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Growing up in a low-income family taught Noah what it's like to constantly try to keep your head up
while also worrying about not being broke. It’s made him aware of the numerous times you’ll
feel left out by people you considered family, the hungry nights, shattered family relations,
and the different mental issues that come with the process of refusing to give up.
The good news is that things change if you start doing things differently. There’s no official
standard when you step into the middle class, but you’ll see the signs like owning a home, a car,
paying for your kid's college education, and still having some cash to spare.
Many of us who have been through the struggle will say that it’s not enough but be thankful
for the start. Now before you despair, let me tell you how to move from the low to the middle class.
1. Believing that you can succeed
As a kid, Noah watched his dad get up every morning with a frown on his face
from the previous fights he had had with his mum at night. Then he’d smile at him to hide it.
Later, Noah would hear his mum complain over the phone about how life is hard and how tired
she is of their lifestyle, but still they’d lie to Noah’s face that everything is okay.
Watching this from afar gave Noah a faint idea of how life is in the trenches.
His mindset, behaviour, actions, and lifestyle all evolved around the simple fact that,
that’s how life is supposed to be. Little did he know that all this was a lie, and as he grew up,
he came to realise that how he thought really mattered if he wanted to be the man he dreamt
to be after reading a quote from Darren Hardy which went, "The key to becoming
world-class in your endeavours is to build your performance around world-class routines."
After changing his beliefs about life, Noah’s routines drastically changed. Every morning he
got up, tapped his chest and told himself that I’m great and I can do it. Noah isn’t sure when
he started believing it, but he just did. The key to moving from the low-income class
starts with believing in yourself, and it’s only then that you’ll move up to the middle class.
2.The people you surround yourself with
One thing no one will ever tell you is how much successful people loathe people who complain,
are pessimistic, negative, and have a bad attitude. It’s not like they don’t have
such flaws as well, but doing it too much feeds off the energy of those around you.
That’s why they’ll avoid you and go hang out with people who match their energy.
These negative traits mostly affect the lower class, and that’s the main reason
many try to avoid them. But that can be fixed by training yourself to think positively and,
in the process, change your friends. You should be prepared to leave friends who constantly complain
and start hanging out with people who have a clear perspective on life, because your
friends reveal a lot about your behaviour. If you make new friends that think about how they’ll
turn every problem into an opportunity, you’ll also desire to be like them. It’s in the desire
that new opportunities branch out and connections come through. If you think that this isn’t enough
to make you get some new positive friends, then remember what Aditya Mehta once said,
"The mediocre have a very narrow perception of reality, and in turn, their lives. They see
things as they are and not how they can be. " 3. Get friends that push you to be better.
There’s this girl I fell in love with, and technically she’s way better off
financially than I am. Apart from her being so beautiful, I really loved the way she thought.
I could just be sitting there telling her how stuck I feel and she’ll come up with an idea
that she thinks will get me through. Even though sometimes I don’t go with what she’s offered,
I usually think about where I’ll be if she never challenged my thinking.
You see, every time she comes up with her brilliant idea, I’ll always want to give
her something that’s better than hers. So, one time, we agreed on a challenge to see
who can earn the most money by the end of the month, and I'm not going to lie, it was her
idea. That was her way of saying, "Let's get this money,". I guess that’s what's helping me grow.
It’s the same way with your friends. Having positive-thinking friends isn’t all you need to
level up to the middle class. You need friends who will make you act on it and yearn to see you grow.
You need friends who hate income security or stagnation and enjoy the discomfort of
growth. You'll know you have such friends when you're constantly arguing about how
much more they've earned. 4.Focusing on your craft
I still remember the excitement I had on the first day I caught a basketball. It felt amazing because
even though I didn’t know a thing I was doing, I was pretty much the best in our crew. Later,
my urge to get into the sport grew when I found my uncle with a photo of my dad when
he was on the junior basketball team. That’s when I told him I do play sometimes, but surprisingly,
he responded like,"Don’t think you’ll be as good as me son." At that point, I didn’t bother
standing up for what I wanted because I’m from a culture that requires submission to be top notch.
I gave it up until I got to high school and still turned out to be pretty good.
I know this is not the best inspiration you’d want to hear, but the point is,
when you focus on what you think you do best, don’t let anyone tell you differently. The more
persistent you get, the more perfect you become, and sooner than later, you’ll be one of the best.
Scott Adams once said that every skill you acquire doubles your odds of success. Instead
of giving up on your skill at the slightest discouragement and going to try out another,
just focus on what you believe in. With time, you’ll get the desired exposure and you’ll be
earning your bread, and before you know it, you’ll be rolling in the streets with the middle class.
5. Your life is a product of your standards.
Growing up in a low-income family forced Noah to put up with a lot of disrespect,
which he thought he deserved because that’s part of life. Even though his mum told him what a cute
and lovely little boy he was, all he saw in the mirror was a lost kid that no one would ever love.
He was so caught up in his feelings that he didn’t notice that as he grew, more of what
his mum said manifested. It simply started by proving everyone that looked down at him wrong.
He refused to allow anyone to disrespect him, and he stood up for himself more.
If I’m being honest, some moments from my childhood still haunt me, but I learnt the
hard way that if you allow circumstances to dictate your life, that’ll be the end of you.
If you want to move into the middle class, then act like it. Even if it’s not going your way in
the beginning, you still have to keep your head up. A good place to start is by owning a home,
having healthcare coverage, or taking your kids to college. No one said that it’s going to be easy,
but if you want people to pay some respect to your name, you have to stop tolerating mediocrity.
6. Get a job.
One way to tell if someone will make it out of the trenches is if they are putting in some effort,
and there is no better way to do that than by getting a job.
Many people who live in the lower class have been through so much rejection when out on a job hunt
just because of their education levels, making them despair. What they’re constantly forgetting
is that everyone undergoes rejection. In fact, most people who live lavishly undergo so many
that they forget to count. Getting yourself a job is a start to getting to the middle class.
With that job, you can start saving up for a retirement fund, a house, a medical fund,
your kids' college funds, or a vacation. You don’t have to feel pressured to do
all of these at once. Just go with your pace and work your way up. Apart from winning the lottery,
I don’t think there is another shortcut for you to get into the middle class.
So, instead of getting up and joining gangs to talk about how miserable your lives are,
you can think big and chase what you want. Besides, getting to the middle
class isn’t something to make you sweat if you consider that there’s still an upper class.
7. Be mindful of how you spend your time.
When I pass through the neighbourhood where I grew up as a kid, it still surprises me
how everyone remains so calm with no regard to how they spend their time. One time I thought
maybe they were just satisfied with how they were living, but again I got the exact opposite answer.
In fact, they really lament being in their but they don’t know how to change and get out of it.
But it all comes down to how you spend your time. Wasting time doing
nothing will always yield nothing except the realisation that days
pass quickly. Instead of wasting your time while you’re in a bad position,
you could use it working on something because time is the one thing you’ll never recover.
While many people have the privilege of being born into the middle class, some of us have to work our
way up, which is totally understandable. There is no shame in wanting more than what you have.
In fact, when you do get what you want, you’ll be an inspiration to the rest.
If you don’t want the same results as last time, then follow the simple ways I’ve told you
to get from the lower class to the middle class. If you really have the thirst, hunger, and focus,
your journey won’t end with the middle class, you could end up in the top 1%.
Thank you so much for watching, remember to fill the quick survey if you haven’t,
and with that said, have a great day.