10 Things Poor People Do That the Rich Don’t

1. Distracting Media

• Free time usage:
  • Poor: Watching TV, playing video games, scrolling social media (decreases motivation and productivity).
  • Rich: Mentally restorative activities (reading, journaling).
• Reasons: Access to educational and motivational resources limited for poor people.
• Misconception: It's not about laziness but about availability of healthy lifestyle choices and lack of different teachings.

2. Financial Comfort

• Risk-Taking:
  • Rich: More likely to take financial risks due to having a safety net.
  • Poor: Likely to stay in comfort zones due to high stakes (risking basic needs).
• Examples:
  • Rich can recover from a bad investment without major lifestyle changes.
  • Poor risk affecting their basic survival and essential needs.

3. Narrow Knowledge

• Information Sources:
  • Poor: Rely on social media and television (narrow, biased views).
  • Rich: Access to journals, books (broader horizons).
• Impact: Better, fuller understanding for the rich due to diverse information sources.

4. Careless Spending

• Financial Management:
  • Poor: Less likely to keep track of money.
  • Rich: Understand and monitor every dollar, use apps, asset managers.
• Examples:
  • Rich pay bills on time, avoid interest, and manage debts.
  • Poor may miss payments and incur extra costs.
• Context: Lack of access to financial education and manipulative financial systems impact the poor.

5. Missing Windows

• Productivity Windows:
  • Poor: Often too busy, missing opportunities for self-improvement.
  • Rich: Use structured routines to find productivity windows.
• Effect: Rich can use even small free time efficiently for long-term change.

6. Hourly Value

• Productivity Measurement:
  • Poor: Productivity judged by hours worked (hourly wages).
  • Rich: Productivity judged by accomplished goals/tasks (salaried positions).
• Benefit: Rich have a better sense of progress and future tasks.

7. Time Mismanagement

• Perception of Time:
  • Poor: Reflect negatively on perceived unproductive time.
  • Rich: Spend time planning for the future, experiment with time management.
• Reason: Stability allows rich more freedom to develop effective time-management strategies.

8. Good Intentions

• Success Approach:
  • Poor: Believe in success through willpower and intentions (limited by motivation fade).
  • Rich: Rely on strict habits and routines for consistent progress.
• Method: Productivity as a daily habit allows for progress despite motivation levels.

9. Source of Income

• Job Choice:
  • Poor: Prioritize jobs for income stability.
  • Rich: Pursue jobs driven by passion and inspiration.
• Outcome: Rich see their jobs as meaningful careers, not just income sources.

10. Poor Company

• Social Circles:
  • Poor: Often surrounded by people with similar habits and attitudes, which can be discouraging.
  • Rich: Network with other wealthy individuals, access to knowledge, connections, opportunities.
• Impact: Social connections importantly affect attitudes toward success, but cultural barriers exist for poor to connect with higher achievers.

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