This Has Everything To Do With Whether You Are Rich, Poor, Or Middle Class

Nothing irks me more than foolish, ignorant folk who benefit from the success of billionaires (like Gina Rinehart) but are too unaware to realise it. And instead they join in the billionaire bashing encouraged by our socialist Treasurer Mr Swan.

I’m talking about Australians who live in one of the wealthiest countries on the planet, yet despise the rich.

I mean they get things: a great life, steady jobs, an amazing country to live in compared to majority of the world, as a result of the success of people like Gina Rinehart. Who, through sheer determination and effort over decades, has turned a dream into a reality that’s benefiting all Australians.

It’s clearly stupid to attack the hand that feeds you.

It’s also a sad indication of one’s personal attitude towards money.

You see in the past, before I decided to take charge of my financial future, I too used to harbour feelings of jealousy and negative connotations toward those who had more than me, or were considered “rich “.

I can remember, even as a kid living on a farm, if we saw a flash car drive up the road my brothers and I would say to each other:

“I bet they’re drug dealers or stole the next door neighbour’s cattle.”

I mean where did such a poor attitude toward money, and those who appear well off, stem from?

The reality is, it’s from cultural conditioning, a collective cultural attitude toward money in general.

What about the abuse we hurl at those who stick their head above the crowd, known as “Tall Poppy Syndrome”.

Some say it’s from our convict past.

The negative aspect of this flipside to the likability part of Australian culture; everyone is equal and no one is better then anyone else.

But when this cultural conditioning becomes rampant, and is encouraged by leaders such as Treasurer Swan, it can have dangerous repercussions for our future.

I’m not just talking about class warfare.

I’m talking about the financial costs to our future prosperity as a nation and individually if we harbour these limited, dangerous, ignorant views about money and those who have it.

You see I changed my cultural conditioning about money 17 years ago.

I changed the way I viewed successful, wealthy people as well. Instead of begrudging them I started to become inspired by some of them.

I thought, “If they can do it, maybe I can do it”.

Long story short: by changing my cultural conditioning about money, and my negative feelings toward those who had it… over time my own finances changed from being poor, to well off, to becoming rich.

In fact my financial results changed rapidly.

Could it be what was holding me back financially 17 years ago, until I changed, was simply my incorrect, ignorant, negative thoughts about money and those who had it?

I’d say 80% of it was exactly that.

You see I’ve been poor. I’ve been middle class. And I’ve been rich.

So I can relate to all levels because I’ve been there.

My point is: what would it have cost me to maintain my negative, ignorant perception about money and those who have it?

I can tell you.

It would have cost me my dreams.

My life.

Everything.

So what is it costing others who’ve never made a commitment to let go of false, negative, ignorant, unhealthy cultural beliefs about money and people like Gina Rinehart and others who have it?

I’d dare say it’s costing them their dreams.

It’s holding them back from their full potential.

And if I was to ask what this is collectively costing Australia, as a nation…

I’d say, a lot.

It’s limiting, and holding back our potential.

And it’s threatening our entire future.

We can’t just rely on the good fortune of the rise of China (that’s created our mining boom and helped Australians enjoy a high standard of living compared to rest of the world) and delude ourselves, as Treasurer Swan does, that the reason we’ve done better than others is the Government’s good economic management, when largely it’s been China’s good economic management.

That’s a huge, ego driven mistake to make, and one with harsh consequences.

One that will spur policies that cause wealth destruction to be created and implemented, like the mining tax, and carbon tax, and so on.

Many will argue the minerals in the ground belong to all Australians, as some sort of justification to bash mining magnates like Gina Rinehart and others.

What these people fail to accept is the reality that, while that may well be true, without the drive, skill, determination, and yes even luck, the mining billionaires use, coupled with their god given talents, decades of work, massive amounts of capital and risk to make it possible to get those minerals out of the ground and shipped to market … without that there is no wealth for the nation to share in.

I mean if it’s the nation’s wealth, why aren’t Government mining companies making it happen?

Because the wealth in the ground has little value without the entrepreneurial skills, risk, capital, and teamwork better suited to people like Gina Rinehart, who’s had a vision for almost 40 years, shared by her late father, to make it happen.

You see if Australians maintain a negative attitude toward money and the wealthy, it enables master manipulators like Treasurer Swan and union leaders to manipulate the poorer, lower economic class in Australia to be enraged at the wealth of these mining billionaires. In turn, creating class warfare, all in the name of using them (the poorer, lower economic class) to vote for and keep them (master manipulators) in power under the message, “We’ll confiscate the wealth of these people and give it to you”.

By playing this dangerous game it not only has treacherous consequences for the nation’s future but it also enslaves the individual into a dangerous entrapment of blame, excuses, and denial about why their life isn’t better.

Exactly where I was 17 years ago, until I had a wake up call and realised the brutal truth.

And that was: I was not a victim.

I was living in blame, making excuses for lack of results, and in denial about what it truly takes to do well financially.

And if I wanted to change my life’s (and my financial) circumstances, the change had to start with me and begin with what was between my two ears.

I needed to look in the mirror and consider that as long as I projected such negative thoughts about money and those who were wealthy, and as long as I was angry and deluding myself, thinking somehow they were the reason I was poor, then it was me and only me holding myself back.

And yes, back then (because of my difficult financial circumstances: sleeping on a friends couch in Sydney $150,000 in debt with no job or future prospects, and facing bankruptcy) I too would’ve been vulnerable to a message like Treasurer Swan’s. That it’s not my fault but the fault of rich; people like Gina Rinehart. “So vote for us and we’ll take the money off them and give it to you.”

But I’m glad I saw the truth and changed my thinking.

Changed my attitude to one of gratitude.

One of self-accountability and responsibility.

One of action, taking a risk, and having a go.

One of accepting no excuses, nor relying on or expecting a Government hand out.

One of investing into my financial and life education, sadly one I wasn’t taught at school.

One of studying success.

One of facing failure.

One of being inspired by the success stories of those who had made so much of their lives and contributed so much to others.

You see that was the turning point in my life.

And I’m a richer person today as a result. Not just financially but emotionally and spiritually.

My wish is the same for many more Australians.

Because the alternative is to allow the lie spread by those with extreme socialist views, like Treasurer Swan, to continue to be spread and create unnecessary class warfare, and to fool people into believing, “The way your life will improve is by not changing a thing.

Just vote for us.

Keep us in power.

And we’ll invent and implement taxes to confiscate the wealth from the producers in our country and give it to you.

Well give it to you because you’d never have it otherwise.

Because it’s somehow outside your control and without a Government to give it to you, you’ll go without.

You are a victim.

You are helpless.

It’s not your fault.

It’s just the way things are.”

It’s called, ineptocracy:

“A system of government where the least capable to lead are elected by the least capable of producing, and where the members of society least likely to sustain themselves or succeed, are rewarded with goods and services paid for by the confiscated wealth of a diminishing number of producers.”

My wish for each Australian is, they hear the truth.

Don’t be fooled by those peddling lies so you give them your vote.

I’m here to say, all Australians can have a better life.

Can prosper and live their dreams.

Not everyone may become a billionaire like Gina Rinehart, or even a millionaire. But everyone has the ability to do well.

And this country needs those that create wealth because ultimately they’re creating wealth for all of us.

Not by confiscation but by adding value to society and ultimately our economy, with their creation of jobs and growth of companies.

I’m glad I changed my thinking 17 years ago.

My millionaire mentor always said:

“Jamie you can try being rich. If you don’t like it, you can always go back to being poor”.

So far I’ve not decided to go back.

For many, my story of success from humble beginnings will inspire them to be more, achieve more, contribute and give more.

Unfortunately, for some in this country, my story and my becoming rich will infuriate, and make them feel negative toward me, and others who are classified as “rich”.

And sadly it’s that very thinking and those feelings keeping them and our country where it is.

Let’s spread this article and see exactly how people feel about wealth…

Jamie McIntyre is the founder of the 21st Century Group of companies and CEO of 21st Century Education. He is also bestselling author, successful entrepreneur, investor, sought after success coach, internationally renowned speaker and world-leading educator. www.jamiemcintyre.com

Jamie McIntyre is the founder of the 21st Century Group of companies and CEO of 21st Century Education. He is also bestselling author, successful entrepreneur, investor, sought after success coach, internationally renowned speaker and world-leading educator. http://www.jamiemcintyre.com

Author Bio: Jamie McIntyre is the founder of the 21st Century Group of companies and CEO of 21st Century Education. He is also bestselling author, successful entrepreneur, investor, sought after success coach, internationally renowned speaker and world-leading educator. www.jamiemcintyre.com

Category: Opinions
Keywords: attitude, Australia, country, gina rinehart, treasurer swan, wayne swan, wealth