Afraid to be Rich, but not Poor

Why are people afraid to take risks to be rich, but they'll suffer the consequences for being poor? This question has pondered me for two days since I had a conversation with a friend of mine who justified being poor. Her statement to me was that I'm not afraid to take risks and suffer the consequences later, but she rather suffer the consequences now being poor. Those who think that there are no risks in being poor is sadly mistaken. If you're poor and have no insurance, the risk is that your child may not be able to go to the doctor for preventive medicine or dentistry. If you're poor and you lose your job today, the risk is that you may not be able to pay your bills. I can go on and on detailing the risks in being poor. Like those that have oppressed us, we know what they can do, will do, and have done to us. The same holds true for being poor. We as a people know what being poor does for us: NOTHING.

Take a chance at being rich by taking risks and suffer the consequences of trying. Well, how do you do this? First, invest in yourself so that when opportunities present itself, you're ready. This means straightening up your credit and your finances. These are the only two factors that hinders homeownership. This can be attained through education and awareness. Second, educate yourself so that you can seek higher financial opportunities. Third, be aware of when opportunities present itself. Too often I see people waiting on opportunities not knowing it just passed them by because they weren't ready to receive it. Finally, learn to sacrafice for what you want. To obtain riches, you may have to forego temporary luxuries such as shopping for unnecessary clothes, buying cars you can't afford, and eating out everyday. Buy what you need, what you can afford, and take a sandwich to work for lunch.

Some may ask, what does it mean to be rich? To clarify, when I speak of richness, I'm referring to financial riches. The definition of wealth is having enough assets to pay your debt. What you should be thinking now is how do you get enough assets? Assets are those tangeble things that has a value. Fixed assets normally include items such as land, buildings, plants, and machinery. Invest in these things and other assets so that you can build up your wealth.