If you are starting with '0', or even say 50k, you have one option: get lucky. There are no legitimate (meaning non-lucky, legal) investment returns available t

If you are starting with '0', or even say 50k, you have one option: get lucky. There are no legitimate (meaning non-lucky, legal) investment returns available that will get you to $1mm in three years. Sorry! Time honored 'get lucky' options that make you look brilliant: 1) Options trading 2) Buy highly (say 100%) leveraged real estate just before a boom Now, let's say you have no money, but great social capital: awesome trading skills, and good connections, we can add an option: 3) Become a trader, running other people's money. Make good money. Now let's say you have awesome entrepreneurial skills, good social capital, and no money. We can add an option: 4) Buy a business with other people's money, taking a smallish cut. Grow the business / tart it up for sale. Sell it. There is a very rarely successful variant on this, which is 'buy someone's idea, and build it out and launch it with other people's money.' This is called doing a startup. Think of it as 4a. For most people, it's equivalent to just getting lucky. Now, let's say you're hot and super sexy, and you have a thing for the older guys/gals. We can add what is pretty much the final option if you aren't going to inherit: 5) Marry it.