I’ve gone through a lot of formal schooling, worked at a major law firm, started several businesses, taken a company public, and worked with leaders as diverse as the president and the pope. And I discovered that, oddly enough, these three ingredients for success are not only not taught in college—they’re not really taught anywhere! Those who are happy in life usually stumble upon them eventually, but many folks never learn about them, and many learn them too late. I believe the sooner you know them, and live them, the happier you will be.

So first, a question: How many of you and your friends were told as you headed off to college that these would be the best four years of your life? By the way, this is a rhetorical question. In other words, I aready know the answer, because I have asked numerous groups of college students this question. The answer is: all of you. All of you were told, by someone, perhaps your parents, that your college years should be the best four years of your life. But you know what? It is horrible advice! Truly terrible. It can send you down the wrong path and have negative consequences in your life.

In the following chapters, I’ll show you why and give you a better alternative. Let’s start by taking a look at the first ingredient in the wealth recipe: an understanding of reality.

Why do people say this? Well, there are a variety of reasons that we won’t go into in this particular book. Interestingly enough, the folks who tell you this may include your parents and other adults who care deeply for you. Suffice it to say, when folks say this, they are not thinking clearly about human nature and happiness.

All you have to do is ask yourself, “Do I hope that my college years are the best years I will ever have, never to be matched again for the next seventy years I live? Or, while college might be a wonderful experience, am I actually hopeful that life will continue to get better—and happier?”

Aren’t those two questions remarkably easy to answer? Of course you don’t want college to be the best years of your entire life. Of course you hope that life will continue to get better after college. I am much happier now than I was in college. And I know many, many others who can say the same thing. So let’s figure out how you can be one of them.

But in order to do that, we will have to examine reality—the way things really are. Because often the world tells you stupid things (like college should be the best time of your life). College should be great, but don’t set that low of a bar for the rest of your life. Don’t put that kind of limitation on your happiness.

So—are you willing to look at things as they truly are? Because it’s pretty hard to do. On the other hand, who wants to be delusional? I doubt you are saying, “I want to be delusional—I would rather not see things as they really are.”