Self-made millionaire shares the only way to get really, really rich

If you want to get really, really rich, shift your focus from saving to earning, emphasizes self-made millionaire Grant Cardone.

You can't save your way to millionaire status, he tells CNBC: "People get rich because they produce revenue, not because they make little investments over time."

And don't just focus on earning — focus on earning big, says Cardone, who went from earning $3,000 a month to $20,000 a month in less than a decade.

"Keep stacking that paper until you have a hundred grand in the bank," he says. "I know this is very unrealistic for a lot of people, but the reason it's unrealistic is because you've been conditioned to think small."

He's not the only self-made millionaire to encourage this kind of thinking. After studying wealthy people for more than 25 years, self-made millionaire Steve Siebold found that rich people set their expectations high and aren't afraid to think big.

"The masses are so focused on clipping coupons and living frugally they miss major opportunities," Siebold writes inHow Rich People Think. "Meanwhile, the wealthy are focusing their energy on not just earning — but earning a lot of money."

This doesn't mean rich people disregard saving, Siebold notes: "The wealthy also know saving is important. But they know earning money is even more important. Most people are more concerned with the modest gains they accumulate from their savings and investments than they are with using their billion-dollar minds to create a fortune."

Both self-made millionaires agree: If you want to make it big, follow the money.