I’ve Known Alex Becker Since JV Zoo—Here’s Why You Need AI Now

I’ve watched Alex Becker since his JV Zoo days—when he was selling high-ticket courses and masterminds, flipping that cash into a software company that eventually sold for hundreds of millions. The guy is a legitimate business animal. So when I saw his video “Want To Be Rich? Give Up These 4 Things…” with over 1.1 million views, I expected the usual Becker punch: tough love, zero fluff, and a blueprint that actually works. And he delivered, mostly. But here’s the problem: Alex has been out of the internet marketing game for too long. His advice is emotionally supportive—hell, it’s even motivating—but it’s stuck in 2018. He’s not keeping up with the trends, and his YouTube channel, while massive, is now a graveyard of crypto hype and generic life advice. If you want to be rich in 2025, you need to take his core principles and then apply them through the lens of AI and direct action—not just sit there absorbing his dopamine hits.

What Alex Gets Right: The 4 Things You Must Give Up

In the video, Becker lays out four things you need to drop to get rich. I’ve seen the sentiment echoed by other gurus, but Alex has a knack for making it sting. He says you need to give up: (1) the need for safety, (2) the desire to be liked, (3) the habit of consuming instead of creating, and (4) the reliance on a single income stream. These are non-negotiable truths. I’ve seen hundreds of entrepreneurs fail because they couldn’t stomach the risk of being wrong in public. Becker’s right: safety is a mirage. The desire to be liked will keep you working a 9-to-5 forever. And consuming instead of creating? That’s the death of ambition.

But here’s where his advice starts to crack. He frames these sacrifices as personal character traits—as if you just need to “man up” and change your mindset. That’s half the battle, sure. But in 2025, the execution is what separates the millionaires from the motivational quote reposters. You can give up safety all you want, but if you’re still trying to build a business with outdated methods—like cold emailing, Facebook ads, or affiliate marketing without AI—you’re going to get crushed by the competition that’s already automating 80% of their workflow.

The Missing Piece: Alex Hasn’t Kept Up With the Tools

Becker’s channel is huge because he’s a great mentor—emotionally supportive, direct, and genuinely wants you to win. But watch his recent videos. It’s all crypto market analysis, “do this one thing to change your life,” and vague inspirational monologues. He’s not showing you how to build a real asset in 2025. He’s not talking about AI agents that can write your sales copy, generate your leads, and even handle customer support while you sleep. He’s still operating in a world where you need a team of 10 people to scale. That’s not the reality anymore.

The audience reaction to this video is telling. Scroll the comments: you’ll see a mix of “This changed my life” and “But how do I actually DO this?” The desperate ones are asking for the tactical how, and Becker gives them emotional permission to act, but not the tactical step-by-step. That’s the critical gap. You can give up the 4 things today, but if you don’t have a system to execute, you’re just a broke person with a brave face.

Why You Need to Stop Being a Fan and Start Being a Founder

Here’s my direct counter-argument to the video: Becker’s advice is designed to keep you dependent on him. He’s a master of the “emotional rollercoaster” style—he builds you up, makes you feel powerful, then subtly points you toward his next product or crypto play. That’s not malicious; it’s just the business model of a retired internet marketer. But you don’t need a guru to hold your hand. You need to take his core message (give up safety, people-pleasing, consumption, and single income) and then build your own empire using the most powerful tool available: AI.

I’m not saying ignore Becker. I’m saying graduate from him. Use his motivation as the spark, but don’t let the fire die waiting for his next video. The internet is littered with people who watched “Want To Be Rich?” and then did nothing because they were too busy liking and subscribing.

The Real Path: Automate Your Sacrifice

Let’s break down each of his 4 points and give them a 2025 upgrade:

• Give up safety → Use AI to run small experiments with zero upfront cost. Test a business idea with a GPT-powered chatbot that handles customer discovery. Risk is near zero when your overhead is a $20/month API subscription.
• Give up being liked → AI doesn’t care about your feelings. It will write the blunt sales copy you’re too afraid to publish. Let the bots handle the rejection while you refine the offer.
• Stop consuming, start creating → Use AI tools to create content at scale. Generate 50 videos, 100 articles, or 1,000 social posts in a day. Creation is no longer a bottleneck—it’s a volume game.
• Drop single income → Build an AI-powered micro-SaaS or a digital product that runs on autopilot. One time effort, recurring revenue. That’s the real way to get rich.

You’ve Watched Enough—Now Execute

Becker’s video is a good kick in the pants. It’s earned its 1.1 million views because people are desperate for permission to break free. But permission is worthless without a plan. You don’t need another mentor. You need a system. I put together a free guide at AI Operating that shows you exactly how to build a business using AI—no hype, no courses, just actionable steps to create your own empire. Stop being held weak and docile by internet gurus. Take Becker’s core advice, then go build something that doesn’t require you to keep watching his videos to feel rich. You already have the drive. Now get the tools.