# 7 main differences between rich and poor people???



## vancouver (Dec 13, 2011)

7 Main Differences Between Rich And Poor People » The Millionaire Secrets


*1. Rich people believe that they create their lives while poor people believe that life happens to them.* 

Can you see why rich and successful people are able to create amazing results in their life right now?

It is simply because they are in control of their lives. They believe that they are the ones who are responsible for their lives, they are the ones who is creating their future, not the economy or the knowledge or luck.

On the other hand, poor people will always give excuses and blame on the circumstances. When they failed in their business, they will blame the economy, their boss, their family or anything that did not go according to their plan.

Whenever you believe that life happens to you, you will lose the power to change and the power to control your future. You must believe that you’re the one who is creating your future, not other people or events.


*2. Rich people play the money game to win but poor people play the money game just not to lose money.* 

This is a big mindset difference.

Have you ever seen people invest in the stock market? Some people are so afraid that they will lose their money and they form a mindset that blocks their creativity. They formed the mindset of ‘investing not to lose the money’.

However, rich and successful people know exactly how they need to think in order to win the game of money. They will think and act from the view of playing the game to win. Unlike poor people, they will never invest just not to lose the money.


*3. Rich people think and focus on opportunities while poor people focus on obstacles.* 

When you face with problems, what are you focus on?

Are you focus on the problems, thinking how bad the situation is going to be? Or are you focusing on the solution and thinking about how you can solve or even turn the situation into opportunity?

Think about this carefully. No matter who you are, you will definitely face with all kinds of choices in your life. And when you need to decide to move on, try to notice on you thinking, what do you focus on, the solution, or the problem?


*4. Rich people dare to dream big, poor people think small.* 

When I tell my parents that I want to make a million dollar, they will tell me, “Why do you need so much money? You can live a very good lifestyle if you got a job that has a good pay. You don’t need to be a millionaire.”

I don’t know about you, but this statement happens to me all the time. And I definitely believe that poor people will tend to think small while rich people always think big.

To poor people, they will think that rich people are greedy because they always think big. Is it true that you are being greedy if you think big? I don’t know if I buy this, but to me, I’ll think of it as a waste if you’re not using the resources available (your thinking) to you at full.

Don’t you owe it to everyone around you to create a better life for them? Don’t you want your family to live good? So think big and create the abundance lifestyle for these people right now.


*5. Rich people are committed to their dreams, poor people are just dreaming about their dreams.* Yes, this is an obvious one.

If you’re not committed to be rich, you can never be rich. How many times have you heard people say that they want to be rich, but they never do anything about it?

This is the mentality of poor people. They will just think about how good it is going to be if they are rich, but they will never do anything about their dreams. They know that they cannot afford a luxury car if they have a low pay job. The thing is, they never do anything to change it.

On the contrary, rich and successful people are committed toward their dreams. They will do whatever it takes, in the boundary or moral and ethics of course, to achieve their dreams.


*6. Rich people associate with rich and successful people. Poor people will associate with poor people.* 

Do you have any rich friends? Or all of your friends are poor?

I’m not suggesting that you need to stop making friends with poor people, what I’m suggesting it, try to get to know more about rich people. The more you mix with them, the more you will think like them. And if you think like them, you will start to create amazing results just like them.

If most of your friends are poor and their working salary all are below, $2,000, you will be having the same range of salary most of the time. However, if you associate with rich people who are making $2,000 in just a day, you will start to see the possibility of what you can accomplish in your life.

And this will change your thinking of what you can achieve in your life. $2,000 will become a small amount for you once you changed your mindset about money.


*7. Rich people are good learners while poor people think that they have learned everything in the world.* 

One of the fastest ways to financially abundance is to learn directly from people who have already achieved this status.

And if you’re not willing to learn, you will never be able to be successful. If you want to get the best pay, you must be the best. And the only way you can be the best is to learn from the best and learn to be the best.


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## DOMS (Dec 13, 2011)

*8. Rich people like reality. Poor people feel like they've been shit on.*


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## BillHicksFan (Dec 13, 2011)

DOMS said:


> *8. Rich people like reality. Poor people feel like they've been shit on.*



That's not true at all. I know plenty of people who are extremely happy and far from wealthy.

I also know rich people who are completely miserable.


Money merely gives us options and without options life is hard but it's impossible to buy happiness.


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## DOMS (Dec 13, 2011)

BillHicksFan said:


> That's not true at all. I know plenty of people who are extremely happy and far from wealthy.
> 
> I also know rich people who are completely miserable.
> 
> ...



True, but I think that, overall, a certain amount of wealth is needed to have the option of enjoying life. At times when I was poor, I was happy, but it was never when I was starving or homeless.


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## BillHicksFan (Dec 13, 2011)

Absolutely. With wealth comes opportunity to do the things we want. I too have lived in worlds of both wealth and poverty. When both of these stages in my life were at their peak it became clear what the most important things in life were.

Money can't buy happiness and love can't pay the bills. A medium needs to be found in order for anybody to be happy. If you have an abundance of both then you are truly one of the wealthiest people in the world.

Just my opinion.


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## DOMS (Dec 13, 2011)

BillHicksFan said:


> Absolutely. With wealth comes opportunity to do the things we want. I too have lived in worlds of both wealth and poverty. When both of these stages in my life were at their peak it became clear what the most important things in life were.
> 
> Money can't buy happiness and love can't pay the bills. A medium needs to be found in order for anybody to be happy. If you have an abundance of both then you are truly one of the wealthiest people in the world.
> 
> Just my opinion.


All good points, but I can't help but think of a quote from Tosh, "You can't frown on a WaveRunner."


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## vancouver (Dec 13, 2011)

BillHicksFan said:


> Absolutely. With wealth comes opportunity to do the things we want. I too have lived in worlds of both wealth and poverty. When both of these stages in my life were at their peak it became clear what the most important things in life were.
> 
> Money can't but happiness and love can't pay the bills. A medium needs to be found in order for anybody to be happy. If you have an abundance of both then you are truly one of the wealthiest people in the world.
> 
> Just my opinion.


 
Actually, money can buy happiness and it as been proven countless times by many universities. I do get what you are say though and agree. 

Money makes good people better and bad people worse.

This thread really is about the rich persons mindset though, whether happy or not. This said, the studies I mentioned show this same mindset is why rich people also tend to be happy people, this and access to better health.

Not a lot of people realize that 80% of millionaires in the U.S. are self made. I'm sure there are plenty in the 20% that a miserable, but I'm betting there are far fewer in the 80%...


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## DOMS (Dec 13, 2011)

vancouver said:


> Money makes good people better and bad people worse.



Very nicely said.


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## TonyMack (Dec 13, 2011)

I worked for someone worth over $100 million and he was the most miserable person I ever met. Absolute crook, played every deal to be the sole winner and didn't want anyone to make a decent living. He was only satisfied if he fucked everyone involved. 

The worst 3 years of my life. Before I worked for him I thought I wanted to be rich. Changed my views on wealth and happiness. Now I have a very clear picture: The best things in life cannot be bought or sold.


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## Chubby (Dec 13, 2011)

*"Who is rich? He that is content. Who is that? Nobody." 
~Benjamin Franklin 

*
​


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## BillHicksFan (Dec 13, 2011)

DOMS said:


> "You can't frown on a WaveRunner."



 



vancouver said:


> Money makes good people better and bad people worse.



That does seem to the truth.


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## LAM (Dec 13, 2011)

"Income???s Influence on Happiness"
By Staff

People???s life evaluations rise steadily with income, but the reported quality of emotional daily experience levels off at a certain income level, according to a new study by two Princeton University professors, published online this week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).

Angus Deaton, the Dwight D. Eisenhower Professor of International Affairs and Professor of Economics and International Affairs, and Daniel Kahneman, the Eugene Higgins Professor of Psychology and Professor of Psychology and Public Affairs (Emeritus), analyzed over 450,000 responses to a daily survey of 1,000 randomly selected U.S. residents and found that while life evaluation rose steadily with annual income, the quality of the respondents??? everyday experiences did not improve beyond approximately $75,000 a year.  

As the study suggests, emotional well being refers to the emotional quality of an individual???s everyday experience and is assessed by the respondents??? report of the time spent in certain positive and negative emotional states the previous day. Life evaluation refers to a person???s thoughts about his or her life and is measured by respondents??? rating of their lives on a ladder scale of zero to ten.

???We find that emotional well being and life evaluation have different correlates in the circumstances of people???s lives. In particular, we observe striking differences in the relationship of these aspects of well being to income,??? the authors note in the study.

As income decreased from $75,000, respondents reported decreasing happiness and increasing sadness and stress. The data suggest that the pain of life???s misfortunes, including disease, divorce, and being alone, is exacerbated by poverty.    

???We conclude that lack of money brings both emotional misery and low life evaluation; similar results were found for anger,??? write the authors in the report. ???Beyond $75,000 in the contemporary United States, however, higher income is neither the road to experienced happiness nor the road to the relief of unhappiness or stress, although higher income continues to improve individuals??? life evaluations.???  

The study does not imply that a financial increase will not improve the quality of life, but suggests that above a certain income level, people???s emotional wellbeing is constrained by other factors, such as temperament and life circumstances.

The take home message of the study is that high incomes don???t bring you happiness, but they do bring you a life that you think is better.  

Noted WWS Dean Christina Paxson, ???This is a very important study. The findings are robust, based on an incredible data source provided by the Gallup Organization and the Healthways Corporation ??? a survey of 450,000 people that, for the first time, distinguishes between two important types of subjective well being, which turned out to be critical for the findings.???  

To read the article in its entirety online, go to: High income improves evaluation of life but not emotional well-being



http://wws.princeton.edu/news/Income_Happiness/Happiness_Money_Report.pdf

http://wws.princeton.edu/news/Income_Happiness/Happiness_Money_Summary.pdf


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## meow (Dec 14, 2011)

The difference is in their mentality.  Rich people know they can,  poor people think they can't.


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## Dale Mabry (Dec 14, 2011)

I sort of agree with a few of them.  Primarily, I think happiness is linked to achievement.  I imagine most people who build their fortune on their own are very happy, whereas inherited wealth brings many problems, not the least of which is an absentee parent/parents.


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## Zaphod (Dec 14, 2011)

I've got everything I'll ever need or want.  Three wonderful children and a wonderful wife.  As long as I have those I'm all set.  Having money just makes life a little easier.


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## ALBOB (Dec 14, 2011)

*9. Rich people have a lot of money, poor people don't *


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## DOMS (Dec 14, 2011)

LAM said:


> The study does not imply that a financial increase will not improve the quality of life, but suggests that above a certain income level, people???s emotional wellbeing is constrained by other factors, such as temperament and life circumstances.http://wws.princeton.edu/news/Income_Happiness/Happiness_Money_Summary.pdf



This state is "win." 

What it's saying is that money alone can't bring happiness, but it certainly sets the foundation for a person that's in touch with themselves.


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## ebn2002 (Dec 14, 2011)

#10.  Rich people put in the effort to get rich that poor people do not.


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## Chubby (Dec 14, 2011)

ALBOB said:


> *9. Rich people have a lot of money, poor people don't *


Drug smugglers, bank robbers and terrorist also have lot of money.


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## ALBOB (Dec 14, 2011)

Chubby said:


> Drug smugglers, bank robbers and terrorist also have lot of money.




If we're talking purely monetarily, then I'd call them rich.


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## Chubby (Dec 14, 2011)

ALBOB said:


> If we're talking purely monetarily, then I'd call them rich.


Yes, you guys all fall in the same category.  They are not rich, they just have lots of money.


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## Dale Mabry (Dec 14, 2011)

11. Rich people do Coke, poor people do crack


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## DOMS (Dec 14, 2011)

Chubby said:


> Yes, you guys all fall in the same category.  They are not rich, they just have lots of money.


You're not retarded, you just don't have a fully functional brain.


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## Chubby (Dec 14, 2011)

DOMS said:


> You're not retarded, you just don't have a fully functional brain.


You are just a wanna be 1%.  Fake onese don't count.


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## GFR (Dec 14, 2011)

What is rich?

I think you should have put upper middle class in to replace rich.

Rich is worth 100 million or more, and most of those people got their money because of family and family connections.


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## ALBOB (Dec 14, 2011)

Chubby said:


> Yes, you guys all fall in the same category.  They are not rich, they just have lots of money.



I don't make up the definitions of words, I just use them correctly. 

rich[rich]    Origin rich   /rɪtʃ/  Show Spelled [rich]  Show IPA adjective, -er, -est,  noun 
adjective 
1. having wealth or great possessions; abundantly supplied with resources, means, or funds; wealthy: a rich man; a rich nation. 
2. abounding in natural resources: a rich territory. 
3. having wealth or valuable resources (usually followed by in ): a country rich in traditions. 
4. abounding (usually followed by in  or with ): a countryside rich in beauty; a design rich with colors. 
5. of great value or worth; valuable: a rich harvest


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## DOMS (Dec 14, 2011)

Chubby said:


> You are just a wanna be 1%.  Fake onese don't count.


When did I say I was a 1%? Also, are you intimating that only the 1% should have an opinion on what constitutes being wealthy? 

Should you be drinking a cup of bleach, anyway?


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## Chubby (Dec 14, 2011)

Dale Mabry said:


> 11. Rich people do Coke, poor people do crack


Drugs build muscle, while cokes make you fat.


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## LAM (Dec 14, 2011)

GeorgeForemanRules said:


> What is rich?
> 
> I think you should have put upper middle class in to replace rich.
> 
> Rich is worth 100 million or more, and most of those people got their money because of family and family connections.



many don't understand that.  to the super-rich there is no difference between a millionaire and person on TANF or food stamps, etc. as in comparison both of them are poor.


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## Zaphod (Dec 14, 2011)

ebn2002 said:


> #10.  Rich people put in the effort to get rich that poor people do not.



Yes, indeed!


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## Chubby (Dec 14, 2011)

LAM said:


> many don't understand that. to the super-rich there is no difference between a millionaire and person on TANF or food stamps, etc. as in comparison both of them are poor.


yes, they may have lots of money but they are mentally very poor.


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## vancouver (Dec 14, 2011)

GeorgeForemanRules said:


> What is rich?
> 
> I think you should have put upper middle class in to replace rich.
> 
> Rich is worth 100 million or more, and most of those people got their money because of family and family connections.


 
Perhaps it should be top 1%. I don't agree that rich is 100 million. 5 million is pretty stinking rich in some parts of the western world, but I supose not in Hong Kong.

The top 1% in America make $516,633 annually

In NYC, it's 3.7 million

Where Zaphod lives, it's about 50K; that get's you a GMC Jimmy with 22's and a double wide!!!


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## awhites1 (Dec 14, 2011)

why does anyone care about the differances between rich people and poor people?


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## DOMS (Dec 14, 2011)

awhites1 said:


> why does anyone care about the differances between rich people and poor people?


It's usually the "have nots" bitching about the "haves." 

Plus, if you happen to be poor, understanding how the rich became rich may help you find the way to become rich as well.


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## awhites1 (Dec 14, 2011)

DOMS said:


> It's usually the "have nots" bitching about the "haves."



yeah that's kind of what I'm getting from this but I want someone to start stating why they care about what rich people have. I have a feeling if they stop for a second realize the real reason they're concerned about it suddenly they might start to realize maybe it's not for the best reason(s).

I'm upper lower class or lower middle class, however you care to look at it. My wife is unemployed, I make around 34-36k a year, and we have a pretty busted 97 toyota 4 runner and a equally busted 04 Dodge ram (that are paid for  ). You bet I get jealous sometimes of other people driving through the suburbs from our tiny one bedroom apartment at the soccer moms in there 3,500 sq ft homes with Cadillac Escalades.

Sometimes I find myself wishing she could get a job soon that pays descent so we could get rid of that 4runner I hate so much and get me something nicer. I see people on tv or internet that become millionaires through a business they started and think why can't I do that?

If you constantly allow yourself to affected by your circumstances you're going to live a pretty miserable life. If you're focus in life is money (or sex, constant pursuit of entertainment, materialism, your job, etc) and you focus everything around those things you open yourself up to all kinds of hurt and disappointment. People don't live balanced lives anymore around old fashion values and they're paying miserably. What happen to caring about family and friends? Just being a nice person and helping other people? 

Sometimes I forget I could be living in a 3rd world country with children starving to death, or riddled with disease. Suddenly my crappy Toyota, my small one bedroom apartment, and just being able to come home to a wife that loves me doesn't seem like such a bad existence.


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## vancouver (Dec 14, 2011)

DOMS said:


> It's usually the "have nots" bitching about the "haves."
> 
> Plus, if you happen to be poor, understanding how the rich became rich may help you find the way to become rich as well.


 
^^Pretty well what he said.

Unfortunately the poor and lower middle class grow up too often in Toxic thinking  environments. They hear their parents talk about getting shafted by their bosses, the rich, etc., and this becomes a part of their persona.

I grew up in a house where my father always felt like he was getting stabbed in the back (sort of like Zaphod). In rebellion, I set out to prove him wrong; I guess it worked. Because I had some success in sports, I developed a positive outlook pretty early in life, but when I faced defeat, I reverted to my fathers way of thinking. At he age of 23, I read the book "Think and Grow Rich" by Nepoleon Hill; it changed my life. From then on, I saw failure as a learning experience; some of these failures cost me 6 figures, but I still consider it cheaper than a Harvard Education. Now 38, I have a library of success books and text books that I can stack to the ceiling. All my designations were attained from my den (not in college) and for a fraction of the cost. At the age of 23, me and my wife lived in a shity 400 sqft appartment and scrapped by for 5 years while I built my business. Today we live in 5 bedroom (4k sqft) house in a neighbourhood with 2 mil average home prices, we are still the poorest of the neighbourood, but we're only 35 and 38, most of our neighbours are 10-20 years older.

Anyway, if anyone wants a free copy of "Think and Grow Rich", I'll send it from my Hushmail account to your email account, just PM me. It's a great book. Andrew Carnegie commissioned Napoleon Hill to write a book which contained the secrets of success. Carnegie set up interviews with major successful people such as Ford, the Rockefellers, several U.S. Presidents, etc, etc. It took him 20 years to write; it was published in 1937. Most success books today are simply derivatives of this classic.

In a Fortune Mag pole, 30% of CEO's had read the book prior to attaining success...


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## DOMS (Dec 14, 2011)

awhites1 said:


> yeah that's kind of what I'm getting from this but I want someone to start stating why they care about what rich people have. I have a feeling if they stop for a second realize the real reason they're concerned about it suddenly they might start to realize maybe it's not for the best reason(s).
> 
> I'm upper lower class or lower middle class, however you care to look at it. My wife is unemployed, I make around 34-36k a year, and we have a pretty busted 97 toyota 4 runner and a equally busted 04 Dodge ram (that are paid for  ). You bet I get jealous sometimes of other people driving through the suburbs from our tiny one bedroom apartment at the soccer moms in there 3,500 sq ft homes with Cadillac Escalades.
> 
> ...



The word you referring to is, "perspective." So many people simply do not have it. Most of those that are not poor don't know just how good they have it, and most of those that are poor don't know all the options they have to make things better.

This applies within, and _between_, countries. Many people in the Western world have no idea just how bad it is in so many other places.

If you keep perspective and stay in control of your life - by setting goals and making them happen - you'll find happiness so long as you have enough to eat and a place to live.


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## vancouver (Dec 14, 2011)

awhites1 said:


> If you constantly allow yourself to affected by your circumstances you're going to live a pretty miserable life. If you're focus in life is money (or sex, constant pursuit of entertainment, materialism, your job, etc) and you focus everything around those things you open yourself up to all kinds of hurt and disappointment. People don't live balanced lives anymore around old fashion values and they're paying miserably. What happen to caring about family and friends? Just being a nice person and helping other people?


 
For wealthier people, it's not realy about the money, it's about achievement; the money is simply a consequence of their actions. The media chooses the worst exemples of wealth to paint the whole culture a certain way. The middle class buy into it hook, line and sinker...

I don't dissagree with what you say, but I doubt wealthy people spend much time thinking about their circumstances, I spend very little time looking in the rearview mirror. I think that is what this thread is about.

Money doesn't make me happy, achievement does. I've just happened to be financially rewarded at the same time. I never expected to make more than 6 figures when I started out, though my goal was that figure exactly, it just sort of happened as a result of my thinking and actions (and a lot of pain in the begin)


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## DOMS (Dec 14, 2011)

vancouver said:


> ^^Pretty well what he said.
> 
> Unfortunately the poor and lower middle class grow up too often in Toxic thinking  environments. They hear their parents talk about getting shafted by their bosses, the rich, etc., and this becomes a part of their persona.
> 
> ...


It's amazing how many parents poison their kids with cynicism and the belief that having money makes you an evil person. What a horrible thing to do to your children.

I had to laugh at your mention of Napoleon's book. I keep a copy of it in my car. I re-read it all the time. However, the first book that opened my eyes was Robert Kiyosaki's _Rich Dad, Poor Dad_ (PDF). It's because of that book that I really started to take control of life and move up the fiscal strata. It's so worth reading.


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## DOMS (Dec 14, 2011)

vancouver said:


> For wealthier people, it's not realy about the money, it's about achievement; the money is simply a consequence of their actions. The media chooses the worst exemples of wealth to paint the whole culture a certain way. The middle class buy into it hook, line and sinker...



This reminds me of a quote that was passed around when I was trading options, "Don't worry about making money, worry about making good trades."


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## ebn2002 (Dec 14, 2011)

It really is relative.  I have clients with 20 million in CASH and they tell me they are poor compared to their "rich" friends and cry that so and so has a 108' sailboat and they are forced to troll around in a 63' Sea Ray.  I just bite my tongue.

Some people feel rich making $100,000 a year and some feel poor with $20,000,000 cash. Some people will never have enough and feel poor with billions.

At some point in life you just have to be happy with what you have and enjoy life.  there's always "bigger" and "better" but that NEVER ends.  you make a million, you want 2.  you get to 2, you want 10, etc...


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## vancouver (Dec 14, 2011)

DOMS said:


> It's amazing how many parents poison their kids with cynicism and the belief that having money makes you an evil person. What a horrible thing to do to your children.
> 
> I had to laugh at your mention of Napoleon's book. I keep a copy of it in my car. I re-read it all the time. However, the first book that opened my eyes was Robert Kiyosaki's _Rich Dad, Poor Dad_ (PDF). It's because of that book that I really started to take control of life and move up the fiscal strata. It's so worth reading.


 
It's in my library, along with "The Goal", "7 Habits", Developing the Leader Within You", "World Wide Laws of Life", The Art of War, I could go on and on.

I have not read one in about 5 years though, text books occupy most of my time now. I've had a copy of Ayn Rand "Atlas Shrugged" on my desk for over a year now and have not started it...time to read...


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## vancouver (Dec 14, 2011)

Here you go guys, found a copy on the net.

http://sellcasa.com/think-and-grow-rich.pdf


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## Zaphod (Dec 14, 2011)

vancouver said:


> Perhaps it should be top 1%. I don't agree that rich is 100 million. 5 million is pretty stinking rich in some parts of the western world, but I supose not in Hong Kong.
> 
> The top 1% in America make $516,633 annually
> 
> ...





Nice try.


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## LAM (Dec 14, 2011)

DOMS said:


> It's amazing how many parents poison their kids with cynicism and the belief that having money makes you an evil person. What a horrible thing to do to your children.



any how many believe that having an excess of money makes them a "better" person than another with less.

I used to hang out with some douche-bags from paradise valley AZ years ago.  some buddies from the mortgage biz and they wouldn't get into certain types of cars, etc. if we were flying into somewhere on vacation.  if the person who was picking us up didn't have "x" kind of car or better then they would rent a limo, etc.  needless to say I don't hang out with people like that anymore.


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## DOMS (Dec 14, 2011)

LAM said:


> any how many believe that having an excess of money makes them a "better" person than another with less.
> 
> I used to hang out with some douche-bags from paradise valley AZ years ago.  some buddies from the mortgage biz and they wouldn't get into certain types of cars, etc. if we were flying into somewhere on vacation.  if the person who was picking us up didn't have "x" kind of car or better then they would rent a limo, etc.  needless to say I don't hang out with people like that anymore.



No argument there. They're poisoning their kids just the same. However, if I had to pick a poison, it'd be that one.


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## oufinny (Dec 14, 2011)

vancouver said:


> It's in my library, along with "The Goal", "7 Habits", Developing the Leader Within You", "World Wide Laws of Life", The Art of War, I could go on and on.
> 
> I have not read one in about 5 years though, text books occupy most of my time now. I've had a copy of Ayn Rand "Atlas Shrugged" on my desk for over a year now and have not started it...time to read...



Need to check those out, thanks for posting.


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## Zaphod (Dec 14, 2011)

vancouver said:


> It's in my library, along with "The Goal", "7 Habits", Developing the Leader Within You", "World Wide Laws of Life", The Art of War, I could go on and on.
> 
> I have not read one in about 5 years though, text books occupy most of my time now. I've had a copy of Ayn Rand "Atlas Shrugged" on my desk for over a year now and have not started it...time to read...



The Art of War is timeless.  I'll actually look for the others you've mentioned.


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## GearsMcGilf (Dec 14, 2011)

Chubby said:


> yes, they may have lots of money but they are mentally very poor.


 
I'm sure you can relate, minus the money.  Here.  Have a double shot!


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## vancouver (Dec 15, 2011)

LAM said:


> any how many believe that having an excess of money makes them a "better" person than another with less.
> 
> I used to hang out with some douche-bags from paradise valley AZ years ago. some buddies from the mortgage biz and they wouldn't get into certain types of cars, etc. if we were flying into somewhere on vacation. if the person who was picking us up didn't have "x" kind of car or better then they would rent a limo, etc. needless to say I don't hang out with people like that anymore.


 
Perhaps they were just douche bags. 

My retard "poor" Nascar loving brother in-law will not drink anything but Bud because Dale Earnhardt Jr. is sponsored by them. When he first moved out west with my sister, I invited them over for a BBQ along with some of my other friends. We all sat down to watch some PGA coverage and I offered him a Stella. He says, "sorry I only drink Bud, isn't that right son" (talking to his 8 yr old), "why do we only drink bud son?" Because of Dale Jr. daddy!!!

I proceeded to turn the channel to open wheel racing in the hopes he would leave. Before heading home, he made sure to put down as many of the rich spoiled open wheel guys as he could, same with the golf pros.

Guess what his son will grow up to be???


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## BillHicksFan (Dec 15, 2011)

When I was travelling alone overseas I noticed that the higher I paid for accommodation, the less likely it became to strike up a friendly relationship with anybody. Many people in pricy hotels were often very arrogant towards people in general and this is when they are on holidays which says a lot. 

I found that if I stayed at budget/cheap accommodation I'd manage to meet so many great people who were genuine, very happy, interesting and great company.

Just an observation that served me well.


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## Zaphod (Dec 15, 2011)

vancouver said:


> Perhaps they were just douche bags.
> 
> My retard "poor" Nascar loving brother in-law will not drink anything but Bud because Dale Earnhardt Jr. is sponsored by them. When he first moved out west with my sister, I invited them over for a BBQ along with some of my other friends. We all sat down to watch some PGA coverage and I offered him a Stella. He says, "sorry I only drink Bud, isn't that right son" (talking to his 8 yr old), "why do we only drink bud son?" Because of Dale Jr. daddy!!!
> 
> ...



Poor kid.  Already at a disadvantage.


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## Zaphod (Dec 15, 2011)

BillHicksFan said:


> When I was travelling alone overseas I noticed that the higher I paid for accommodation, the less likely it became to strike up a friendly relationship with anybody. Many people in pricy hotels were often very arrogant towards people in general and this is when they are on holidays which says a lot.
> 
> I found that if I stayed at budget/cheap accommodation I'd manage to meet so many great people who were genuine, very happy, interesting and great company.
> 
> Just an observation that served me well.



I've found the same to be true.


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## vancouver (Dec 15, 2011)

BillHicksFan said:


> When I was travelling alone overseas I noticed that the higher I paid for accommodation, the less likely it became to strike up a friendly relationship with anybody. Many people in pricy hotels were often very arrogant towards people in general and this is when they are on holidays which says a lot.
> 
> I found that if I stayed at budget/cheap accommodation I'd manage to meet so many great people who were genuine, very happy, interesting and great company.
> 
> Just an observation that served me well.


 
Rich guys stay at budget accommodations more than they stay at the Ritz. Holidaying in Cuba, at a 3 star hotel, a rich Irish guy bought the bar Irish Whisky all night (50 people or so), he was the life of the party. His wife must have had a few hundred K of jewelery on.

Middle class assholes stay at the Ritz too, only they can be worse than the rich because they are spending more than they can afford and of course you can tell they are trying to keep up appearances. I think it's the setting, not necessarily the people. If you want to see assholes, go to a place where they are likely to be...

Are the super rich more likely to be dicks...I can see it, a higher percentage cannot relate to anything real...


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## Zaphod (Dec 15, 2011)

The CEO and board chairman where I work is actually a pretty decent guy to the people lower on the work totem pole, face to face.  Work policy-wise is another matter.  The other senior managers he's a real dick to, face to face.  

He's worth a decent chunk of change, too.  But he got it the hard way, he earned it.


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## oufinny (Dec 15, 2011)

Many heads of companies are no different than politicians in that they are bought and paid by the shareholders/stakeholders and/or their desire to reap the benefits of their large salary and bonus.  Moreover, any company that hordes cash and buys back stock instead of paying some form of profit sharing to its employees cares not about anyone.  

My goal has always been to either make it on my own or make it with a small company I can buy into or at least move up enough where I am well taken care of.  I was at one, it went under then rose from the ashes and wants me back; 2012 could be the first step to the realization of that dream.  I think big and try to make moves and decisions that will make those dreams a reality, so far it has worked.


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## Gissurjon (Dec 16, 2011)

Chubby said:


> You are just a wanna be 1%.  Fake onese don't count.



Snap DOMS, she just queefed in your face.
Wannabe


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## DOMS (Dec 16, 2011)

Gissurjon said:


> Snap DOMS, she just queefed in your face.
> Wannabe


Her post was as witty as yours. And if you think that's a compliment...well, you just put on your helmet and feel happy about yourself.


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## Zaphod (Dec 16, 2011)

DOMS said:


> Her post was as witty as yours. And if you think that's a compliment...well, you just put on your helmet and feel happy about yourself.


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## bandaidwoman (Dec 21, 2011)

I have equal parts miserable rich patients and miserable poor patients.  Miserable rich patients are on chronic pain meds, antidepressants, self diagnose themselves with fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome  do LSD, Coke and my miserable poor patients drink cheap booz, smoke meth etc.  

We have a chinese saying, happiness is living beneath your means and wealth is not measured by how much you own, but how much you have to give. 

 Many research scientists are not wealthy at all but very happy since their work is productive and creative and benefits humankind.  I work with many, underpaid but happy scientists. 

  I make a very good living but I drive a 9 year old Honda civic with torn up bumpers ( since I hate to spend money on cars)  and a 15 yr old jeep wrangler so noone really knows.   I already have enough for retirement but I enjoy my work ( maybe not the hours) so much that I plan to work until 95, the physician that invented open heart surgery is still operating in his 90s and looks 60. There was a pediatrician in georgia that retired at 105.    Luckily, my husband has similar tastes, we rather do primitive camping and mountain biking rather than staying in overpriced ritz carltons. I'm still saving up for my daughter's college, right now we have socked away 90 grand but I know she will need close to 250 grand if she pursues higher degree than a college one unless she gets a full scholarship which would be nice but as a parent, I can't predict that she will, we all think our own kids are the smartest right? I was lucky to have a benefactor of an Ivy league school gift me with a huge endowment for medical school since my straight A average was no different from my other 75 collegues entering medical school. I just caught  her interest.  It was pure serendipity and that is another story altogether.  

There is also another saying we chinese have, It's better to be lucky than smart, and I have been very lucky, I happened to buy commercial properties and leased them 15 yrs ago and decided to limit my commercial leases to physicians since I know that arena and luckily, even with the recession, doctor's still need leasing space to work in, so unlike other rental property owners, that aspect is booming.........


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## vancouver (Dec 21, 2011)

bandaidwoman said:


> I have equal parts miserable rich patients and miserable poor patients. Miserable rich patients are on chronic pain meds, antidepressants, self diagnose themselves with fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome do LSD, Coke and my miserable poor patients drink cheap booz, smoke meth etc.
> 
> We have a chinese saying, happiness is living beneath your means and wealth is not measured by how much you own, but how much you have to give.
> 
> ...


 
You sound like a happy person with money!


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## bandaidwoman (Dec 21, 2011)

You wouldn't know it by looking at me or what I drive or my house.

I was flat broke but got full scholarships to college and medical school ( the latter was pure serendipity since everyone were overqualified straight A students). My dad made a government salary when we arrived in America after a ten years stint as a POW in Vietnam. At first we lived on food stamps but he got on his feet and we did better. Because I did not owe what most medical students owe ( the average is now $250,000) my modest salary was quite comfortable.  I still live on a salary that I pay my nurse practioners.  The rest , I initially bought some commercial office rental property not really knowing what the hell I was doing and decided to limit rentals to physicians, that is my main source of generous income which I sock away . I could easily have invested in stocks, options, commodities like my other collegues who went broke doing this.   I am a academic medical researcher so my salary as a physician is quite modest.  My brother the internationl project manager for a company that designs cloud software and does data mining makes a hell of a lot more.  But I dont need a fancy house or car to be  happy.  I bought  my $160,000 house on a 15 year mortgage and it's pretty paid up!  It's now working out, racing, doing research and spending time with my daughter and husband. I do donate like 10 grand or so a year to my favorite charities that I hope to work with when I retire ( doctors without borders) etc.  I know tons of collegues who make a  hell of a lot more ( plastic surgeons etc.) who are unhappy, miserable and rich.  I credit it to the simple taoist values my mom taught me before she converted to catholicism, another long story.


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## awhites1 (Dec 21, 2011)

bandaidwoman said:


> but he got on his feet and we did better



ok... thats the part I'm at. how does one "get back on your feet" so to speak because god dammit I feel stuck. I barely manage to drag myself out of bed every morning to come to my sorry ass job i hate to barely pay my damn bills.


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## vancouver (Dec 21, 2011)

bandaidwoman said:


> You wouldn't know it by looking at me or what I drive or my house.
> 
> I was flat broke but got full scholarships to college and medical school ( the latter was pure serendipity since everyone were overqualified straight A students). My dad made a government salary when we arrived in America after a ten years stint as a POW in Vietnam. At first we lived on food stamps but he got on his feet and we did better. Because I did not owe what most medical students owe ( the average is now $250,000) my modest salary was quite comfortable. I still live on a salary that I pay my nurse practioners. The rest , I initially bought some commercial office rental property not really knowing what the hell I was doing and decided to limit rentals to physicians, that is my main source of generous income which I sock away . I could easily have invested in stocks, options, commodities like my other collegues who went broke doing this. I am a academic medical researcher so my salary as a physician is quite modest. My brother the internationl project manager for a company that designs cloud software and does data mining makes a hell of a lot more. But I dont need a fancy house or car to be happy. I bought my $160,000 house on a 15 year mortgage and it's pretty paid up! It's now working out, racing, doing research and spending time with my daughter and husband. I do donate like 10 grand or so a year to my favorite charities that I hope to work with when I retire ( doctors without borders) etc. I know tons of collegues who make a hell of a lot more ( plastic surgeons etc.) who are unhappy, miserable and rich. I credit it to the simple taoist values my mom taught me before she converted to catholicism, another long story.


 
I have a similar background, but did not get a full boat scholarship; I did all my courses from home while I worked 3 jobs and went to the college only to write the exams.

Despite paying yourself less than your professional Corp. brings in and despite living well below your means, your wealth has afforded you options that an equally bright person without your luck (as you called it) would not have. Your ability to donate to a worthy cause and build equity in your life has provided you with some satisfaction; it's clear in your post.

An equally bright person who was born driven, but only lacked money to fulfil their destiny could be a very unhappy person, the 10 years I lived like absolute garbage getting to where I am today did not make me happy, but a very nice car, house and a fine Cuban cigar from time to time does make up for the pain. Knowing my kids (who are also driven) will be able to exploit every opportunity they desire make me extremely happy (money makes this possible). Sure one can find examples of wealthy people who are unhappy, but in my personal experience, I've rarely come across self-made wealth (80% of the wealthy population) that did not have a good attitude and outlook on life. I worked with the lower middle class for the first half of my life; a large percentage were the most miserable people I had the displeasure of knowing. Today I work with mainly upper middle class and wealthy, there are a few pricks, but most are happy people who have no grudges...

Of course, this thread had nothing to do with whether money made you happy or not, but it's really interesting how it's turned; a research psychologist would find it fascinating...


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## bandaidwoman (Dec 21, 2011)

awhites1 said:


> ok... thats the part I'm at. how does one "get back on your feet" so to speak because god dammit I feel stuck. I barely manage to drag myself out of bed every morning to come to my sorry ass job i hate to barely pay my damn bills.



My mother forged her highschool diploma in taiwan so in america she had nothing to show above a 5th grade education, she cleaned houses. My dad never left Air America ( look it up), so even though he made a measly government salary ( I still don't know what he does) it is ( still working at 72) fulfilling. They bought a 35 grand house and never left.  They learned to live simply, we never ate out more than twice a year and it was at Friendlys. No family vacations anywhere but we lived on Long Island, good school district and a quick drive away to the Long Island SOund and Jones Beach.  We loved to swim.  We were happy.  OUr houss was tiny, no property since taxes are a bitch. They shared a Ford Pinto. My mom biked with her stuff for cleaning on a bike!   My dad was quaker and his upbringing also meant being happy with very little or nothing. Unfortunately, life now is not so simple. You now need internet, computers , cell phones and so living simply is harder.  YOu can't buy a house for 35 grand on Long Island, the house is now worth 300 grand  and the taxes are killing my parents , luckily my dad still works at 72.  I don't know what to say but find something that inspires you, find ways to live without ( I have friends who don't own cars at all)., I biked until 26, when I needed a car I rented it, ( for interviews after residency), but that was cheaper than a monthly car payment or car insurance.  WIth that money I saved I travelled twice a year to sandiego for a vacation.  If your job sucks, find your happiness outside of the job, take up laughing yoga ( very therapeutic and got me out of my rut when I was a broke chemist  still trying to figure out what I wanted to do when I grew up...)

Happiness is a state you make for yourself,  my plastic surgeon freind loves his mercedes S 500 and house but I would not trade my house for all the pricks he deals with and the 100 plus hours a week he works. My house is smaller, my car looks atrocious but I get to bike with my daughter and husband, have sex, yeah, i work the occassional90 hours a week but so do some poor blokes working three jobs to support their families...


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## vancouver (Dec 21, 2011)

awhites1 said:


> ok... thats the part I'm at. how does one "get back on your feet" so to speak because god dammit I feel stuck. I barely manage to drag myself out of bed every morning to come to my sorry ass job i hate to barely pay my damn bills.


 
You have to stop thinking like the typical north american in your social class. What seperate successful people is education, whether formal or informal. Unless you are willing to read 1 hour per day on how to make your life better, it will never happen. Get away from negative infuences, this includes family...

You also need to paint a pain picture, clearly your life is not painful enough that you want to move forward. My pain picture is that my children have the same drive I have, but I'm not able to afford their University.

Read the Think and Grow Rich, I linked a pdf copy in this thread. Once you've read it, your life should be different. If it is not, you will have to find happiness with what you have...


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## vancouver (Dec 21, 2011)

bandaidwoman said:


> My mother forged her highschool diploma in taiwan so in america she had nothing to show above a 5th grade education, she cleaned houses. My dad never left Air America ( look it up), so even though he made a measly government salary ( I still don't know what he does) it is ( still working at 72) fulfilling. They bought a 35 grand house and never left. They learned to live simply, we never ate out more than twice a year and it was at Friendlys. No family vacations anywhere but we lived on Long Island, good school district and a quick drive away to the Long Island SOund and Jones Beach. We loved to swim. We were happy. OUr houss was tiny, no property since taxes are a bitch. They shared a Ford Pinto. My mom biked with her stuff for cleaning on a bike! My dad was quaker and his upbringing also meant being happy with very little or nothing. Unfortunately, life now is not so simple. You now need internet, computers , cell phones and so living simply is harder. YOu can't buy a house for 35 grand on Long Island, the house is now worth 300 grand and the taxes are killing my parents , luckily my dad still works at 72. I don't know what to say but find something that inspires you, find ways to live without ( I have friends who don't own cars at all)., I biked until 26, when I needed a car I rented it, ( for interviews after residency), but that was cheaper than a monthly car payment or car insurance. WIth that money I saved I travelled twice a year to sandiego for a vacation. If your job sucks, find your happiness outside of the job, take up laughing yoga ( very therapeutic and got me out of my rut when I was a broke chemist).


 
If you had to live your parents life, it would not make you happy; it would not make them happy. They busted their asses so you could have the things they did not and offer opportunity to your family that they could not. They are happy becaue their sacrafice meant something; they are now living vicariously through you. If you made the same money they did, there would be a lot of unhappy people in your family...

Again, it's not about the money, it's about the success, but success rarely comes without money...


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## DOMS (Dec 21, 2011)

vancouver said:


> You have to stop thinking like the typical north american in your social class. What seperate successful people is education, whether formal or informal. Unless you are willing to read 1 hour per day on how to make your life better, it will never happen. Get away from negative infuences, this includes family...
> 
> You also need to paint a pain picture, clearly your life is not painful enough that you want to move forward. My pain picture is that my children have the same drive I have, but I'm not able to afford their University.
> 
> Read the Think and Grow Rich, I linked a pdf copy in this thread. Once you've read it, your life should be different. If it is not, you will have to find happiness with what you have...



I'll add the following to vancouver's great advice:

Fucking do something!

I mean it, make plans for everything and act on them every day. 

You don't like how your immediate boss treats you, tell them nicely. 

You pay too many bills, sit down and figure out what you can do without. Make a plan to pay off one item. When you pay it off, use what you were paying on that bill towards another. Snowball your payments.

If anything bothers you, identify exactly what the problem is. Then quantify it. Then make a plan to change it. Then track your progress by the metric you chose to quantify. Once that thing is changed, find something else to change that you don't like.

Part of being happy with life it feeling that you're in control. So be in control as much as you can.

And to summarize vancouver: Think differently. If you keep thinking the same, you're going to stay the same. Sometimes this means changing friends and family associations.

Good luck, man!


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## bandaidwoman (Dec 21, 2011)

vancouver said:


> If you had to live your parents life, it would not make you happy; it would not make them happy. They busted their asses so you could have the things they did not and offer opportunity to your family that they could not. They are happy becaue their sacrafice meant something; they are now living vicariously through you. If you made the same money they did, there would be a lot of unhappy people in your family...
> 
> Again, it's not about the money, it's *about the success, but success rarely comes without money*...



true, for instance, when I was applying for the business loans to purchase the commercial property,even though my salary was modest, being a physician meant good credit so I was able to borrow more than most with a similar income, from there, my simple minded decision to rent to likeminded folks in my profession sparked a recession proof side rental business.....

You are right in that I could not be happy living like my parents  did now knowing what I can do,  but they were happy, even now I offer to send them to exotic locals and they just want to come down and visit their grandkids in atlanta and play in the yard., my father's quakerism is very existential in his happiness and my mother's new found cathollicism plays into her OCD and makes her happy...my athiesm prompted my own success because I realized a God wasn't going to do jackshit for me...


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## Big Smoothy (Dec 21, 2011)

> 7 main differences between rich and poor people???



I know one difference.  They gots heck of a lotta mo' money than I got.


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## Big Smoothy (Dec 21, 2011)

bandaidwoman said:


> Happiness is a state you make for yourself....



Wise words.

Spot-on, once again bandaidwoman.


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## Madmann (Dec 22, 2011)

This nauseating over-glorifying of "rich" people is a joke. 
Mosty get very lucky. And many are born with silver-spoons.

Money is what I care about most, but I do understand how fortunate I've been.


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## bandaidwoman (Dec 22, 2011)

Madmann said:


> This nauseating over-glorifying of "rich" people is a joke.
> Mosty get very lucky. And many are born with silver-spoons.
> 
> Money is what I care about most, but I do understand how fortunate I've been.



in my business, I find a person's character counts more than achievements in society  when they are handed by fate the nondiscriminating diseases such as ALS, progressive MS, leukemias, Parkinsons etc.  Malcom Gladwell was spot on with Outliers and Tipping Point where hidden advantages ( other than silver spoon ) and pure luck ( see Hush Puppies in Tipping Point) contributes as much or more to a person's succes than plain hard work and intelligence.


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