Serious wealth is rarely the result of a gradual, linear process like working a steady job or putting money aside. There is a way to do it quickly – as made famous in The Millionaire Fastlane by MJ DeMarco – and I'm going to share it with you now...

Any strategy that promotes "getting rich slow" is a con, writes DeMarco. And that plays into the hands of financial gurus. Big payoffs – the things that truly make you wealthy – occur exponentially.

There are three different paths to wealth:

1) the sidewalk

2) the slowlane

3) the fastlane

Those who take the sidewalk tend to be people who spend more than they earn. They’re driven by instant gratification and they dream of gambling their way to a big payday.

Most people take the slowlane. They follow the “compound effect” approach to life: work hard now for a better future. That means trading time for money – and you can't buy back time. This strategy takes too long, provides no leverage, and only pays off in your final years.

Those who pursue the fastlane tend to accumulate wealth within a decade. They create jobs rather than seek them, and control their own assets rather than depending on external factors. Fastlaners share the sidewalker's lust for life and the slowlaner’s financial stability.

To get in the fastlane, learn to give instead of take. Break out of the consumerist mindset by producing and providing for others. For example: instead of taking a class, give one; instead of taking a job, create one.

Plant as many “money trees” as you can: passive systems or assets that generate income independently of your time and effort, e.g. distribution systems, rental systems, computer systems, content systems.

The “law of attraction” is just an old practice of visualization rebranded by gurus. It's not a law because it doesn't apply to everyone. It won't even work if you're not creating tireless effort. Try “the law of effection” instead: the more lives you help, the more you profit.

The core of any successful enterprise is you and your choices. Refine your decision-making by considering the worst-case scenario (how likely and/or acceptable is it?) and using the weighted decision matrix (comparing alternatives across multiple criteria in ranked importance).