Wealth File #5 - Focus on Opportunities

Rich people "focus on opportunities."
Poor people "focus on obstacles."

Once you learn to focus on recognizing and using opportunities in the presence of challenges, you've successfully integrated one of the secrets of the millionaire mind into your way of thinking!

Finding opportunities for positive growth will pave the way to a fully integrated wealth mindset.

Rich people see chances and/or opportunities that can lead to success or more wealth while poor people see barriers to attaining success or becoming wealthy.

Rich people see possible ways to grow.

On the other hand, poor people are thinking of what they are about to lose.

Rich people see the rewards while poor people dwell on the risks they will be taking.

This comparison leads us to the age-old question, “Is the glass half empty or half full?”

We’re not referring to thinking in a positive way.

Instead, we’re talking about your usual outlook on the world.

Poor people make choices based on fear.

Their minds are too busy searching for what is wrong or could go wrong in any situation.

Their primary mindset is “What if it doesn’t work?” or, more often, “It won’t work.”

Middle-class people on the other hand have a slightly more hopeful attitude.

Their mindset is “I sure hope this works.”

Rich people, as we’ve mentioned earlier, face the consequences of their decisions and act upon the mindset “It will work because I’ll make it work.”

Rich people aim to succeed. They are confident in their abilities and their creativity.

They believe that should the doo-doo hit the fan, they can find another way to make things happen.

In general, the more risk you take the higher the reward you will get.

Since rich people focus on opportunities all the time, they are more than willing to take risks.

They believe that if things get really bad, they can earn their money back.

On the contrary, poor people expect failure to happen.

Their confidence is low and they don’t trust in themselves or their abilities.

Poor people believe that if things don’t happen according to plan, it would ruin everything.

Because poor people repeatedly see hardships and barriers, they are usually too scared of taking risks.

No risk means no reward.

Take note that being willing to risk doesn’t necessarily mean that you are willing to lose.

Rich people take educated risks.

This means that before making decisions, they research and do their due diligence.

The decisions they make are purely based on solid information and facts.

Now, does it take forever for rich people to get educated?

No.

They try to do what they can in the shortest time possible, then make an informed decision whether to go for it or not.

Although poor people sometimes say they are preparing for an opportunity, what they’re usually doing is stalling.

They’re scared to death, hemming, and hawing for weeks, months, and even years on end, and by then it is usually too late.

The opportunity is usually lost even before any action has been taken.

Then they rationalize the situation by saying, “I was getting ready.” Sure enough, but while they were “getting ready,” the rich guy got in, got out, and made another fortune.

I am the type of person who values self-responsibility and what I’m about to say may probably sound a little odd.

However, I do believe that what many people call luck has something to do with getting rich, or, for that matter, with being successful at anything.

There is less than a minute left in a football game and the opposing team’s player was groping on your own one-yard line which gave your team a chance to take over and win the game.

Also, in golf, the errant shot may hit an out-of-bounds tree and bounce back onto the green, just three inches from the hole.

In business, how many times has it occurred that a guy invested some money in a piece of land in a remote area, and ten years after that, some corporation decides to put up a shopping center or office building on it?

The investor gets wealthy.

So, was it a brilliant business move on his part or absolute luck?

In my idea, I would guess that it’s a combination of both.

The point is, without luck—or anything else worthwhile—nothing will come your way if you will not work for it.

To be financially successful, you have to act and do something or probably buy something, or start something.

And when you do, is it luck, or is it the universe or a higher power providing you with a blessing as a reward for having the courage and commitment to go for it? As far as I’m concerned, who cares what it is.

It happens!

Source: Secrets of the Millionaire Mind T. Harv Eker © 2003