Abandoning the Middle-Class Mind-Set
The middle class are comfortable where they are right now in terms of their finances.
Yes, I did just say that. I hate to break it to you but if you want to be rich, you just don’t settle for what’s comfortable. You go higher than that; you go for extremely comfortable. I get the feeling that some, if not most, have are uncomfortable with what I’m writing right now. You might say, “Shouldn’t I be contented with what I have?” No, you shouldn’t be contented—you should be grateful for what you have and then strive to have more so that you can be extremely comfortable and be able to help more people along the way. The difference, ladies and gentleman, lies in the purpose of why you want to be rich. The rich think bigger than themselves or their family. They want to leave a legacy.
Reflect on that uncomfortable feeling you just had when you read the things that I just said, such feeling may just be the very reason you can’t or won’t become rich.
Upon reflecting on the differences between the rich, the middle class and the poor, I realize that being in the middle class is a mix of both rich and poor mindsets but that for me is such a dangerous place to be. Why? Because being middle class, they already have the tendency to be rich but don’t want to take the risk or that jump to the next level. At the same time, the middle class have the tendency to be poor, should they sulk longer in what they call “victim mode.”
You would know if a person is in the victim mode if they do the following (especially with regard to his or her finances):
- Blaming—They are very good at the “blame game”. They blame their parents, the government, the weather, the economy, the neighbors, even the pets (just kidding!) for their misfortunes. My dear friend (I wish), Bill Gates, said it perfectly, “If you are born poor, it is not your fault. If you die poor, it is your fault.” So quit all the blabbering about all the Bureau of Internal Revenue stuff and start taking charge of your finances.
- Justifying—They are also good at justifying why they aren’t rich. The most common justification used is that “Money isn’t important”. If you’ve heard this from someone, most likely that person is broke or just getting by. Money is important. Try paying bills and food with love, honesty and trust. Let’s see where it will take you. If you have a negative image of money, it’s highly unlikely you’ll ever be rich. Time and time again it has been said, money is not the root cause of evil. It is the love of money that is the root cause of all evil (1 Timothy 6:10).
- Complaining—What you focus on expands. If you focus on the negative things about your finances, such as your debt, you will attract more debt. If you focus on the what’s wrong, all of your energy will attract more of it. However, if you focus on, let’s say, earning more through an additional source of income, all of your energy will focus there. Thus, this gives you more opportunity to earn and, eventually, pay off your debt.
Letting go of being in the victim mode will help you focus on what’s more important—taking charge of your finances. It will not be easy, I tell you. There will be times when you revert to default mode. That’s why discipline is needed to focus on going all-out on your financial life. Going back to default mode is normal, but how long you would be staying there will define whether you are on your way to becoming rich.
To start rewiring your mind-set from that of a middle class to that of the rich, I recommend you do the following:
- Wake up early—You will finish a lot of activities within the day if you do so.
- Exercise—Everything around us is energy. If you exercise, not only will you be healthy but have lots of energy, as well. Money is energy and that is why it is called currency.
- Audiobooks—Enlighten yourself with audiobooks while stuck in traffic, instead of complaining how bad the traffic is.
- Self-development seminars—Attend and invest on yourself by attending self-development seminars.
- Theory of space—Surround yourself with people who have reached the level you want to be on, who are better than you and who are richer than you. Spend most of your time with them. Pick their brains. Remember what Jim Rohn said, “You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.” You want to become a millionaire? Start hanging out with them. Do whatever it takes. Join groups, clubs, etc. You’ll be surprised of the results.
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Dave Monter,RFP® is a Registered Financial Planner of RFP Philippines. To learn more about personal-financial planning, Attend the 57th RFP program on October 1 to November 19. To register, e-mail info@rfp.ph or text <name><e-mail> <RFP> at 0917-9689774.
Source: http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/abandoning-the-middle-class-mind-set/
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