Why is it hard for poor people to get ahead?
If you come from humble beginnings and want to start from scratch and climb the ladder, you just need to break through one key barrier—“cognition.”
Poor people who are at the bottom of the ladder work tirelessly day after day, struggling to make ends meet. If you want to get ahead, you need to change the following three ways of thinking.
Focusing on “Face” but Not “Substance”
A young woman named Matilda, the wife of a clerk. She was beautiful, her husband was kind, their home was comfortable, and they had a maid to help with the chores. Life was good.
But she wasn’t satisfied. She was vain and loved to compare herself to others. She craved mansions, jewels, and fancy clothes, and thought she deserved a richer husband. One day, her husband brought home an invitation to a high-society party.
For this party, she spent years of savings on a beautiful dress. She also borrowed a diamond necklace from a friend. That night, she was the center of attention, floating on a cloud of compliments and praise.
But when she got home, she realized the diamond necklace was gone. To save face, she didn’t tell the truth. Instead, she borrowed money to buy a new necklace to replace the missing one. To pay off the huge debt, she had to work extra hours, taking on odd jobs, and working hard.
When she finally paid off her debt and saw her friend on the street, she realized that her friend was still young and beautiful. But Matilda had become old and rough.
She had sacrificed everything for the sake of appearances, enjoying one night of glory, only to be impoverished for ten years. In the end, she found out that the necklace was fake.
People must help themselves
The most foolish thing in life is to care too much about “face” and ignore “substance,” losing all dignity in the end.
Roy recently bought a house and married after getting a job. His parents would brag to the neighbors, “My son is very capable. If you need help, you can go to him.”
But Roy’s parents didn’t know that Roy’s life was already falling apart because of his living expenses, social obligations, and maintaining appearances. Roy and his wife would argue over a simple block of tofu.
He quit drinking his favorite beer, and his wife only occasionally allowed herself to eat stir-fried liver. As his wife’s anger grew, Roy had to give up all his false appearances. He stopped inviting guests he couldn’t afford, and refused to take on work beyond his capabilities.
Face is the most useless thing. The more you care about it, the heavier it becomes, the more it will hold you back.
Material poverty is not scary. What’s scary is spiritual poverty. It weighs people down with heavy chains, making them live in misery.
On the journey of life, it’s better to focus on building yourself up than to spend your energy on appearances. When you have the confidence to stand on your own two feet, you will be able to live your life the way you want.
Rushing to Succeed, Lacking Vision
I heard a story:
There was a small village where the ferns were of very high quality. A well-known company came to the village to buy large quantities of ferns, making the village the only economic source of ferns.
Later, because the ferns needed to be dried in the sun for two days to dry completely, the villagers, in order to make more money faster, started baking the ferns in a pot to shorten the drying time.
On the surface, the baked ferns looked the same as the sun-dried ones, but the baked ferns couldn’t be softened even with a lot of water. When the manufacturer discovered this, they were very angry and informed each villager that they could not bake the ferns.
Most of the villagers started drying the ferns in the sun again, but a few people still secretly baked them.
The manufacturer took another sample survey and found that there were still baked ferns mixed in. They then cut off all transactions. Those villagers were forced back into poverty.
“Sharpening requires persistence. Don’t release the bowstring lightly.”
Only by being down-to-earth can you last. Rushing to succeed will only lead to bitter consequences. Life is the same. Having foresight is the key to achieving great things.
Mo Yan was forced to drop out of school in the fifth grade. He was sent to herd cattle and sheep by the village, all alone. When he was tired, he would talk to the cattle and sheep about his worries, or he would bring a book to read, turning herding cattle and sheep into a happy thing.
Because of the lack of material resources, after reading all the books he could borrow, he would read the books over and over again.
Herding was a tough experience, but it laid a solid foundation for him. It transformed a shepherd into a literary enthusiast, fulfilling his later literary dreams. As he said:
“When I first started writing, I didn’t realize that those years of rural experience became the source of my creation.”
To become a great person, you must go through the trials of time. Knowing how to calm your mind, have foresight, is both a broad perspective and a cultivation of character.
“Those who strive for speed often become slow because of their speed. Therefore, gentlemen value steadiness over haste.”
Seeking speed without depth will not make you great. Slowing down and continuously cultivating will lead to achievement. You can endure hardship and remain calm. A peaceful and calm mind, with foresight, will lead to more stable and thorough results.
May you, on your journey through life, slow down, walk steadily, with far-sighted vision, overcome obstacles along the way, and achieve a more fulfilling and enriched life.
Loving to Compare, Limiting Your Perspective
Leo always liked to compare himself to others. In his competitive spirit, he graduated with excellent grades, had a good job, and a very happy family.
When his classmates got together, Leo prepared himself early. He wanted to show off his achievements and see how his classmates were doing. But this reunion made Leo unhappy.
The classmate who was not as good as him in school had a better career. The classmate who couldn’t find a partner had a beautiful wife. The classmate who had the worst grades had a child who excelled in school and was more well-behaved than Leo’s own child.
This discovery plunged Leo into deep regret and loss of confidence. He lived in comparison with others, trapped in meaningless comparative thinking.
“In the midst of flowers and willows, the ability to clear a path is skill. In the face of wind and rain, the ability to stand firm is strength.”
In a world full of distractions, once you have a goal, focus on surpassing your past self, rather than comparing yourself to others.
The River Mussel
There was a small river mussel in a pond. It saw a large river mussel lying motionless beside the water plants. It went over to show off the two pearls it had cultivated, wanting to see the other mussel’s reaction.
After several attempts, the large mussel remained silent, lying quietly. The small mussel couldn’t help but mock, “Are you a mussel that can’t cultivate pearls? That’s why you won’t open up to me!”
The large mussel silently looked at the small mussel, slowly opened its body, revealing a large, glittering pearl inside, illuminating the surroundings. The small mussel was shocked. Looking at its own small, dull pearls, it closed its mouth in embarrassment.
Life is a marathon. Not comparing, not competing, not getting angry, is the way to finish the race with a smile. When faced with things, don’t compare yourself to others. Just be yourself. Only by winning over your past self can you achieve ultimate transformation.
People are products of their habits. They are used to thinking and acting in ways they are accustomed to.
Those with “poor people’s thinking” are stuck in their own understanding, trapped in the pit of poverty. To get ahead, you must break free from “poor people’s thinking.”
Let go of appearances, improve yourself, and reclaim your self-respect.
Accumulate strength, broaden your vision, and make your life more fulfilling. Give up comparison, cultivate a broader perspective, and welcome a turnaround and a comeback in your destiny. For the rest of your life, may you tear down the walls in your mind, keep up with the times, and achieve success even if you live at the bottom.