bhaskar saikia

Everyone wants to be wealthy. Yet only a handful ever make it to the billionaire’s club. What do they know that the rest of us don’t?

It boils down to three simple words. Not complex formulas, not a hidden treasure map—but three concepts that the financially savvy live by.

1. Asset

An asset is anything that puts money into your pocket.

Simple? Yes. But often misunderstood.
Your car? If it’s just for personal use, it’s a liability—it drains money through fuel, maintenance, and depreciation. But if it’s used as a cab and earns you money, it becomes an asset.
The difference lies in cashflow. If it pays you, it’s an asset. If you pay for it, it’s a liability.

👉 Rule of the rich: They focus on buying assets, while others unknowingly collect liabilities.

2. Leverage

Leverage is the multiplier. It’s using what you have to get more.
Taking a loan to buy a house you live in? That’s leverage used to buy a liability.
Taking a loan to buy a house you rent out? That’s smart leverage—you’re using others’ money (rent) to build your asset.

👉 Smart leverage builds wealth. Poor leverage builds debt.

3. Inflation

Most people think inflation means prices are rising. In truth, it means your money is losing value.
If your savings earn 5% interest and inflation is 6%, you’re losing purchasing power every day.

👉 The wealthy stay ahead by investing in assets—stocks, land, businesses—that grow faster than inflation.

The Hidden Thief Called Inflation

We often think of taxes as the deductions that show up on our pay slips—income tax, service tax, GST. But there’s another tax we seldom talk about: inflation.

Inflation quietly erodes the value of money over time. A ₹100 note today won’t buy the same things five years from now. If your money is sitting in a savings account earning 4–5% annual interest while inflation is running at 6–7%, you’re effectively losing money despite the illusion of growth.

This is what separates the wealthy from the rest.
While most people focus on saving, the wealthy focus on preserving and growing value.

They invest in assets—stocks, real estate, bonds, commodities, even art—that historically beat inflation. They also understand the tax system well enough to legally minimize tax burdens, reinvesting those savings into growth-generating avenues.
Meanwhile, the average person is stuck in a loop—working, saving in low-return vehicles, and watching the value of their hard-earned money shrink silently.

So, while taxes are visible, inflation is the invisible tax—but just as dangerous, if not more.

Simplicity is Power

There’s no magic wand, no overnight trick to becoming wealthy. The secret lies in understanding a few simple but powerful truths—truths most people overlook:

• Know the difference between assets and liabilities. Buy things that put money into your pocket, not take it away.
• Use leverage wisely. Let money work for you, not bury you in debt.
• Stay ahead of inflation. Invest in ways that grow your wealth faster than it’s being eroded.

You don’t need to be a financial wizard. You just need to understand these three words—and live by them. It’s not qualification that builds wealth, but clarity. It’s not brilliance that separates the rich from the rest, but better choices based on better understanding.

So start small, start today, but start smart. Master these three words—and you won’t just earn money. You’ll make it work for you.