Have you noticed how, on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube, many successful people across various fields openly share their top success secrets—accumulated from decades of hard work? Aren’t they afraid that others will copy what they do and become competitors in their business?
I must admit, aside from books, most of my knowledge has come from YouTube. It’s my greatest teacher—a free school with incredible mentors and endless resources on any subject I want to explore.
Learning Top Investment Success Secrets from Industry Leaders
Over the years, I’ve absorbed priceless stock investing wisdom from legends like Warren Buffet, John Bogle, Ray Dalio, and Benjamin Graham—names synonymous with strategic and disciplined investing.
In the crypto world, thought leaders like Michael Saylor, Raoul Pal, and Coin Bureau have broken down the volatile digital market into actionable insights that changed how I approach this space.
For real estate, icons such as Robert Kiyosaki (author of Rich Dad Poor Dad), Toby Mathis, and Ken McElroy have helped me understand how property investment can be a cornerstone of long-term wealth creation.
The list goes on across every subject I’ve delved into, and the knowledge I’ve gained from these industry giants has been nothing short of transformative.
It’s not just about vague advice like “work hard” or “be resilient.” Many of these experts share specific, actionable tips that have saved me years of trial and error.
Some of my favorite takeaways include:
- Real Estate Tip: When evaluating a property, observe the cars in the neighborhood and the types of supermarkets around. These small details reveal a lot about the community and help determine if it matches your target demographic.
- Timing Matters: Did you know the holiday season—like Christmas and New Year—can be the best time to buy properties? Most sellers avoid listing homes during this time unless they’re motivated by urgent circumstances. For buyers, this creates a golden opportunity to negotiate better deals. So, don’t shy away from house hunting during this festive period—it might just work in your favor!
When I heard these tips, I was blown away. They may seem minor, but their practical value is immense. Best of all, they’re simple to implement and make a real difference.
Similarly, when I started with stocks, I was completely clueless. Then I discovered John Bogle’s books and strategies. Within a week, I had a clear vision:
- Start Simple: Index funds (like the S&P 500 or All-World) or ETFs are the smartest way to build wealth for beginners. These options provide diversification, lower fees, and reliable long-term growth. Forget the stress of picking individual stocks—it’s an unnecessary risk for most people.
- Avoid Extra Costs: Stop wasting money on portfolio managers who charge high fees to underperform the market. Index funds or ETFs let you control your financial future while keeping things simple and cost-effective.
In crypto, the same principles apply. From selecting platforms to determining strategies and risk levels, I’ve learned so much for free from experts on YouTube.
You Don’t Need to Pay for Gurus, Use YouTube Instead!
To those who say they lack money or knowledge to start, I say: YouTube is your best and free school. You don’t need to pay for courses or gurus. Free resources are everywhere if you’re willing to spend time learning and piecing information together.
Why Sharing Knowledge and Success Secrets Doesn’t Lead to Competition
For years, I wondered why successful people willingly share their success secrets. What do they gain? Aren’t they worried about creating competitors?
Growing up in Vietnam, I saw how competitive the academic environment could be.Knowledge was hoarded, not shared. People believed that protecting their “core secrets” was the only way to stay ahead. That mindset shaped me, too—I wasn’t naturally inclined to share.
Over time, I learned a valuable truth: sharing knowledge doesn’t diminish your success; it amplifies it. It strengthens relationships, fosters trust, and often returns more than you give—whether that’s better opportunities, meaningful connections, or unexpected partnerships.
Just last week, I had a fascinating conversation with a real estate investor in Poland. I discovered him through his YouTube channel, where he shares strategies and lessons from his investment journey. During our conversation, he confessed that he sometimes hesitates to share his insights, fearing it might attract competitors and overcrowd his niche.
While I understood his concerns, I reminded him of something important: his very act of sharing is what attracted people like me—and many others—to him in the first place. These connections didn’t just boost his visibility; some of them directly led to capital investments that accelerated the growth of his portfolio. He’d even highlighted this in earlier conversations and in some of his videos, though it seemed he’d momentarily overlooked the significance of it.
By sharing his journey and expertise, he hasn’t just disseminated knowledge—he’s built a foundation of trust and credibility. More importantly, he’s fostered a tight-knit community that values his insights and actively supports his endeavors. Far from inviting competition, his openness has become a magnet for opportunities he might never have encountered otherwise.
I further shared with him my personal perspective and observations on why sharing doesn’t create competition but rather fosters growth and opportunity:
*Most People Don’t Act: Thousands might watch your videos or read your content, but only a small fraction will take the leap and act on the advice—and even fewer will follow through consistently. The idea of “fierce competition” is often exaggerated.
*Success is Personal: The tools and knowledge are important, but success still depends heavily on individual grit, discipline, and determination. Countless people enroll in courses or read books about wealth-building, but how many actually put in the effort to apply what they’ve learned? The numbers are small.
*Smart People Will Succeed Anyway: A rare few, the truly driven ones, will succeed with or without your guidance. Sharing your expertise doesn’t breed competition—it fosters trust, goodwill, and often leads to future collaborations. Knowledge, when shared, creates opportunities for everyone involved, not just the giver.
Let me illustrate this with a personal experience:
I once enrolled in a €10,000 e-commerce course from a very successful entrepreneur, designed to teach students how to run a profitable online business. The course started with 20 students, all selected through a rigorous interview process. However, by the end of the course, only three of us remained. Six months later, only one person was still making progress (not me)—and a year later, they too had dropped out.
This wasn’t just about e-commerce. I also spent years studying investment principles from the world’s top investors, thinking that by simply following their methods, I’d be set to make a fortune. Instead, I ended up losing almost a million dollars. You can read that painful journey here. Why? Because, despite all the knowledge laid out before me, success remained a personal journey. It came down to how I chose to apply that knowledge. I failed to do my due diligence, lacked discipline, and sought shortcuts.
The key takeaway is this: Even with a detailed, step-by-step guide to success, only a select few have the commitment and resilience to apply what they’ve learned and build something meaningful. The fear of creating “fierce competition” by sharing knowledge is mostly unfounded. Sharing doesn’t create competition—it creates opportunities.
The Ripple Effect of Sharing Success Secrets
Sharing knowledge and success secrets builds trust, strengthens your network, and generates good karma. For me, it has opened doors to exclusive deals, partnerships, and invaluable relationships. For the Polish investor, his transparency brought him more clients, allowing him to grow faster than if he had operated in secrecy.
At its core, success is about relationships. The more you give, the more you build—and often, the more you receive in return. Sharing isn’t just an act of generosity; it’s a smart strategy for long-term growth and fulfillment.
How Sharing Success Secrets Builds Your Personal Brand and Legacy
Even though the Polish real estate investor and I have both achieved success in our own ways, neither of us is a global sensation (perhaps one day, who knows? Hehe). Naturally, I’m curious about the true giants of success in the world—what drives them to share their hard-earned success secrets? Do they have different motivations from mine and the Polish investor’s?
Through my research and personal experiences, here’s what I’ve discovered about why successful people are so open with their knowledge:
1. Build Trust and Credibility
Sharing your expertise demonstrates authenticity and positions you as a reliable thought leader. When you’re transparent about your journey and willing to help others, you foster trust that attracts partnerships, opportunities, and a loyal audience.
2. Create Meaningful Impact
True success isn’t just about personal gains—it’s about lifting others. By sharing lessons and insights, successful individuals help others avoid pitfalls, accelerate progress, and build a collaborative ecosystem where everyone grows.
3. Inspire Action
Sharing knowledge empowers others to believe in their potential, take bold steps, and face challenges head-on. It creates a ripple effect, sparking progress not just for individuals but for entire communities.
4. Strengthen Your Personal Brand
Sharing your story and expertise isn’t just generous—it’s strategic. It amplifies your visibility, showcases your values, and opens doors to new ventures, speaking engagements, and collaborations. A brand rooted in shared knowledge is one that inspires trust and respect.
5. Monetize Your Expertise
In the digital age, knowledge is both powerful and profitable. Platforms like YouTube, podcasts, and online courses let you share wisdom while generating passive income. It’s a win-win: helping others while creating sustainable revenue streams.
6. Leave a Lasting Legacy
By documenting their journeys in books, podcasts, or interviews, successful individuals ensure their wisdom endures. These insights inspire and guide future generations, creating a legacy that outlives them.
7. Forge Stronger Connections
Sharing stories fosters trust and builds relationships with like-minded individuals. These meaningful connections often lead to partnerships, joint ventures, and collaborations that amplify growth for everyone involved.
In conclusion, the more successful people share, the more they unlock new doors—not just for themselves, but for others. It’s a cyclical process of growth, empowerment, and opportunity that ripples outward. Whether for legacy-building, creating passive income, or giving back, sharing knowledge isn’t just an act of generosity; it’s a powerful strategy that can elevate everyone involved.
What about you? Each of us has something valuable—a skill, a lesson, or a story that could change someone’s life. Imagine the impact you could make by sharing even a small part of your journey. Will you take that step to lift someone up, to inspire, and to help them find their own path to success? Your wisdom, no matter how small it may seem, could be the missing piece in someone else’s puzzle. Dare to share, because the legacy of what you give is far greater than what you keep.
