Developing a world-class mindset requires many things; including seeing the world from both sides of the economic spectrum. Watch this short video I taped in Beverly Hills, California and I’ll look forward to your comments. Steve Siebold (2:39)
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I am, then, on my way to be world class 🙂
Mike Jacobi makes an excellent point. Poverty in America is not nearly as haunting as other countries. However, if you don’t have any other point of reference, then poverty can be looked at negatively or as a means to an end – a destination.
Having coached very wealthy and successful people as well as those who were impoverished, I learned that some individuals who lived in poverty were happy and lived fulfilled lives because of the way they thought about things. They were rich with family, friends, and faith. They managed to get by day-to-day.
I’ve also known ultra rich and wealthy people who felt that they weren’t wealthy enough. They felt that they needed to strive for more money and power. Again, it’s a mindset and a choice that each of us has to make.
When a person becomes comfortable, they also become complacent. Complacency will always keep you where you’re at in life. If you want something more, take action. Money always follows action!
EDIT: …..because others will be lining up to join you in a happier life “to obtain financial security and stability.”
It happens that I have seen and experienced the highs and lows of the economic spectrum. Its a good feeling to be able to identify each persons individual needs based on the levels of the hierarchy of needs as explained by Abraham Maslow. Some people can be rewarded in order to motivate based their needs at specific times. Everyone’s needs are different at different times and level of their lives. Some are rewarded by ribbons, and token awards and others needs are at a much higher level.
What can you do? Give to others without the expectation of a return. But: give only to those who accept your gifts. When you are self actualized you don’t need to meet your daily needs, feel important, seek social contacts, plan for tomorrow, require more money, seek love and understanding because others will be lining up to join you in a happier life.
What I strive for is balance in my life. Experiencing both ends helps you find the balance that is right for you in your life.
Another great blog Steve. I have seen both ends with the clients I train at Lifelong Fitness. And along with their health. I have been on both ends of the spectrum with my health. I agree that it will help you to understand both sides with a much deeper meaning.
You have to know where you stand in this world in order to truly make an informed decision as to where you want to go and how to get there. To understand both sides of the spectrum helps you to develop an understanding and sometimes empathy for different situations. I feel the true blessing in life comes from helping others and to help others we have to sometimes understand different perspectives.
In my military career, I had the chance to visit many places on both ends of the spectrum. It really makes me appreciate just what we have in this country.
Thanks, Steve, for the thought=provoking question!
Wiz…
I agree that to truly appreciate what you have you have to witness/experience less. The key though is to remember the experience and grow to be a better person from that experience.
Steve,
Great post, content wise.
The background was not the best choice, as you put yourself in danger there (trying to prove mental toughness on camera, I guess)
What if you had some pictures of both sides of the spectrum, abject poverty and lavish opulence, the once that make you puke or turn green with envy (schadenfreude is the word, I believe), and then see how many mentally non-tough clients/customers/subscribers you would have gotten.
Your Partner in success
Mitch
954-707-0077 Cell
Mate… I think you may have to take a little care hanging around Beverly Hills… you’re looking extraordinarily like a 21st century Jethro Bodine!
I was expecting Granny Clampett to come around the corner and start beating you with her broom!
oh, and great post. Profound edification.
hey… was that Jed’s new truck in the background?
We are the sum of our experiences.
The “World” is much different than “USA” as we live in belief it can be better.
There are many in the world who never obtain that belief. With Hope you can dream and aspire, motivators to change. Without Hope the motivators are lacking, then change from Luck of the Draw or other outside forces, not from within.
The human spirit is a powerful thing it just needs to feel something is possible
I have been poor and rich. Poor sucks. Rich is better. Rich with empthy and compassion is best, of which I learned from my poor season of life.
I was just in Beverly Hills yesterday, and I have done mission work in Mexico a few times. I’m somewhere in the middle right now, but a year ago we were going to have our house forclosed upon. But I made smart changes, worked my butt off, and pulled my family out of it–with NO government help!
Such a good reminder. As always, it helps to keep things in perspective. When I used to think about my economic position, I would think of being somewhere between rich and poor. But now that I’m more aware, I ask: Compared to what?
Both Ms. Lynn and Mr. Jacobi make excellent points about how fortunate we are in the United States. There are very few people in this country who live in true poverty compared to the living situation of many throughout the rest of the world.
Steve,
Most Americans, unless they have traveled extensively, have never seen real poverty. What is considered poor in this country, is middle class in most in the rest of the world.
For a year I grew up in a refugee camp in West Germany, three families in one room. Actually these were former military barracks, so kitchen, shower, bathrooms all somewhere on the floor. We got lucky to eat meat every other week, except at my grandfather’s house, I never saw a TV or phone, actually we never had either until I was almost 18.
Susi grew up in the rubber plantation in Malaysia. Her father died when she was 7. The mother had to feed 13 children, with little retirement money. Most of the time they couldn’t even afford shoes, let alone meat. Most days were just rice and then rarely enough not to be hungry. And when I visited there the first time, in some areas of the country that hadn’t changed much.
As you know, before the refugee camp, we lived in communist East Germany, later next to it.
It takes all these experiences to really and fully appreciate the great life and freedoms we have in this country. There is a daily attitude of gratitude that runs very deep. And it is a very strong emotional motivator to succeed in life, as you not just have seen, but experienced the bottom so you are really ready for the top!
Mike
I was doing some travel research the other day and happened to come across an old article on Haiti. It was a very difficult article to read and yet I now feel compelled to go there for no other reason than exactly what you bring up here – to gain perspective. I’ve been in the middle class bubble for so long that when I read about people over there surviving on what was bascially a mud pie – literally eating dried up mud shaped into a circle – it was like a huge smack in the face as to what poverty actually means. Suddenly the days I spent as a “poor college student” were a lie. I was never poor, not even close!
And what I love about seeing the other side of the spectrum, meeting people of the world-class, is that living where I do . . . suddenly no one seems that wealthy anymore either! It’s actaully kind of funny and has allowed me to have a sense of humor when handling some of our more difficult members at my job.
Anyway, just that one article has developed a greater compassion, appreciation, and awareness of my own surroundings within myself. Perspective is a life changer for sure and Matt is right – I know a lot of people that never would have even made it through the first paragraph of that article. One must certainly be willing to . . . what is that you say Steve? . . . “get comfortable being uncomfortable.” Yup, it’s all so so true. When you avoid seeing all sides of the spectrum you’re essintially stunting your own growth which is actually quite sad. . .
I believe in mental toughness but there are other qualities to develop to be a great human being. Putting all the emphasis on money is unfortunate. Having success and making a success of one’s life are not necessarily the same.
The more anyone experiences the better in terms of acquiring awareness….
….yet if there is not an inherent desire to see, really see, what is going on with an attempt to understand, it won’t matter.
“You can lead a man to the mirror, but you can not make him look and see.”
May reality rule…
Thanks Steve!!!
Indeed, having lived at both sides at the spectrum most certainly brings experience and a deep understanding.
I believe that extending the principle to other aspects of life is mostly true. A silly example to make my point could be… good things to eat. I don’t believe that I necessarily have to go out and eat manure to fully appreciate the wonderful taste of ice cream. Good food can be appreciated with out having horrific food, in my opinion.
The trick then, would be to find a way to adequately have that “world class” set of thinking, even when at times it would not be a good idea to partake of both sides of the isle.
Obviously this isn’t true for all cases either. I believe that in many cases both ideas are true. Great ideas and great blog!