Ever Wondered Why Some Investors Grow Wealth Faster?
Some people seem to have the magic touch with money. Their wealth multiplies while others stay stuck grinding it out. But what if it is not luck, timing, or who you know? What if it is simply about having the right system?
That is where Todd Polke comes in.
Todd is an internationally recognised wealth strategist, investor educator, keynote speaker, and best-selling author of Thrive Through Property. He has run more than 9,000 strategy sessions and guided over $1 billion in investments across Australia and New Zealand. His mission is simple: help people live a life unlimited by income through strategic wealth systems, not guesswork.
On Attention Is The Currency, Todd shared his raw story, hard lessons, and the blueprint for creating real financial freedom.
From Broke Personal Trainer to Investor
Todd did what society told him to do. Study hard, get a job, exchange time for money, buy a home, pay the mortgage, stash some away in a super, and hope one day to retire comfortably.
But by his late teens and early twenties, that formula had already failed him. As a personal trainer, he worked brutal hours, often from 4 a.m. until midnight, six days a week. He broke his body, his health, his relationships, and still ended each year broke.
“I realised I was following a broken set of rules,” Todd recalls. “If I kept going, I would just stay stuck. That was the moment I decided there had to be a better way.”
He began studying successful people. He found mentors, consumed every book, attended seminars, and discovered one undeniable truth: the wealthy were not lucky. They simply followed systems.
Within six months, Todd bought his first property on the Gold Coast for $291,000. After a small renovation, he sold it nine months later with a $70,000 profit—more than he had ever earned in an entire year of personal training.
That deal changed everything.
“I learned profits are better than wages. If I didn’t get my money working for me, I’d spend my entire life working for money.”
Why Most People Stay Stuck in the Default Life
Todd calls it “the middle.”
The middle is where most people live: middle income, middle choices, middle time, middle freedom. It is comfortable, but it is limiting.
People stay there because of fear. They think investing is risky. They cling to what their parents and peers did. They accept that the default path must be the right one.
But the truth, Todd argues, is that staying stuck in the middle is the riskiest move of all.
“Financial security isn’t a safe job and a paid-off home anymore. That world is gone. The new risks are staying comfortable, doing nothing, and hoping superannuation saves you. That is a fantasy.”
There Are No Secrets, Only Systems
Wealth is not about luck. It is about systems.
Todd’s system is called the Portfolio Wealth Operating System. Think of it as the operating software running in the background of your life. It works whether you are awake or asleep, whether you are focused on money or not.
It has three pillars:
- Strategy – a clear game plan from where you are now to your financial freedom figure. Without it, you are gambling.
- Structure – building a financial fortress so your wealth is protected and sustainable, not a house of cards.
- Cash Flow System – installing assets and off-market deals into your portfolio to create consistent income.
When these three pillars align, money starts working for you instead of the other way around.
The Biggest Mistakes Investors Make
Todd has seen the same traps catch investors over and over:
- Buying with emotions. Falling in love with a property or panicking in a downturn. Investors must take off the emotional hat and put on the investor hat.
- Not valuing a dollar. As income grows, expenses magically rise to match. Suddenly high earners are broke again. Discipline with money is non-negotiable.
- Failing to treat wealth like a business. Every person should see themselves as the CEO of their personal wealth business. Without that mindset, you drift.
“Wealth is built through consistent execution over time, not quick wins. Long-term games with long-term people always win.”
Breaking the Australian Mindset
Todd points out something most Australians avoid admitting.
“We’ve got resources, beaches, lifestyle, and yet small thinking holds us back. In Australia, someone drives a luxury car and people call them a wanker. In the US, people ask them how they did it. That mindset difference matters.”
He believes Australia could be the luckiest country in the world if people dropped the tall poppy syndrome, embraced collaboration, and normalized wealth creation.
“What if talking about investing, financial freedom, and building portfolios was normal? What if wealth wasn’t a taboo but a tool for choice, impact, and legacy?”
More Money, More Time, More Freedom
Todd rejects the old idea of retirement. He believes in building a life you never want to retire from.
“It’s not about sitting under a palm tree. It’s about choice, legacy, and impact. How can you leave the world better? What stories do you want passed down to your kids and their kids?”
For him, wealth is not just about money. It is about time with family, supporting conservation causes, building businesses that give back, and leaving a legacy that outlives you.
Where Should You Put Your Attention?
Every guest on Attention Is The Currency answers the same question: if attention is currency, where should you stop spending it and where should you start investing it?
Todd’s answer is clear.
“Stop wasting attention on fear, on comfort, and on outdated rules. Start investing it in systems, in education, in building your wealth business. You only get four resources in life—time, energy, money, and knowledge. The more intentional you are with those, the more freedom you create.”
Final Word
Todd Polke’s journey proves wealth is not luck. It is the result of systems, discipline, and consistent execution. He went from a broke personal trainer working 17-hour days to building an empire that gives him choice, time, and freedom—and now he teaches others to do the same.
You can connect with Todd and join his free community, The Wealth Dojo, or grab a copy of his new book Escape The Middle at EscapeTheMiddle.com.
Because wealth is not about working harder. It is about learning the system and creating a life unlimited by income.