Poor Mentality

Many people think that being poor is a state of living, but I think that it is more a state of mind. Think about it. Most poor people settle in life and are just content with living that way of life. They only care about the pay check at the end of the week, and what they can buy with it when they get it.

Though I am not a fan or supporter of George W. Bush, we cannot blame all of our problems on him alone (Even though he made a LOT of the wrong decisions in office). The reason for a lot of the problems in our lives is that we have Bentley tastes with Hyundai money. Just because someone tells you that you are qualified for a $300,000 house doesn’t mean that you have to get one does it? Just because Macy’s offers you a credit card doesn’t mean that you have to sign for it or accept it, does it? Is it Macy’s fault if you sign for that card and max it out? It is a choice to get yourself into debt. It takes you a second to get yourself into a lifetime of debt.

Why is it that people can complain about the pay of a job and the supervisor, but they are unwilling to try and apply for the same supervisor jobs? If I work at a company then I want to be at the top because that is where the money is made and the decisions come from. I mean there are many examples such as: Instead of being a teacher, why not go for being a college Professor or The Superintendent of Education, Instead of being a LPN, why not go for being a Nurse Practitioner, Instead of being a factory worker, why not go for the Supervisor position? At least if you are going to work hard then you can make money at it and decisions, if you get what I’m saying. The problem lies in that people don’t want to be accountable and don’t want RESPONSIBILITY. Let me clue you in on something, money usually comes with some level of responsibility, so if you are not willing to accept it then don’t complain about anything.

People are so preoccupied with certain clothes labels, rims, cars, and big houses, rather than accumulation of wealth. Instead of buying all of that, why not invest in land, real estate, bank CD’s, and make your money move for you while you are working your main job? I don’t know of anyone that will turn down an extra dollar in your pocket while you are sitting in your recliner. The land is so cheap in Mississippi that it boggles my mind when I see people that don’t have any nor have any aspirations to buy any. What you don’t see is that land can be passed down through generations, and you are giving your children a leg up on life. Land is something that is you can never have too much of, and is of more value than money.

Some people in Mississippi buy a trailer to live in, which is fine, but you need to know that they do not appreciate in value. They actually depreciate in value. Why not invest in a house in Mississippi when it is only a few thousand more? Is it too much of a price to pay if you are going to get a return on your investment? The poor mentality tells you to go for the fast place to live, rather than logic kicking in and telling you to save up a few more thousand and get the house.

Some of us think that we have to finance things to get them. That is the problem that gets most people in debt. Is it a coincidence that you see more Rent-A-Center’s, Aaron’s, etc in poor neighborhoods? You pay 22 to 30 percent more than what the item is worth on top of the contract being about 1 or 2 years. So in actuality, you are paying 3 times what that item is worth. Why not save up the money and buy the item outright in a furniture store or at Wal-Mart? Ahh therein lies the root of the problem. Some people are not disciplined enough to save for that item. You have a right now mentality, and have to have it right now, rather than logic setting in and get further in debt. America is the land of the lender and home of the loans. I don’t finance anything. If you must finance anything, it should only be your house. Cars should be bought with cash. Why pay 3 or more years on a car when you could save up and have no payment or stress of paying it? You never know what could happen within those years, such as job loss, illness, or any other unforeseen expense could occur.

The bible tells us to be the lender rather than the borrower. The reason for this is because you already have enough stress with the day to day rigors of living life, so why put added fuel to the fire. People you need to learn the difference between a need and a want. A need means that something is necessary for you to live everyday. A want is something that you don’t need to live, or be happy. It is sort of like lust. You may get satisfaction out of that thing for a moment, but soon as you get it and the feeling is over, it leaves you mad that you made that decision to get it.

Most people are a product of their environment. If we don’t show our children a multi-cultural life, then how will they ever get to see it? By your being in debt, you are cheating yourself out of the life that you could be living stress free. Also, children learn by example, so if they see you making those bad choices then they are sure to follow. In turn this keeps the cycle of debt going.

Who is the White Man that is holding Black people down? Does anyone know him? I want to meet him because people always blame him for their situation. That is a cop out. That is just an excuse honestly. So the next time I hear it, I’m going to ask that person to take me to this “White Man.” No one can walk over you unless your back is bent, just remember that.

The last problem is that as parents, we need to educate our children in everything that we do. Instead of just taking them on vacations to amusement parks, why not take them to see the world, national parks, museums, zoos, and city parks. Instead of sitting them in front of the television, why not teach that kid their ABC’s, numbers, flash cards, phonics and how to read? The kid knows more rap songs than their ABC’s. You are putting your child behind years on the learning curve, and in essence handicapping your child.

People, I wrote this to make you think, rather than watching the cycle go on to the next generation. I believe that the minute you settle for less than you deserve, you get even less than you settled for. The greatest danger for most of us is not that we aim too high and miss it, but that it is too low and we reach it. Stop settling for less than what you are capable of. Remember your world is an expression of how you have used your mind. The choices you make today can and will affect you and your children’s lives in the future.

~Marks of Wisdom