As I’ve written about before, I used to have a bad relationship with money.

I’ve significantly changed my mindset, however a lot of my friends still have bad attitudes towards money and wealthy people.

Most people do.

Typically they refer to wealthy people as:

“Rich fucks.”

“The 1%.”

“Filthy rich.”

These terms are always framing wealth as something negative and apart from yourself.

I always get irritated when my friends or family mention wealth and wealthy people as something foreign or distasteful to them.

Example: I was watching football with my buddy. It was a Ravens playoff game. After the Ravens score they’ll often give the ball to a kid in the stands behind the end zone.

So we were watching, and after a scoring play the camera focused on the fans right behind the end zone as the scoring player ran and gave the ball to a very thrilled youngster.

“Rich fucks” my friend muttered disparagingly about the well positioned fans.

I immediately got on him for that.

What a bad attitude!

This kind of statement works against you for two reasons: it frames having money as being negative, and also creates an adversarial relationship with people who have money.

Holding this kind of attitude virtually eliminates the possibility of ever amassing wealth, because it defines it as something that’s BAD, and most rational people don’t want to become something they view as negative.

Same with labeling wealthy people with the pejorative term “the 1%.”

When those occupy wall street protesters were destroying property and defecating in public, the 1% were creating wealth for the world.

I love the 1%. They create jobs, they create wealth, they work hard to create their position in life.

The top 10 wealthiest people in the world are all self made.

Their fortunes were made through vision, work, determination, ambition and incredible drive.

These are outstanding qualities we should all aspire to have.

Another scenario:

Recently I was hanging out with my sister and her boyfriend, when the topic of money and wealth came up.

I don’t exactly remember how it started, however the attitude turned negative so I got up to leave. I don’t like to surround myself with negative thinking, especially about money.

As I was leaving, my sister’s boyfriend started hating on the “Robb Report,” and how it’s “like 60 bucks an issue” (it’s not).

Well, I subscribe to the Robb Report. I like that stuff. I like looking at the yachts, houses, exotic travel locations, cool gadgets, haute horology and exotic cars.

It makes you think about the possibilities that are out there. You look at the stuff inside and you think, “yeah, that’s cool, I want that,” so you go work a little harder…

You should subscribe too, for that very reason…

I think I got a year subscription at discountmags.com for 5 bucks. After I look at them I put them in my office for people to look at.

Last scenario:

I was talking with one of my best friends about the election. You all know who I am for, and my friend also likes the same guy, however he mentioned that he likes how the dems plan to help reduce or relieve student loan debt.

I told him that someone’s gotta pay for those loans and he replied “I don’t care, better them than me.”

If you want “rich people” or “the 1%” to pay them off, while at the same time you don’t want to and look at them as “them,” that essentially precludes you from joining their ranks.

I’m happy to pay off my student loans. I don’t want anyone else to, it’s my responsibility.

My buddy Dan was once in debt nearly a half a million dollars because of his business. I asked him if it ever really weighed on him, because I had been somewhat concerned about my student loans which were around 150k.

You know what he said?

He said his debt didn’t bother him, and that “if you think 150k is a lot of money, you’ll never be truly wealthy.”

What’s your financial identity?

Do you have limiting beliefs that are holding you back?

Leave a comment below and let me know your thoughts.