Unfortunatly very few of the middle class really understand the mindset of HNWI (high net worth individuals). Let's face it, if they did, they would be up there with the top earners too. We’ve all heard the remarks: He's just lucky, born with the silver spoon in her mouth, rich people are crooks, rich people are selfish, etc. These are preconceptions with no evidence to support them.
It may be true that the rich think and act differently from the rest of us, and the differences are probably as extreme as they are numerous.
Here are five things you probably didn’t know that wealthy individuals undertake on a regular basis that the middle class fail to do.
1. Be comfortable being uncomfortable
Most people live within their comfort zone whether it be Physical, psychological or emotional comfort it's generally the primary goal of the middle-class mindset.
HNWI, on the other hand, learn at an early stage that becoming rich isn’t going to be easy. They learn to be comfortable while operating in a state of discomfort and ongoing uncertainty. The really high achievers know there’s a price to pay for attaining wealth, and believe that if they have the mental toughness to endure temporary pain, they will reap the harvest of abundant wealth.
It’s not always comfortable when you're a millionaire in the making to forge ahead when everyone around them is negative, unsupportive and cynical, yet those who are able to push forward regardless are those who reap the rewards for the rest of their lives. Make a list of the five things you must do today that are uncomfortable but will help you build your financial fortune. Wealthy people have goals, and plans to meet those goals.
2. Dream about the future
People who believe their best days are behind them rarely get rich, and they often struggle with happiness and depression. The wealthy are optimistic and future-oriented. They appreciate and learn from the past while living in the present and dreaming of the future. Self-made millionaires get rich because they’re willing to bet on themselves and project their dreams, goals, and ideas into an unknown future. Much of their planning time is spent clarifying goals that may not be realised for years, yet they patiently and painstakingly plan and imagine how their future will look and feel.
3. Be more confident
The derogatory labels and negative projections placed on the rich are endless. One of the most common is that the rich are arrogant and think they’re better than everyone else. The truth is though, successful people are confident because they repeatedly bet on themselves and are rarely disappointed. Even when they fail, they learn from the experience and quickly get back up and running. This is not arrogance, but self-assuredness in its finest form.
Successful people possess an elevated and fearless consciousness that keeps them moving towards their goals. This often doubles or triples their net worth fairly quickly due to the new efficiency in their thinking. As they move from success to success, they create a psychological tidal wave of momentum that gets stronger every day, catapulting their confidence to a level so high it is often interpreted as arrogance.
4. Money is about freedom
The most misperceived notion is that acquiring great wealth is more about showing off than creating choices. While money certainly brings status, it’s acquired mostly for the purpose of attaining personal freedom.
It’s impossible to be truly free without wealth. The middle class is controlled by employment, government, and other entities with superior resources that dictate what they can and can’t do. It’s tough to make a moral stand for freedom when you’re concerned about making your next mortgage payment.
Rich people can afford to stand up and fight oppression. They can afford to buy their way out of unhealthy work environments, bad bosses, and other unpleasant situations. When they want to raise money for business, politics, or charity, a few phone calls to their rich friends is all it takes. If they need more money, they throw a party or host an auction and charge £1,000 a ticket. Examples of how money buys freedom are all around us.
Start thinking about the freedoms you’ll gain when you are wealthy!
5. Monitor your associations
People who were fortunate enough to have a public school education like to associate with the academic elite. Just as physically fit people enjoy spending time with others who are fit. And rich people like to associate with others who are rich.
Like attracts like, yet the wealthy are often criticised for having a closed inner circle that is almost impossible to break into unless you are rich. Successful people generally agree that consciousness is contagious, and that exposure to people who are more successful has the potential to expand your thinking and catapult your income. We become like the people we associate with, and that’s why winners are attracted to winners.
In other segments of society this is accepted, but the rich have always been lambasted for their predisposition to engage the company of people with similar financial status. Millionaires think differently from the middle class about money, and there’s much to be gained by being in their company.
