Nelson Mandela made a shocking revelation in his quote on poverty: “Poverty is not an accident. Like slavery and apartheid, it is man-made and can be removed by the actions of human beings.”
As with wealth, poverty is a state of the mind, and its meaning isn’t far removed from Mandela’s observation. It is not necessarily a lack of money as it is a problem of the mind, the thought pattern.
In this blog post, we’ll be sharing with you how rich people think versus how poor people think.
Please note; rich people in the context of this blog post are referred to as those who have successfully overcome poverty by thinking above and beyond it. They may not be billionaires, but they have beaten the lack mindset down. Poor people, on the other hand, are those who may have some money in their bank accounts but are stuck with the mindset that there is still a chance they could end up becoming penniless, given time and chance.
Here are the differences between how both classes of people think:
- The Rich Set Goals. The Poor Hope Miracle Happens
The startling difference in the mindsets of the rich and poor is that of setting goals and reaching for them. Whereas the rich have goals and expectations, develop plans, and set strategies to follow in getting them actualized, the poor think otherwise. They have no expectations and do not think there are goals to be set for themselves apart from the government’s leadership plans for her ciitizenry.
You think they have no reason for that, only to be shocked that they are afraid to fail, as grown up as they are. The rich trust in their capabilities, and outline plans to make their dreams tangible. They are not scared of mountains and see challenges as not unusual, necessary to give them ideas for other ventures.
- The rich think that education is life-long. The poor think education ends after acquiring some degrees
The poor have the impression that after getting a Masters or a doctorate degree, riches should follow. That gives them the needed excuse to remain little or uncreative either because they are yet to attain that higher level of education, or they have, and so expect to be employed in an organization that should pay them as their qualifications demand.
It is the opposite with the rich. The rich are ready to acquire useful knowledge at every phase of their lives, which will make them stay relevant. With or without any formal education or university degree, the rich’s minds are open to absorbing information, using it to expand, and selling it to make money.
An average millionaire read about 4 books every month. Poor people rarely read. The rich favor reading books on topics that develop their creative and management skills and make haste to learn vital lessons from areas that are distinct from their chosen fields of specialization.
The illiterates among the rich are not dependent on written texts, but powerfully make themselves apprentices who understudy experts that have successfully made a mark for themselves in their areas of calling. They are not held captive by their seeming inadequacy of education within the four walls of a school, as long as they are persevering enough to push beyond that barrier.
The rich keep learning, growing, and developing from every experience they are faced with, in successes and failures.
- Rich people think money comes by following certain principles. Poor people think it takes luck.
Every inherited wealth cannot be sustained without one being diligent enough to manage and invest in it.
The poor can stumble onto a huge sum of money like lottery winners and feel lucky to spend it the way they deem fit because it doesn’t seem hard to come across wealth. The rich are not ignorant of the process of making wealth, hence, they are committed to following every legitimate and ethical route possible to have it by all means. They are knowledgeable and do not fail to think in the line of success.
For poor people, it is a gamble. Anything gotten out of luck is the best. That is why they think the rich are just lucky to be wealthy, and not because their work ethics, dedication, and perseverance did it for them.
Whereas to the poor, making it big is negotiable, in the agenda of the rich, there is no failure as long as they are committed to achieving their set goals. It is clear to them that getting money is the reward of a long-term effort, determination, and perseverance.
- Rich people think that health is wealth. Poor people think wealth is health
Once again, having money isn’t about being rich. It is a mind-set that considers health as more important than any other material pursuit. As a matter of law, anyone who cannot nurture his health cannot nurture anything.
The rich do not think any amount is too costly to eat healthily and stay fit. The poor make excuses for themselves with much spending on unhealthy foods and lifestyles, which put them at a high risk of developing serious health conditions.
For the poor, money is to be spent on stuff that pleases them the most, being enslaved to their appetites. The enlightenment of the rich exposes them to the preventative measure to ill health. Even more conscious are they when it comes to taking routine medical visits very seriously.
Without them being sick, the rich think making out ample time from their busy schedules to rest is key to getting refreshed, renewed, and ready to tackle challenges anew. The poor think the only time they should be in the hospital is for laying down complaints about how sick they are; the farthest thought on their minds is to get rest.
To the poor, rest is only when their eyes close to sleep. Boozing, eating junk, slapping on hard drugs, or skipping routine health check appointments are the easiest for the poor to do. The rich are disciplined enough not to indulge in food consumption and in lifestyles that will be problematic to their health.
- The rich think that the past is a waste of the future. The poor think that the past is better than the future
Think regrets, think poor. Think the future, think rich. The poor are weighed down by thoughts of what they couldn’t achieve, and why they couldn’t. They classify themselves as being much better in the yester-year and so, are no more positioned to make impacts that will be felt in the nearest future.
For the rich, time and age have got nothing on them. Every new day is a day of possibility, and the past stays in the past. They have little or no time to glory in past achievements, for they are well aware that they are capable of conquering tomorrow more gloriously than they did in the past. That is their hope and the feeder of their excitement.
The poor write ideas off as being too risky and impossible with the mindset that they didn’t work out in the past. They need to be sure of tomorrow to be able to invest in any project. Sometimes, the rich do not have it all figured out; but they are sure of their dreams, and the assurance that realities must emerge from them.
In conclusion, the distinction between the rich and the poor is in how they think. Money is only one of the products of such thoughts.
If you desire to be rich, change the way you see the world. Be positive. Set goals and go for your goals. Take care of your health because without it you can do nothing.
Thank you