I consider myself relatively successful at what I do. Next month I'll be 33. I'll have my second child. I've got 2 bachelors degrees, a masters degree, and a stable career where I've specialized in data warehousing, financial situation, and family. Being rich is overrated for me. I've seen how fast it can all go if you don't make the right decisions. I experienced it first hand around 1987 when the market crashed and my parents had to sell of many of the properties they worked hard to buy. Two Mercedes Benz's don't feed you're family. I believe, however, that the money you need will come if you focus on being a productive person.

In any given job situation, survey what holes can you fill with your talent. In my case, I know I am a decent programmer, business analyst, and have good technical writing skills. Most developers are not the best a documentation. I focus on building what is needed at work, documenting processes, knowing how the business works, and I try to make things that can be maintained by others if I were ever to leave. I produce. If something is important to the company, I try to use all of my talents and lead others towards making that thing happen. I look at all the angles of a problem and try to think of what can go wrong. I design accordingly.

Become known as a productive person. Earn the trust of those around you. In my case, I think I've done this and documented the proof well. I've made others around me better. My last 4 jobs have been through word of mouth. I'm at a comfortable salary. Others may earn more but I earn what I need. Around this time each year, I get angry with my complacency and I attempt to build out some sort of idea. The programming experience I get from that is another toolbox helping my ability to produce.

Babbling on... Anyway, if you know how it works, have the skills to work with it, and are able to produce results... the rest will take care of itself.