Puisa Kotha Hunibo? Get rich quick

Now I have your attention. The other day, a user messaged me on Moneybar asking, “How do I get rich quick?” How many times have we heard someone ask this? The question itself says so much about the way we think. We seem to love the idea of “geting rich quick.” It sounds exciting, doesn’t it? But it’s also one of the biggest lies we keep telling ourselves.
Why do we fall for it? Because it plays on our psychology. It whispers what we want to hear, that we can skip the struggle, that rewards can come without effort. And when opportunities feel scarce, the fantasy becomes even more tempting.
When we grow wealthy steadily, we also build habits and ways of understanding money better. We learn to manage, save, and invest as our income grows. That’s why steady wealth lasts. But when someone gets rich quick, without discipline and direction, the money rarely stays. One classic example is Sushil Kumar, the Rs. 5-crore winner on Kaun Banega Crorepati. His win inspired us all. Someone from a humble background walking away with a fortune. Yet within a few years, he was back to struggling, showing that wealth without planning and discipline never endures.
Now think about it, can you recall anyone wealthy today who got there through a “get rich quick” scheme? I can’t think of a single one. Every millionaire, every billionaire we know of has built over time.
Still, many of us keep chasing quick money. New promises keep appearing: “join this scheme”, “try this shortcut”, “double your money tomorrow.” Instead what we can do is invest, not just money, but time. Time in learning skills, building something meaningful, and managing the little we already have. And make money decisions backed by logic, data, and clear rationale, not hype, not hearsay.
It’s not the easiest path. Nothing worthwhile ever is. But it isn’t impossible. If we, as a community, shift from chasing shortcuts to building long-term habits, we’ll see real change. Save a little, invest a little, keep learning and stop falling for illusions.
So next time someone asks you, “How do I get rich quick?” The answer is simple, you can’t.
Paweii Kayina,
founder@moneybar.in