Unlike someone born into a wealthy family, a self-made millionaire built their fortune themselves. While some people are born with a silver spoon in their mouth and get everything handed to them on a plate, most of us have to earn our own living. But who actually manages to become a self-made millionaire in the end? Surely very few. As the saying goes, the first million is the hardest. Only a few people really make it. Anyone with a special talent, such as great singing or acting, can rake in millions in no time at all if they get lucky. Elton John, for example, is said to have been a multimillionaire at 23 after just a few released songs. But that doesn't happen to every musician, singer or actor. Only the A-list gets truly rich. Most have to keep their heads above water. On top of that, the music business is extremely unpredictable. Sometimes you wonder why some artists become rich and famous so quickly while others never get going. If you're curious who has the most money, check the Forbes list. In 2019, Scarlett Johansson was the highest-paid actress, earning 56 million dollars that year, and Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson earned 89 million euros from his films and fees. Chloé Kardashian was the first billionaire under 30.

Who Is a Self-Made Millionaire?

The German pop group Die Prinzen once sang a hit about how nice it would be to be a millionaire, with a bank account that never runs empty.

The theme also plays a central role in the entertaining films Slumdog Millionaire from 2008, which won eight Oscars, and Million Dollar Baby from 2004 with Hilary Swank. A must-see! The quiz show Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?, which has been running for 20 years and is hosted in Germany by Günther Jauch, also plays on the wish to be rich. The show airs in many countries. This popular TV quiz show is a huge hit and has turned a few ordinary people into millionaires.

Well-known self-made millionaires, as we all know, include Steve Jobs, the founder of Apple. A classic German example is supermodel Heidi Klum from Bergisch Gladbach, who is among the richest Germans. And right now, Amazon boss Jeff Bezos is the richest man in the world.

Being Able to Afford Anything as a Self-Made Millionaire

Of course, it's fantastic to be able to afford anything. For some people, money simply doesn't matter. They have other problems instead. Sometimes the rich and the poor share the same worries, regardless of money.