You have probably read or heard about various myths (these are
truths that are valid only for certain cases, but not in general) surrounding wealth and wealthy people, all of which hinder your quest for financial independence. Here are
most common and most destructive:Myth No. 1: How much you earn depends on how hard you work
If this were true, then
physical, blue-collar workers, who have been working hard for years, would have been
wealthiest people on earth. Of course, this isn't true. They form most of
workforce and
vast majority of
middle-class.
If you witnessed your parents coming home tired from a long day's work in your youth, you probably learned that money wasn't a sufficient reward for all that effort. People who work "just" for
money often have debts because they comfort themselves with whatever they can buy, beautiful things they lack when working.
Myth No. 2: Being paid for something you enjoy isn't work and you shouldn't ask for money for doing something that is enjoyable.
Check this with millionaires. They all have so much money that they don't need to work anymore. Nevertheless, they work for other reasons, challenge, satisfaction, fullness of life, activity, fun ... and all are connected to a love for their work. If there was no joy in doing a certain task, they would do something else that would make them much happier and that enables them to realize their dreams.
In fact, if you don't enjoy your work, you will never become wealthy doing it! However, just because you enjoy your work doesn't mean you shouldn't get paid for it - in fact, that is
ultimate goal, to get paid for what you already enjoy so it never feels like you are at work!
Myth No. 3: You need to be in
right line of business to amass wealth
Do you think so? This must mean that all
people who are involved in
same business are millionaires. Of course, this isn't true. In each business there are winners and losers; winners abound, even in businesses that consist of distasteful (to most) or "impossible" work like sweeping
streets, collecting
trash, working in a factory, pumping gas, selling newspapers, etc. On
other hand, there are just as many "losers" in businesses like selling real estate, management or being a stockbroker.
Myth No. 4: You need
right education to make a fortune
Are
most educated people really
wealthiest? Not at all! In this case, university professors would be
wealthiest people on earth. Ask them about their salaries, if you get
opportunity. The truth is vastly different -
wealthiest people are those who can convert their knowledge (or education) into money, in
best possible way. They can be highly educated people (like inventors, scientists, etc.) or almost ignorant.
Being formally uneducated does not equate to poor performance on
job or
inability to form a strong enough vision to carry a person to success - they can easily be experts without having a formal education.
Myth No. 5: It used to be easier
Statistics show an increase in
number of millionaires in
world every year. Talking about
"good old times" only offers comfort and a convenient excuse. If you look around, you'll see there are people who behaved
same way in
"good old times" as they do now, yet their success has been recent. With technology and progress come new ideas, desires and needs and there are more business opportunities appearing daily to serve them.