Shocking success secrets from a rich curmudgeonly Brit

So one of my favorite business books is "How to Get Rich" by the late, great Felix Dennis.

Felix Dennis was an English entrepreneur who made a fortune in the magazine business.

And the great thing is that, unlike most business authors, he had no financial incentive in writing the book.

By the time he wrote it, he was already filthy rich, didn't need more money, and was nearing the end of his life.

So there's no "ulterior motive" in the book and he's not trying to sell you something.

It's just no-BS, straight-talking business advice from a good-humored (albeit curmudgeonly) Brit who walked the talk and spoke from experience.

And unlike most "success gurus" out there, he didn't make his fortune teaching other people how to be rich.

Which makes his advice particularly trustworthy and believable.

Anyway, he calls the book an "anti-self-help" book.

Because unlike most self-help books, which promise "fast and easy" results, he is brutally honest and doesn't BS you.

He warns that great success requires great sacrifices, and that it comes at a high personal cost.

A cost that, for most people, simply isn't worth it.

He says that most people are far too “nice, comfortable, and sensible” to get rich, and should only make the attempt if they're willing to pay the grueling high price to do it.

But if you are, then you CAN do it.

Anyway, he has lots of great advice for those willing to undertake the perilous journey to riches.

- The person who succeeds isn't the person who wants to succeed or needs to succeed, but the person who is utterly COMPELLED to succeed at any cost (within ethical and legal boundaries). Come hell or high water.

- Fear of failure, criticism, and public embarrassment is one of the biggest obstacles that prevents people from getting rich.

- To get rich, you need to develop a thick skin. Thick enough to deflect criticism like water off a duck's back (but not so thick as to make you blind to actual constructive feedback).

- Ownership of equity is essential. You can't get rich unless you own equity in a business, and you should fight to retain as much ownership as possible (Felix Dennis refused to sell a single share in his magazine business, opting for total ownership instead) 

- Action is infinitely more important than great ideas. In his words: "The follow-through, the execution, is a thousand times more important than a 'great idea.' In fact, if the execution is perfect, it sometimes barely matters what the idea is."

- Be extremely skeptical about "conventional wisdom." Deliberately go against the grain. (As Dan Kennedy says, "The popular way is the poor way.")

- Confidence and unshakeable self-belief are key ingredients to success. As he puts it: "Without self-belief nothing can be accomplished. With it, nothing is impossible.

- You can't get rich "painting by numbers" and logically calculating every move. The best entrepreneurs hone and trust their gut instinct, and it's this intuition that allows them to foresee and capitalize on opportunities that others are blind to.

Powerful advice, if I do say so myself.

Anyway, those are just a few of the takeaways from the book. 

His advice is unconventional, brutally honest, and unlike the vast majority of mainstream advice out there.

Which is what makes it so great.

So if you're looking for a practical, no BS book from a seasoned entrepreneur who's been there and done it, you'll probably enjoy How to Get Rich by Felix Dennis.

Especially since his wit, poetic touch, and no-nonsense approach make for an exhilarating read.

At any rate, hopefully you got some useful takeaways from Felix Dennis' advice here. I certainly did.

-Beau D. Schultz