Why your excuse for not becoming something in life is invalid
Pictures speak louder than words. So I opened with this saying to get you to grab the whole idea of what I want to tell you in this article. Because if I have followed the title with a picture full of books on mindset, personal growth, business, and success, then I’m trying to tell you something you should get at a glance.
But I get it. It’s not all of us that can understand things from the onset. So it has to take time with an explanation.
So, I’m going to do that to help you know why you have no excuse not to become something in life, irrespective of your economic hardship. Because those books in the picture are a sign, you can succeed as they provide solutions.
What the world misconstrue for being born poor
When we say someone is born poor, what’s comes to your mind?
What’s your definition of poverty? Would you say it’s the lack of resources to realize a dream? However you’ll describe it is by your perspective, which stems from your belief system.
The world has conditioned us to see poverty as a lack of resources. But I’m hoping you can change that perspective from this moment.
Poverty is the absence of creativity. It’s not the lack of resources.
I know you wouldn’t understand it entirely; perhaps it’s your first time hearing it. But, think of it. So many nations and individuals with abundant resources are struggling. So, the question is; why and how?
That should tell you that it’s not materially related but mental when speaking about being poor. If you have access to all the resources in the world but aren’t creative enough to use them wisely for your benefit, what will happen? It’s why we need to stop looking at poverty from a material point of view and look at it from a mental perspective.
If you are mentally disabled, or you have a disability of any kind that prevents you from thinking or doing anything, then you’re indeed poor. But, without any of the things mentioned, if your legs, hands, and mind are working perfectly, and you can move, think, and do everything a human being can do, you aren’t poor despite your lack of resources. The reason? If the economic nature of point A isn’t favoring you to become something in life, you can move to point B.
Therefore, instead of looking at poverty as the lack of material resources, which we use as an excuse for why we can’t achieve anything, we should look at it from an incapability and disability point of view.
My mind, hands, and legs are working perfectly. So, realizing that my location couldn’t help me something, I relocated to Europe, although it didn’t just happen, and I had to risk my life for it. But I did it. And I may not achieve everything I want; I am gradually achieving my dream.
So, imagine if I used an excuse and did not do anything to change? Do you think I would even get the nerve to write and talk about it and argue that how we’ve been looking at things isn’t the best, and we should change our mindset? No. I couldn’t do it. And that’s a fact.
“Poverty is a lack of creativity, not a lack of resources.” — Dr. Myles Monroe
Why your excuses are invalid
I read a quote on Twitter the other time posted by someone from Richie Norton, the author of the best-selling book; The power of starting something stupid. And it states, “Successful people don’t use the obstacles of time, education, and money as excuses…they use them as leverage to get help.”
When you read the quote, what comes to your mind? Don’t you feel ashamed to use your lack of resources as the reason you can’t be anything? I do, and I’ve to tell you the truth.
Although your excuse could be valid, so what? Can’t you amount to something? If you said yes, I’m sorry, but I’ll say you’re a wasted sperm.
There are so many people with physical anomalies who, despite their situation, are doing incredible things not only for themselves but the world. Nick Santonastasso is an example. This guy was born without legs and arms except for one arm with a finger. But, despite it all, he’s harnessing his potential to do and achieve something. He’s a model, author, speaker, and fitness enthusiast. But, you have your mind, arms, and legs working, and you’re saying you can’t amount to anything because you don’t have the material resources? Come on. You need to come again!
“He that is good for making excuses is seldom good for anything else.” — Benjamin Franklin
Start from here if you have come to terms with the reality
Now that you’ve accepted the truth and you’re willing to do something, where do you start? How do you know what to pursue with your life?
How do you differentiate what’s suitable and not suitable for you? The answer is to know thyself. What are you made up inherently? What’s your gift? What are the things you’re passionate about that, if money weren’t a problem, you’d do until the end of time? What things are you interested in that you want to see in the world? Etc.
When most people set out on life, they start with their desires. Don’t be one of them. It’s wrong. Because without an idea about ourselves — who we are, we can’t go after the right things.
Knowledge of oneself is the starting point of all successes. It’s not desire. Because it’s only when you know yourself you can choose the right things.
Therefore, you should start with self-discovery and your purpose and follow it with planning.
“The starting point of all successes is self-discovery”
Plan it out and decide how you can achieve it
Since, without proper planning, you can’t achieve anything worthwhile, no dream can pass without following a definite cause of action.
If you’d have to reach your ambitions, you’d have to create a definite plan for it, and planning it means asking yourself how you’re going to achieve it.
Here are some questions to help you; How can I achieve this dream? What resources do I need to make it happen? Whose help would I need? Do I have to take some classes to sharpen my skillset? If so, what must I study?
How many hours a day do I need to work on my goal to ensure its attainment? When can I want to achieve it? Remember, a dream without a deadline is only a dream and not a goal. You must, therefore, ensure you have a deadline for the achievement of the vision. Where must I get the things I need to fulfill them? Who are the people already doing what I want that I need to associate with for guidance and direction? Etc.
It’s when you’re asking these questions and thinking you’re activating your creativity for the achievement of the dream. It’s not ruminating on your lack of resources to do it.
When I sat in my single-room rented apartment in the winter of 2018, these were the questions I asked myself when I set out to become something. I never thought about the financial constraints. Instead, it was about looking for how I would achieve my dreams, and out of those questions, I started looking for the resources. It’s what has gotten me this far and still going. So don’t think about having the help or not. Instead, ask yourself the questions, and you’ll find a way.
Avoid this mistake most people do
The road to success isn’t straightforward. It either we don’t know about it or usually forget it.
But, when we set out to achieve our dreams, many of us think it’s a straight path.
Without encouragement, we find it challenging to keep going or quit when we discover the road isn’t straight but with lots of bumps and detours. And that’s the number one mistake we all make.
It has happened to me many times until I realized the truth.
Achieving a goal isn’t linear. Instead, it’s a rollercoaster full of ups and downs.
It comes with lots of disappointment, failures, rejection, and loneliness. It’s a journey that almost all friends and families become your enemies when you set out. There’ll be nobody to support you, and the only few who will help you will give up when it gets tricky.
So, in all of it, you want to be resolute and know that it’s a process and all the discomfort and the pain you’ll experience are part of it and stick to your ground. Because achieving a dream doesn’t just happen. It takes blood and sweat.
Something to help you while you push forward
Everybody would have been an achiever if it were easy to achieve anything worthwhile. Meaning we need something to cushion us. Something that when the going gets tough, we can fall back on for a drive.
So, what’s this thing? How do we get it? It’s simply motivation. Someone defined it as our motive-for-action. So, what’s your motive for action? Your why? You must first know it before you even set out, as it’s what will re-energize you to keep going when things get tricky.
There are also tons of inspiring and motivational messages on the internet — youtube, podcasts, and articles you can read to feed your mind to stay positive. It will always serve your interest if you never forget to reach out to people who have reached the destination for encouragement and guidance, especially with psychology because you can’t go the journey alone. It would help if you had people, and they’ll be the best to help you.
Whatever your perspective is, whether you can or can’t become something despite the lack of resources, you’re right.
But, the lack of resources doesn’t count when it comes to achievement in life. What matters is if you have the desire. And if you have it, being born poor isn’t an excuse. You can do, have, and be anything you want.
There are enough resources in today’s world to make it happen, and it starts with reading books.
If you can do it, you’ll be good to go because that’s where it all starts
By: Emmanuel A. Anderson
