I was asked by Junior Achievement to give a talk to 350 middle school students. I didn’t know how attentive the audience would be, but it went really well and I was impressed with them.
In my talk about entrepreneurship, I asked them “How many think it’s better to be rich than poor?” Most hands went up. “How many think it is better to be poor?” To my amazement, about 30 hands went up. I asked again to make sure they understood the question.
For whatever reasons, some kids were conditioned to believe that being rich is bad. (Why is another conversation.) Here’s my question – Do you think these kids will strive to be economically successful?
And so it is with us. If a part of us doesn’t like a result, despises it, is envious of it, thinks it is not good for us, etc., we will repel it in our lives.
We may look at the winners and say “Who do you think you are? You aren’t better than anyone else! You’re just lucky that’s all! You cheated. Nobody likes you….etc.” With this attitude, as much as we’d like to win, we won’t try, because we told ourselves winning is bad.
When you look at the sucessful people in your profession, sport, or town, do you say to yourself “I want to be like them?”
The 30 kids may be poor but happy with their families and have enough in life at this point. Remember middle school children can’t even remember they needed a loaf of bread between the house and store. They are still asleep.
I want to aspire and inspire people to do and be better by example as I take examples from others.
Success to me is not good or evil, it is how man uses that success that would be good or evil, just like the word and your action. It is a double edged sword to me. You can’t help more people by being poor in spirit, mind, and body, or wealth.
I am Successful ! 🙂