Millionaire goes homeless to prove he can earn $1M within a year. He got a serious reality check

Making $1 million in a year may seem unachievable for many, but Michael Black—who goes by @mikeblack on Instagram—set out to prove otherwise. He intentionally gave up his wealth, became homeless and started from scratch. The millionaire named his daring experiment the "Million Dollar Comeback Challenge" and challenged himself to start from scratch, build a new business and earn $1 million within a year.

Black documented his hurdles and progress throughout the challenge on his YouTube channel (@themikeblack). He began the experiment in July 2020, walking away from his business, network, apartment, monetary savings and all his belongings. "I knew a lot of people who lost everything during the pandemic and they got really depressed. I even had a friend that lost a $10 million business overnight," Black explained in a Nas Daily YouTube video. However, Black's journey to making $1 million in a year came to an abrupt halt with only two months remaining.

He documented every step of his journey from day one as a broke individual on his personal YouTube channel. In a video, Black explained why he chose to end the experiment with just two months left to reach his goal. "I have officially decided to end the project early. Now, as much as it hurts me to do this, especially with just two months left, I feel like it's the right thing to do," he announced in his 2021 video. "I've been dealing with a lot of things personally, and recently, something's happened that has really pushed me over the edge."

"We have been through a lot together. We laughed and cried together. We walked miles together and spent late nights in the office, working super hard when no one else was watching. I seriously can't thank you all enough for the most amazing support that I could ever ask for," Black expressed to his fans at the end of his video. He went on to explain how his health had deteriorated to the point where he had no choice but to prioritize his well-being over the challenge. Despite documenting his days as a broke person, Black didn’t reveal that he had been visiting the doctor in between filming his videos.

He shared that he had been suffering from two autoimmune diseases, causing chronic fatigue and joint pain. Before ending the experiment, Black had recorded his journey from day one as a homeless man, including moments where he considered sleeping on a bench. A man with an RV offered him shelter for several nights, giving Black a glimpse of kindness amid a series of refusals. He sold furniture online to make his first $300, and by the fifth day of the challenge, Black had earned enough to buy himself a computer.

In another two weeks, Black secured his own office space. Within a month, he was able to move into his own place and pay rent. However, things took a sad turn when, four months into the challenge, Black’s father was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer. As his father began chemotherapy, Black started questioning whether he should continue the experiment. Before ending his "Million Dollar Comeback Challenge," he had managed to make $64,000.

You can follow Michael "Mike" Black on YouTube and Instagram for more lifestyle content.