Statistically, the bottom 20% of any society lives in conditions, qualified as poverty. And it sounds pretty sad, doesn’t it? Such a big group of people living in poor conditions? The definition of poverty can vary from society to society, but the facts don’t lie. On the bright side, however, it also means that there is a significantly larger group – the remaining 80%, who enjoy average and above-average living situations. And, in today’s post, we’re going to see why this happens and how to achieve it!
Hello everyone, and welcome to my blog. I’m Antoaneta – an entrepreneur, business leader and passionate investor. Lately, my content has been focused almost exclusively on success, on working towards that “above average” situation. But you can’t go from below average to above average overnight. It’s a gradual process. That’s, today, why I’ve decided to take the time and have a look at poverty. And while I wouldn’t say that I’ve got a lot of first-hand experience with poverty myself, I’ve had to deal with a lot of below-average conditions in my younger years.
Poverty isn’t just about the circumstances
I’ve said this before, and I’ll repeat it – your financial situation is not just dependent on your circumstances. Wealth is not exclusively reserved for those who are born to rich parents or win the lottery. Anyone can “make their own fortune”, no matter who they are or where they come from.
Wealth is a combination of the situation that you’re currently in and your mindset. Without the right mindset, anyone can waste an inheritance or drive a company into the ground. Likewise, someone born into poverty won’t ever be able to get out, unless they’ve got the willpower and determination to succeed.
The decisions we make and the actions we take are entirely based on our way of seeing the world. On our mindset. On the things that we believe are important and on our willpower. On our ability to do what it takes to achieve our goals.
Being broke does not equal to being poor
To continue from our previous point, being broke is not the same as being poor. Sometimes, you can find yourself stuck in an unfortunate situation that’s entirely outside of your control. Maybe the company that you’re working for goes bankrupt. Or, perhaps some unfortunate accident happens that leaves you temporarily in the red. But you’ve got your skills and your willpower. You know precisely what you need to do to get out, and you know how to do it. Fixing the situation is just a matter of time.
Being poor, on the other hand, is a mindset thing. Most of the people who live in poverty have no hope, no dreams of a better future, no willpower to act on their desires. And, even if by some miracle they do find a way to earn a significant sum on money, they’re unlikely to get out of poverty without a significant mindset change.
Knowledge is power
The more you learn about the world, and the better you understand it, the more opportunities you will find. The way our societies are structured right now presents you with countless ways to make money and turn your dreams into reality. But nobody is born with this knowledge – we’ve all got to earn it. If you want to succeed and make your situation better, you’ve got to put in the time and effort.
Poor parents can’t teach their children how to be rich
Think about it – if the parents knew how it works, they wouldn’t have been poor in the first place! I know that it sounds a bit sad, but that’s just the way life is sometimes. Still, this doesn’t mean that people who come from a poor background are doomed to poverty. They just have to work a bit harder than everyone else – they’ve got to teach themselves. And once they do, their situation will improve. They’ll be able to teach their children better than they were taught.
You don’t become rich just by working hard
Hard work can help you get through the day, the month or even the year. But if you want to succeed in the long-term, you’ve got to look at the long term. You need to find ways to move forward, and you need to have the necessary mentality to achieve your dreams.
Pick your friends carefully
As most of my readers already know, I like making a point of choosing the right company. Because let’s face it – most of the people living in poverty are sad and depressed. They’ve given up on their dreams. They’re the type of people to say “you can’t do it” or “why even bother”. They’re the type of people who are going to bring you down, rather than prop you up. Of course, I’m not saying that you should abandon all of your friends, just because they aren’t focused on “success”. I’m merely suggesting that you look for sources of inspiration and actively work on your mentality to avoid getting dragged down.
You can’t help those who don’t want to help themselves
If you’re trying to get out of poverty, you should only rely on yourself and your abilities. You can’t expect someone to just come down from the sky and fix everything for you. Because, well, that doesn’t really happen in real life.
Spend your time on improving yourself, on learning new things and on looking for opportunities.
Success isn’t just down to luck
Yes, I know that it looks like some people manage to get out of poverty thanks to luck, but believe me – that’s not the case. Even if you win £1 000 000 from the lottery or something along those lines, this won’t be enough to help you fix your life. Not unless you back it up with solid financial decisions, efficient spending, and, most importantly – smart investment choices.
Consumerism will only hold you back
If you’re struggling with your financial situation, try to limit your consumption. Every day, people go out and buy tons of products, just for the tiny dopamine rush that it gives them. And I’m not talking about necessities here. I’m talking about products that nobody needs or even has any real use for. One of the first steps on the road to success is breaking free of your consumerist habits.
Being poor is expensive
I know that this may sound weird at first, but it all makes sense once you really think about it. If you don’t have money, any unforeseen expense, any “emergency” spending can completely turn your entire world upside down. Any budgeting that you might’ve done, any plans that you might’ve had can get ruined by a single unfortunate event. For most people, this means taking loans, going further into debt, or opening the door to even more significant expenses down the line. If you ignore them long enough, even the simplest of issues (like a dental problem for example) can turn into big problems that cost a lot of money or force you to take time off from working on your plans. Which just pushes you further from achieving your goal.
Think long-term
If you don’t put any work in your dreams, you’ll never get to enjoy the fruits of your labour. Money might not grow on trees in the literal sense, but consistently working on your goals Isn’t unlike planting a tree and taking care of it. You’ve got to do the research, find the correct approach, lay out your plans, get things started and then care for them over the years.
Dying poor is a choice
Getting out of poverty might be difficult and time-consuming, but it’s 100% achievable if you start early enough. For the average person, moving up a wealth bracket will take about twenty years. So, if you start at twenty, you’ll get to spend the majority of your life poverty-free. Even if you start in your forties, you’ll be able to get there by the time you’re sixty. And remember – this isn’t just about you. You’re not only doing this to provide more comfort for yourself. This is also about those who come after you – your children, your grandchildren, and so on. Your life might not have been perfect, but you can make it better for them. You can give them a head-start.
In closing
And with this, we’ve reached the end of today’s article.
In closing, I’d like to remind you that this piece is only based on my personal experience and research. I’m not your financial advisor, your life coach or some sort of guru. Always do your own research and consult with a certified professional before committing to any life-altering decisions.
What about you – have you ever had to deal with poverty? What do you think is the best course of action? Have you ever tried any of my tips? You can also check out my previous blogs such as “Plans and how to make good on them“. Leave your thoughts, ideas and experiences in the comments section below – I always love hearing from you!
Thank you all for reading, and until next time:
Stay green and motivated!
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Recommended books for further reading:
