There are nearly 735 billionaires in the US alone, and most of them are self-made. This means more people are becoming wealthy today—and many of them are starting from scratch.

Most billionaires failed many times before they finally hit it big or found the right opportunity that propelled them to financial success. If hundreds of other people have become successful billionaires, so can you.

There are many secrets to achieving financial independence, and most self-made billionaires like Mark Zuckerberg, Richard Branson, Bill Gates, etc are more than willing to divulge them (if only you ask). Here are 4 secrets of success from self-made billionaires.

1. Sir Richard Branson: “Dream Big”

Richard Branson is a British entrepreneur and a business mogul. He heads the Virgin Group which controls over 400 companies in different industries globally. Branson’s net worth is almost $4.7 billion.

He says his biggest secret to success is dreaming big. According to Branson, dreams are the fuel that propels the world's growth, cultivates change, steers innovations, and promotes aspirations.

He believes that a world deficient in dreams has “no moon landing, no civil rights, and no art.” In a nutshell, dreaming motivates people and helps them achieve their goals.

2. Mark Zuckerberg: “Make Big Bets”

Mark Zuckerberg, the co-founder of Facebook (now Meta), is a philanthropist, Internet entrepreneur, and media magnate par excellence. His net worth is a staggering $68.7 billion. According to Zuckerberg, the secret to success lies in being willing to frustrate the status quo.

He's proud of Meta platforms and believes they greatly help their communities. Zuckerberg says his success came from his willingness to make big bets. 

As an entrepreneur, you can make big bets as well. For example, if you’ve recently launched a new product, do everything you can to market it. You can get a short-term loan if you have positive equity in your vehicle. By searching for “title loan near me” you can get the money you need to promote your product and grow your business. This is a bold move.

3. Steve Jobs: “Focus on the Small Details”

The late Steve Jobs was an American inventor, investor, and business magnate. At the time of his death, Jobs’ was worth $10.2 billion. Although touted as a “heartless and ruthless” leader by some of his close allies, Jobs was a perfectionist who obsessed over the tiny details.

Because of his massive obsession with details and caring too much, he couldn't stand it when things went wrong. This made Apple what it is today. Jobs also encouraged people to follow their intuition and heart all the time. A successful business is all about the details.

4. Bill Gates: “Find Simple Solutions”

Bill Gates is an American software developer, business magnate, and investor with a record net worth of $125 billion. The Microsoft co-founder believes that you can easily identify a problem, its solution, and its impact by focusing on simple solutions. “Make solutions complex and you block all three steps,” he says.

He believes finding simple solutions is important, especially for businesses that want to make a huge impact. Gates adds that when you have clear and simple answers every time someone asks, “how can I help you” you can go very far—in life and in business.