13 Differences Between A Rich and Poor Mindset

Ah yes — the great divide.

Between the rich and the poor. How are they so different from each other?

A lot of it comes down to whether you have a rich or poor mindset. The difference between a rich and poor mindset can change how you think about the world and how you interact with your money. A wealth mindset not only helps you make more money, but you learn how to better manage and take care of your money.

The good news is, having a poor or wealthy mindset isn’t dependent on your bank account balance. Rich people can have a poor mindset and set themselves up for future failures. It’s also possible for a person in poverty to have a wealth mindset which will help pave their path to success.

Here are 13 ways you can see the difference between a rich vs poor mindset.

You can be a victim or you can be rich, but you can’t be both. Here are 13 reasons why. Share on X

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1. Rich people play the money game to win. Poor people play the money game to not lose.

The goal of truly rich people is to have massive wealth and for many of them, it’s to help a lot of people.

One of the principles of having a wealth mindset that we teach in our programs is, “If you shoot for the stars, you’ll at least hit the moon.” Poor people don’t even shoot for the ceiling in their house, and then they wonder why they’re not successful.

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2. Rich people are committed to being rich. Poor people want to be rich.

Most people don’t get what they want because they don’t know what they want. People with a rich mindset are clear that they want wealth. They are unwavering in their desire. They are fully committed to creating wealth. As long as it’s legal, moral, and ethical, they will do whatever it takes to have wealth. People with a wealth mindset do not send mixed messages to the universe. Poor people do.

The third level of wanting is “I commit to being rich.” The definition of the word “commit” is to “devote oneself unreservedly.” This means holding absolutely nothing back; giving 100 percent of everything you’ve got to achieving wealth.

It means being willing to do whatever it takes for as long as it takes. This is the warrior’s way. No excuses, no ifs, buts, or maybes. Failure is not an option. The warrior’s way is simple: “I will be rich, or I will die trying.”

In my experience, getting rich takes focus, courage, knowledge, expertise, 100 percent of your effort, a never-give-up attitude and, of course, a rich mindset.

Are you willing to work 16 hours a day? Rich people are. Are you willing to work seven days a week, giving up many of your weekends? Rich people are. Are you willing to sacrifice (at least for a period of time) seeing your family, your friends, and giving up your recreations and hobbies? Rich people are. Are you willing to risk all your time, energy, and start-up capital with no guarantee of returns? Rich people are.

It’s simple — you will be paid in direct proportion to the value you create in the marketplace.

How do you want to live your life? How do you want to play the game? Do you want to play in the big leagues or in the little leagues, in the majors or the minors? Are you going to play big or play small? Are you going to live a level 10 life? It’s your choice.

If you have a wealth mindset, you know your life is not just about you. It’s also about contributing to others. It’s about living true to your mission and reason for being here on this earth at this time. It’s about adding your piece of the puzzle to the world.

Most people are so stuck in their egos and think everything revolves around them. But if you want to be rich in the truest sense of the word, it can’t only be about you. It has to include adding value to other people’s lives.

Part of your mission in life then must be to share your gifts with as many people as possible. That means being willing to play big.

Wealth is more than financial wealth. As you share your gifts and help others, the “richer” you become — mentally, emotionally, spiritually, and definitely financially.

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3. Rich people see opportunities and focus on rewards. Poor people see obstacles and focus on the risks.

Poor people see potential loss and are driven by their fear-based voice.

Rich people see potential growth, take responsibility for the results in their lives, and act upon the mindset that “it will work because I’ll make it work.” Rich people are committed enough to do whatever it takes. Period.

It comes down to this: If not you, then who?

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4. Rich people focus on what they want, while poor people focus on what they don’t want.

Did you know that there are no straight lines in the universe? Life doesn’t travel in perfectly straight lines. It moves more like a winding river. More often than not, you can only see to the next bend, and only when you reach that next turn can you see more.

Action always beats inaction.

I have found a major difference between the rich and poor mindset is that the richest people I know are also the nicest.

Bless that which you want. If you see a person with a beautiful home, bless that person and bless that home. If you see a person with a beautiful car, bless that person and bless that car. If you see a person with a loving family, bless that person and bless that family. If you see a person with a beautiful body, bless that person and bless their body.

Everything happens for a reason and that reason is there to assist me.

From now on, I want you to practice reframing other people’s negativity as a reminder of how NOT to be. Nothing has meaning except for the meaning we give it.

I believe negative thinking is like having measles of the mind. Instead of itching, you get bitching; instead of scratching, you get bashing; instead of irritation, you get frustration. Now, do you really want to be close to people like that?

Energy is contagious: Either you affect people or you infect people.

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5. Rich people are almost always excellent promoters.

If you have a rich mindset, you’re willing to promote your products, services, and ideas with passion and enthusiasm.

Resenting self-promotion is one of the greatest obstacles to success. People who have issues with selling and promotion usually have a poor mindset.

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6. Poor people will do almost anything to avoid problems.

People with a poor mindset see a challenge and they run…

The secret to success, my friends, is not to try to avoid, or get rid of, or shrink from your problems; the secret is to grow yourself so that you are bigger than your problems.

If you have a big problem in your life, that means you are being a small person!

If you want to make a permanent change, stop focusing on the size of your problems, and start focusing on the size of you!

I go over this specific principle in my upcoming free web class, “Don’t Believe a Thought You Think.”

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7. Rich mindset people are solution-oriented.

The difference between rich vs poor mindsets comes when people are faced with a problem.

Rich people spend their time and energy strategizing and planning the answers to challenges that come up and creating systems to make certain that those problems don’t occur again.

Think of yourself as a container for wealth. If your container is small and your money is big, what’s going to happen? You will lose it. Your container will overflow and the excess money will spill out all over the place. You simply cannot have more money than the container. Therefore you must grow to be a big container so you not only hold more wealth, but you also attract more wealth.

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8. Rich people do not back away, avoid, or complain about problems.

Rich people are financial warriors.

If you become a master at handling problems and overcoming obstacles, what can stop you from success? Nothing! And if nothing can stop you, you become unstoppable!

If a 100-foot oak tree had the mind of a human, it would only grow to be 10 feet tall!

Again this is something I cover in my free web class, “Don’t Believe a Thought You Think.”

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9. Rich people work hard and believe it’s appropriate to be well rewarded for the value they provide.

People with a poor mindset work hard, but due to their feelings of unworthiness, they believe that it is inappropriate for them to be well rewarded for their efforts and the value they provide.

Get really rich and then help the people who didn’t have the opportunity you did.

If you have the wherewithal to have a lot of money, have it. How you do anything is how you do everything.

There’s nothing wrong with getting a steady paycheck unless it interferes with your ability to earn what you’re worth. There’s the rub. It usually does.

Living based in security is living based in fear.

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10. Those who have a wealth mindset believe in themselves, their value, and their ability to deliver.

Those with poor mindsets don’t. That’s why they need “guarantees.”

The only way to earn what you’re really worth is to get paid based on your results.

Do you want a successful career or a close relationship with your family? Both! Do you want a focus on business or have fun and play? Both! Do you want money or meaning in your life? Both! Do you want to earn a fortune or do the work you love? Both! If you have a poor mindset, you choose one or the other, rich people choose both.

Let’s set the record straight. Money is important! To say that it’s not as important as other things in life is ludicrous. What’s more important, your arm or your leg? Could it be that both are important?

Money brings freedom — freedom to buy what you want, and freedom to do what you want with your time. Money allows you to enjoy the finer things in life as well as giving you the opportunity to help others have the necessities in life.

Most of all, having money allows you not to have to spend your energy worrying about not having money.

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11. People with a poor mindset mismanage their money or avoid the subject of money altogether.

I don’t know about you, but where I went to school, Money Management 101 wasn’t offered. Instead, we learned about the War of 1812, which of course is something I use every single day.

The single biggest difference between financial success and financial failure is how you manage your money. It’s simple:

To master money, you must manage money.

Saying, “I’ll start managing my money as soon as I get caught up,” is like an overweight person saying, “I’ll start exercising and dieting as soon as I lose 20 pounds.”

You must acquire the habits and skills of managing a small amount of money before you can have a large amount.

Money is a big part of your life, and when you learn how to get your finances under control, all areas of your life will soar.

It comes down to this: Either you control money, or it controls you. To control money, you must manage it.

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12. Rich people have their money work hard for them. Poor people work hard for their money.

Rich people see every dollar as a “seed” that can be planted to earn a hundred more dollars, which can then be replanted to earn a thousand more dollars.

Eventually, rich people get the choice to work or not.

Poor people don’t invest their money and are stuck working for the rest of their lives.

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13. Rich people are willing to act in spite of fear. Poor people let fear stop them.

It’s imperative to realize that it is not necessary to try to get rid of fear in order to succeed. Successful people have fear, doubts, and worries, but they don’t let these feelings stop them. Unsuccessful people have fears, doubts, and worries, too, so what’s the difference? They let those feelings stop them.

We need to practice acting in spite of fear, in spite of doubt, in spite of worry, in spite of uncertainty, in spite of inconvenience, in spite of discomfort, and even to practice acting when we’re not in the mood to act.

If you are willing to do only what’s easy, life will be hard. But if you’re willing to do what’s hard, life will be easy.

Either you’re a person who will be stopped, or you are a person who won’t be stopped. You choose.

Now It’s Your Choice: Who Would You Rather Be Like?

If you want to be rich, do what rich people do. If you don’t, then do what broke people do. Simple, right?

But where to begin? It all starts with what is inside of you — more specifically, your mind. Your thoughts lead to your feelings, that lead to your actions that lead to your results. Either you control your mind or it controls you.

So if you’re not living every aspect of your life at 100%, join me for my free web class

Don’t Believe A Thought You Think:

The Greatest Secret to Life

This web class is one of my signature, most sought-after free web classes where you’ll discover how to tame your fear-based mind so you can master your life, succeed even in the face of fear and challenges, and become truly unstoppable.

In this web class, you’ll also learn:

• How to increase your inner strength and confidence to take on any challenge that stands in the way of reaching your peak potential.
• How to become incredibly trustworthy using T. Harv Eker’s universal law so that you don’t only trust yourself, but also gain respect and trust from others.
• How to unleash your “inner warrior” and empower yourself to take unconditional action in spite of your fears, doubts, barriers, and obstacles.
• How to become crystal clear about what you want, need, and deserve, so you can actually achieve your goals (instead of just dreaming about them).

Click here to register for FREE or select a date and time below that works best for you. See you there!

You want to be living at 100% like other rich and successful people by making choices based on your inner power, not fear. Fear will keep you from having what you truly want in life, and that’s no way to live. So to make sure that doesn’t happen to you, I highly encourage you to join me as my guest in my class.

For Your Freedom,