Being rich or poor is not just about the contents of one’s wallet or bank account. The one thing that separates the two classes is the rich vs poor mindset. Mindsets are so crucial to success in every aspect for life. If you believe in yourself enough and have a strong vision for the future, you will better be able to make your dreams a reality. Let’s dig into these mindsets and how they differ.
Thoughts vs actions
Everyone has thoughts or visions for themselves and the future. They see these grandiose achievements and lifestyle. This is a trait of all people regardless of class. The difference between the rich and the poor is that to the poor, these are just thoughts. The rich set goals based on these thoughts, and take action on them little by little. Nothing is too big or too unrealistic for them to achieve. The poor mindset comes up with reasons and justifications on why their dreams are impossible to achieve. The mind might tell them they don’t have enough money or time and to set realistic goals. Realistic however is a subjective term. The rich think big, act big, and achieve big. Consistent daily action is what gets these people to where they want to be. Belief in themselves is what drives them.
Support system
Having the people around you who believe in you and keep you on track to achieve your goals is essential to achieving the riches you’ve always dreamed of. Poor people surround themselves with pessimism and negativity which in turn effects their attitude and outlook on life. I am blessed to say that my support system is second to none in believing in me and pushing me to be great. If you find yourself surrounded by people who don’t share your same energy, it may be time to find a new crowd or break off and do your own thing for a while. You are who you surround yourself with, as I have discussed on this blog before, and if you are surrounded by negativity and doubt you may adopt these feelings.
fear of failure
This is one of the biggest differentiators of the rich and poor. People with poor mindsets fear failure so much that they never even try. They view failure as the end all be all, and that there is no coming back from it once it happens. This could not be further from the truth. People with rich mindsets embrace failure. They look to it to figure out what they did wrong and how they can improve. To the rich, failure is a tool that propels them to greater successes. There are no rich people out there who are perfect and have never failed at anything before. Rich people know that if they fail and learn a lesson from it, their next attempt will get them even closer to their goals. Fear can be a hard thing to overcome. My suggestion for you if fear of failure is holding you back is to look at every success story you can find. I guarantee that every single one of them mentions failure in some capacity. Don’t be the person who takes the “safe” route in life. Take risks, fail, learn, and you will find success.
Background
A poor mindset believes that one’s status when they are born in terms of class is where they are destined to be. They think that rich people are rich because they are born rich, and that there is no other way to become rich. This is such a horrible misconception. Something along the lines of 80% of millionaires in the country today are self-made. Having this mindset is just another excuse to remain status quo. A rich mindset doesn’t care where they came from or what their class growing up was. They believe in themselves and strive to reach higher goals in their lives. Excuses are something they don’t use often, and extreme mental toughness and perseverance are qualities that define them.
Setting the bar low
The poor mindset people set “realistic” expectations. They look for “good jobs with good benefits” even if it isn’t something they want to do. Safety and comfort are what they want and by opting for this they in turn sacrifice their dreams and ambitions. The rich mindset people see opportunity every which way they look. They believe that their dreams are entirely achievable and set themselves on a mission every day to reach them. Safety and security are not valued by these people in the traditional sense. However, they view not striving to achieve their goals and dreams risky because they know that if they choose this route, it will lead to regret down the road.
verdict
Rich and poor differ not only because of the money differences they have, but by the way they think and perceive life. The rich have a much more open, optimistic, and steadfast mindset craving success. The poor on the other hand view the status quo as “safe and comfortable”, and never chase their dreams out of fear and pessimism. Which mindset do you want to adopt?