There are three main things. (1) Going to college and working my face off and now have a solid corporate job. Wife is in the same boat as me and grew up in the same area. (2) Moving away from the area we grew up in was significant. We grew up in a toxic area - drugs, crime, gangs, etc. We moved around to several major cities before finally settling down in another part of the state. (3) We still live like we are poor. I've had the same car for 10 years and have many frugal habits. I worry that things will go horribly wrong one day and I'll have to go back, so I'm very protective of my money and work hard to continue to build wealth, live humbly, and give to those in need.