For millions of people who are poor, getting rich is either a result of luck, fraud, connections, or a combination of all of the above. If you’ve made a significant amount of money, you’ll know better.
I grew up in one of the worst villages in the world. Not just that, I was a sickly boy who suffered from rheumatism for 17 years. I attended some of the worst schools and never had access to many social amenities until later in my life.
But guess what? Today when someone who grew up in a richer family, attended better schools and has better health meets me, he’ll think I’m lucky to have had more money than he has.
In most cases, two people who are born in similar conditions, attend similar schools and grow up in a similar environment end up with entirely different financial statuses. Not really because one is lucky, but because he knows what the others don’t about life, success, and wealth creation.
If you’ve read The Richest Man In Babylon, you know what I’m talking about here. But the question is, what are those things the rich know that the poor don’t?
Well, we can make a long list, but let’s simplify the whole process to a single point;
You see, more than any single thing that makes the rich, wealthy, the people who end up becoming rich don’t expect external miracles.
Let me explain this with my personal experience.
I have some friends that are poor, and I have friends that are doing very well financially. Whenever I meet my poor friends, they’ll always talk about how the government’s policies make them poor, how their employers are not nice, and how the economy is bad.
These guys always look for external miracles. They always expect someone other than themselves to solve their problems.
They don’t wake up in the morning to blame the person they see in the mirror, instead; they look around for who and what to blame.
On the other hand, I can’t remember hearing any of my rich friends ever blaming anyone for their situations. Never. Instead, they’ll talk to me about how they’re planning to launch a new business, what they have learned from the last time we met, how they have discovered new opportunities, etc. it’s all about them and them, never the government, economy or the weather.
In my honest opinion, your ability to take full responsibility for your life is the number one indication that you’ll be rich. That’s what the rich know. If you know this truth, you’ll be among the 1% who rule the world.
If I meet you today and ask about your life and you blame yourself for everything that is not going well with you, I’ll be happy because I know you’ll do something about it.
If, however, you tell me that the reason you’re poor is that the government of your country is bad, then it means you’re waiting for the government to come and fix your life.
If you blame the economy for your poverty, it means you’re waiting for the economy to be better.
If you blame your parents, it means you’re waiting for your parents.
Unfortunately, nobody really cares about you. I’m sorry.
The former US president, Ronald Reagan reportedly said “Government doesn’t solve problems, it subsidizes them”. If you think that a better government is coming to solve your personal problem, you will never be rich.
Those who become rich became rich because they never waited for anyone. So many employees hate their jobs, but they would forever complain about them. Just as if they are waiting for their employer to repent or something.
Many people have no money, but they have never read a single book about money in the last 90 days because they think money comes from luck or connections.
If you’ve read Steve Covey’s 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, you’ll know what I’m talking about here. Steve explains that the very first attribute of people who succeed in life is proactiveness.
Why do poor people wait for things to be right, while the rich fight for what they want? Do not be deceived. Life is tough. If it were so easy, everyone will be successful. The reason most people are poor is that it’s hard to be rich. If you truly want to be rich, you must be willing to fight.
Stop being a coward. As Steve Harvey said, “If you want to be successful, you have to jump. There’s no way around it. If you’re safe, you’ll never soar.”
You must be willing to jump. You must be willing to expect miracles from your own self. You must be willing to take 100% responsibility for your life.
You must be willing to eat the ugly frog, do the toughest things, go to the toughest places, and dare the unknown. No one cares about you. No one will help you. It’s all about you.
Here is the game.
- Sit down and identify what you want for your life, then tell yourself that it’s up to you. I mean YOU to achieve that.
- Be willing to sacrifice anything and everything.
- Identify people who have achieved financial success. Read books written about them to learn the principles that helped them.
- Be willing to get out and get dirty.
- Don’t wait for the perfect weather. Today is the only day there. Don’t wait till December so that you can make a New Year’s resolution. It’s a waste of time.
I read a quote when I was around 18 years of age. It goes like this; “If it’s going to be, it’s up to me”. That quote changed my life.
Listen. If it’s going to be, it’s up to you, you, and YOU.
If you’re going to be rich, it’s up to you.
Thank you.