Highlights:
1. On average, folks who recently hit the $5 million mark report that only 10% of their money came through passive investments.
2. The path to riches usually involves the kind of risk that would make most people feel a little queasy.
3. The vast majority -- 80% -- either started their own businesses or worked for small companies that saw explosive growth.
4. Almost all of them made their fortunes in big lump sums after many years of effort.
5. (S)uccessful outlets usually have a team of two or three founders who share a common vision; the success rate for this model was a remarkable 50%.
The odds for solo founders were more like the oft-quoted one in 10, in part because they often found themselves working at cross-purposes with hired guns who see things differently.
6. Being rich means freedom: to spend your time as you please, to pursue your real interests and to take chances without courting utter ruin.
7. Paradoxically, the road to riches often means acting as if you already have that freedom.