Earl Crawley has worked as a parking lot attendant in Baltimore for over 30 years. He’s never made more than $12 an hour or more than $20,000 a year. He admits his dyslexia doomed him early to a life of low paying manual labor.

But that hasn’t stopped Mr. Crawley from building wealth. Despite the low wages, he’s managed to build a half a million dollar stock portfolio. His advice for others: “Stop working so hard and let the money work for you.”

By placing his meager savings first into savings bonds before eventually investing in stocks he allowed his hard earned money to create more money for him and his family.

Mr. Earl’s story is a lesson for all of us. You don’t need to be an Einstein to invest successfully, and more importantly, a high paying job isn’t a requirement either.

“I did it with good old-fashioned nickels and dimes. My mother taught me how to budget, which made me appreciate how a little money can grow. I saved what I could from odd jobs, such as lawn-cutting and window-washing, that I did in addition to my day job. I used that money to buy one share of IBM stock back in 1981,” Crawley told Kiplinger’s magazine.

Possessing a long term commitment to creating wealth is much more important than having a lot of money to invest. Thinking long term is how Mr. Earl amassed his half a million dollar fortune on a low income. Of course this can be difficult in today’s society. We’re used to instant satisfaction, the quick wins, and immediate gratification. But those with a long term mindset are handsomely rewarded.

In addition to having a long term focus, Earl Crawley has proven the importance of financial literacy. Even without an advanced degree, Crawley taught himself about the stock market and did his homework to find the best stocks to invest in.

It goes to show you that getting rich slowly is possible. With a little money and a lot of time, any of us can build wealth.

BMWK, have you created a long term plan for building a secure financial future?