Do you have what it takes to be a millionaire? Do you have the mindset to achieve economic prosperity? Talk to people and you’ll hear their “millionaire mindset,” if they have one. (My opinion is that we, as African-Americans should all be millionaires. We built America through blood, sweat, and lashes.)

To achieve a millionaire mindset, the first thing is to look within yourself and see what your attitude towards money is. There’s an old saying that what you think, you attract. The same goes for money - what you feel and think about money will materialize. Once you discover your attitude towards money (hopefully, one that will bring you prosperity), you’ll be on your way toward achieving that prosperity.

There are a few basic tools that you need before the millionaire status can be within your grasp. To begin with, you should check your credit report to see what it contains. Millionaires do not have shabby credit. If your credit is less than stellar, clean it up! For many people, this won’t be an overnight process. But this is the basis for preparing a life of financial security and prosperity. Next, you have to educate yourself in basic financial concepts – especially investments. You need to know what they are, how they work and what your risk level is (self-inventory) in terms of investing money. Don’t hesitate to jot down and ask questions: “What if I did this?” “What does this/that mean?”

When you ask questions, ask people who know about finances: bank representatives, financial planners, etc. In the words of Donald Trump, “Why ask money advice from people who don’t have money?” Magazines such as Money and Personal Finance offer much basic information about stocks and bonds, investing, banking and wealth-building. There are also more advanced magazines, such as The Kiplinger Report and Forbes. Websites like About.com and MSN.com offer great basic information on money management and investing - and they’re free, unlike monthly magazines. One great feature of MSN.com is that it offers detailed information about credit cards, providing a simple, factual breakdown to help you decide which credit card would be right for you.

About.com is a personal favorite of mine. It offers practical, very basic information for beginners, as well as for more advanced investors. It’s well worth the effort to take a look and thoroughly discover all that they have to offer in terms of investing.

Good luck to you as you begin building your financial future!