in less than two years later. Today, his company helps aspiring speakers land TED Talks and it grosses tens of millions annually.

But it’s Taylor’s first shot at the money big time that we are going to look at today, because it truly is a remarkable story.

Scraping by on a Firefighter’s Salary

Taylor was not a great student and didn’t go to college. Instead, he became a firefighter and loved everything about the job – except the pay.

Not even earning $50k a year, living in a self-described “crappy apartment,” Taylor found himself supplementing his meager income with odd jobs and getting his real estate license.

It was then that he met a woman who became his money mentor and who suggested he read “Think and Grow Rich” by Napolean Hill.

Taylor did, and it changed his life.

An Actual Formula for Wealth

Chapter 2 of Think and Grow Rich lays out a specific formula for achieving wealth:

1. Write down the exact amount of money you desire (be specific).

2. Define what you will do to earn it (“there is no such thing as something for nothing”).

3. Decide what you will give back.

4. Set a deadline by which you will achieve it.

Then, read this vision statement aloud every morning and evening while feeling and believing that you already possess the money.

Taylor took this formula to heart and decided to aim for an "insanely high" goal: He would make $500,000 in one year. He wrote it down, pledged to donate 10% of his earnings to charity, and committed to selling condos to reach his goal.

Yes, you read that right.

Taylor decided he was going to 10x his income in one year. 

Thinking Big and Acting Differently

Twice a day, Taylor read his vision statement with belief and determination. But beyond that, he also did something many people overlook: He created a detailed plan of action:

He knew that each condo sale earned him roughly $5,000. To hit $500,000, he would need to sell 100 condos in one year - about 8 a month.

He got to work.

Taylor also worked at thinking and acting like someone who earned $500,000 a year. So, for example, he hired a kid to handle small tasks like setting up lockboxes and putting out “For Sale” signs because “that is someone who earned half a million a year would do.”  

He worked as a firefighter by day and sold condos at night and on weekends until he became so successful that he left the fire department to focus entirely on real estate.

The Result?

When that year ended, how much do you think Taylor Conroy had made?

You’re close.

The exact number he made was $500,640.

Lessons Learned

Here is what Taylor told me about the experience:

“The lesson I hope people get from this is that yes, of course you need to create a vision statement, that is a given. But more importantly is that you need to think BIG.

And when you lose faith – because you will lose faith – or when you get frustrated – because you will get frustrated – pull out your vision statement and read it again. Shift your mood (to the extent possible.) Keep you focus on what you want to achieve. Because, yes, you can achieve it. 

And how do I know that?

Because if it worked for me it can work for you.”

P.S. These days, even still, even with a multi-million dollar speaking agency, Taylor still uses a vision statement (only, of course, the numbers and vision are far larger now.)

The Takeaway:

As you may recall, Apple once had an ad campaign called “Think Different.” In it, it showed historical photos of brilliant, unique thinkers – people like Buckminster Fuller, Mahatma Gandhi, Thomas Edison, Amelia Earhart. And at the end, it just showed the Apple logo with the phrase, “Think Different.”

The lesson of Taylor Conroy 10xing his income in one year is proof of what can happen when you “think different.”

Steal This Strategy!

• 📖 Book - Think and Grow Rich
  The timeless classic that inspired Taylor’s incredible breakthrough.

• 🎥 Video - One of Taylor’s TedX Talks
  See how Taylor’s dynamic speaking captivates audiences worldwide.

• 🌐 Website - Taylor Conroy’s Speaking Company
  Helping speakers land their own TED Talks.

• 🌐 Website - Proctor Gallagher Institute

  Programs based on Think and Grow Rich

Overnight Challenge

Write your own vision statement, just like Taylor Conroy did:

1. Write down the exact amount of money you want to earn in the next year.

2. Decide what you will do to achieve it.

3. Commit to what you will give back.

4. Set a clear deadline.

Before you go to bed tonight, read your statement out loud and imagine yourself already achieving it. Then repeat this every morning and evening for the next week, and notice how your mindset shifts.

Feedback is most welcome!

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