The Hidden Psychology behind “Poor” People’s Mindset

Have you noticed how some people seem to have everything they need to be successful: right knowledge, good looks, family connections and starting capital and yet they fail miserably?

While others who do not seem to be that smart or that outgoing become successful against all the odds? The true reason behind success and material wealth is not the resources that you have; it is the way you think, talk and act!

Usually after talking with a person for 15 minutes you can already tell if they will achieve the great heights of
turning money-making into a never-ending struggle.

Poor people generally talk about:

• Their problems and all the injustices ever done to them

• Discuss banal reality shows, latest “news” and negative events that they have no control over

• Gossip about other people – what is wrong with them

• Blame everything and everyone for their misfortunes

• Complain about their lazy spouses, ungrateful kids, stupid boss, and controlling parents

• Have strong prejudices against other social groups (usually this includes wealthier and more successful people, people of other nationalities and other religions)

• Brag about all the good things that they have ever done for someone else

• Investin things that bring instant gratification, without thinking about the consequences.

Wealthy or wealthy-to-be people talk about:

• New theories and skills that they are learning

• Investment ideas and strategies

• People who inspire and guide them

• Positive events that have happened in their life

• Activities and things that motivate them

• Their long-term goals

Poor people believe that:

• Having a lot of money will make them happy

• Wealthy people have more money, and therefore they must share that money with the less fortunate – THEM!

• Success is a natural result of “getting lucky”, not working hard towards your dreams

• Self-help programs and books are just rip offs, because if someone wants to help you, they should give you all the information for free. (But if information is free, it is perceived as not valuable enough).

• Quick-fix solutions are the best ones!

• They already “have it all figured out” and their opinion is the only right one.

Wealthy people believe that:

• Creating strong relationships will make them happy

• Money is just a tool to achieve higher goals and help others in need

• Wealth is a result of constant self-improvement and hard work

• Investments in education and knowledge always pay off

• Quick-fix solutions do not bring long-lasting results.

• They do not know everything and are opened to new ideas, suggestions and different opinions

Poor people:

• Are careless with their money and spend it on things that make them feel important or that bring immediate satisfaction (new car, huge satellite dish, alcohol, cigarettes, and entertainment)

• Rely on their credit card in cases of emergency

• Do not take good care of their health (eat junk food, do not exercise, do nothing about changing bad habits)

• Spend most of their free time watching TV

• Passively react to everything that happens in their life

• View obstacles as something that are beyond their control

• Perceive failure as evidence of their inadequacy and “bad luck”

• Get an adrenaline rush out of watching horror movies and doing “stupid” things

• Are very creative when it comes to making up excuses

• Respond aggressively to any type of critique

Wealthy people:

• Invest money in assets that over time increase in value

• Put aside a certain amount of money on a monthly basis in order not to rely on credit cards in cases of emergency

• Take good care of their health (eat organic food, exercise regularly, make regular medical check-ups)

• Spend their free time doing something fun with their family or reading books

• Take pro-active steps to make their life better in the future

• Perceive failure as an opportunity to learn valuable lessons and test their ideas

• Get an adrenaline rush out of starting new projects and applying new concepts

• Are very creative when it comes to finding solutions to the problems that they are facing

• View critique as a feedback

Of course, you can say that wealthy people do all these things, because they ALREADY have money. Therefore, they can afford to eat better food,  invest in educating themselves and put money away for the rainy day, while “poor” poor people are forced to eat fast food, because it is cheap, and rely on a credit card to make payments, because they simply do not have any savings. Maybe it is true. But maybe it is just another excuse… It seems to me that it is more probable that wealth is a result of the right mindset, proactive thinking and long-term planning. Not that proactive thinking and long-term planning is a result of wealth.

What do you think?