Non-fiction/Memoir
The Accidental Millionaire: How to Succeed in Life without Really Trying
Gary Fong
BenBella Books, Inc.
ISBN: 978-1933771-91-5
Pages: 264 

Gary Fong is a world renowned wedding photographer, inventor, and entrepreneur. In his memoir, The Accidental Millionaire: How to Succeed in Life without Really Trying, Fong shares stories of inspiration from a life that has been lived fully through the good times and the hard times. Oddly enough, Fong’s wealth began to grow only after he stopped focusing on a set goal for success. 

“The Plan made me cry a lot (1).”  

The plan, created by Fong’s parents, first-generation Asian immigrants, was for Fong to attend medical school and become a doctor. Fong estimated that he would have earned approximately $150,000 a year as a physician. Most of which, he predicted, would have been consumed by malpractice insurance and student loans payments. Fong spent his youth watching his parents struggle. From Fong’s point-of-view, his parents lived in constant fear of not having enough, which lead to decisions that only managed to keep their heads just above water, but never propelled them to a more secure or comfortable financial life. 

Because of his parents’ constant financial problems and the creative ways they attempted to manage them, (selling wigs out of their apartment and at weekend swap meets) Fong made a promise to his ten-year-old self that he would be his own parent. “I would be responsible for realizing my full potential. Everything—I repeat, everything—was to be completely up to me from that day forward (12).” This “declaration of independence” was the first turning point in Fong’s life. Even as a child, Fong could see that his parents worked too hard but not smart. Fong was determined to have a different life, a better life.

This thought process gave Fong the courage to abandon the plan his parents had set for him. After experiencing success as a wedding photographer right out of college and surviving a rather brutal divorce from his first wife, Fong had another life changing moment that taught him to stop pursuing the end result of a goal. This paradigm shift (which occurred when he read “Since I gave up hope, I feel much better,” on a bumper sticker) opened Fong to new opportunities as he prepared himself for a life that offered far greater financial stability than his parents ever dreamed of. 

Fong’s ascent into millionaire status was only an accident because it was not his intention to become so wealthy. His brilliant business mind was evident from childhood when he questioned his parents’ management of their own entrepreneurial efforts and his father’s refusal to take advantage of a prime real estate deal. The author seems to have always had a knack for appropriately valuing a service or product. Fong’s skill at managing multiple businesses including lecturing, photography, inventions, and real estate has been the basis for his incredible wealth. 

This is not your typical “how to get rich” book. This is the story of a man’s life; an illustration of the major events that influenced his thinking and behavior. Fong’s story includes not only his successes, but also his failures in business and his personal life that drove him to constantly reassess his approach. As the author stated, “…the ability to change course at the drop of a hat is also an integral part of my success formula (256).” Preparation is also crucial to Fong’s accomplishments. By being prepared, Fong was able to strike quickly when a new idea or possibility appeared. Fong suggests to his readers that he was more aware of and open to opportunities to expand into a variety of industries because he was not blinded by the end result.  This is a simple thought process that will be difficult for those of us who have been spoon feed “The Plan” from birth to digest. Fong’s life is a testament to the rewards that can be gained by shifting away from the tunnel vision mindset and becoming open to whatever the universe throws our way. 

The Accidental Millionaire challenges the familiar theories of achieving wealth. Openness, preparation, and courage are all factors that helped Gary Fong create a life that so many people dream of having for themselves. This is a book that will shake up your way of being in the world, maybe even crack open a door for a few accidents of your own to tumble through. I highly recommend it.