Ongoing income from past work, often used interchangeably with passive income.
MLMs particularly love this term. The implication is building once and earning forever, which rarely works in practice.
"Build residual income"
Commonly found in social media posts and promotional content.
"Residual income streams"
Often used to create urgency or perceived scarcity.
"Create residual wealth"
Typically appears in sales pages and webinar pitches.
Don't let the impressive language bypass your critical thinking. Ask what specifically is being promised.
Ask for specific, verifiable examples. Vague claims backed by jargon often crumble under scrutiny.
Look for third-party reviews, case studies, and honest discussions outside of the guru's ecosystem.
Other guru jargon in the buzzwords category.
A piece of content claimed to contain extraordinarily valuable information, typically used to build reciprocity before a pitch.
Medium ConcernVague promise of personal or professional improvement, borrowed from gaming to make growth seem achievable and gamified.
Low ConcernGrowing a business exponentially, often promised without addressing the operational complexity involved.
Medium ConcernUsing resources, systems, or other people's time/money to multiply results. Often used to justify exploitation.
Medium ConcernExpensive products or services, typically $3,000+, often justified by claiming higher value correlates with higher price.
High ConcernOngoing income from past work, often used interchangeably with passive income.
MLMs particularly love this term. The implication is building once and earning forever, which rarely works in practice.
Common examples include: "Build residual income" and "Residual income streams"
When you encounter this term, pause and evaluate critically. Ask for specific evidence, verifiable results, and clear definitions. Don't let impressive-sounding language bypass your judgment.
“Residual Income” is just one of many terms gurus use to sound impressive. Explore our full glossary to become fluent in spotting marketing manipulation.