The Rat Race of the Middle Class

“Don't fear failure so much that you refuse to try new things. The saddest summary of a life contains three descriptions: could have, might have, and should have.” ~ Louis E. Boone

The most amazing thing is how the economics describes categories of citizens of a nation as made up of the rich, middle class and the poor. Well, someone might say these terminologies are subjective depending on what criteria are used to conduct the segregation in any given society or country. Whatever the case let me share with you my thoughts about the rich and the middle class. The rich are called so because they own Assets. They keep their money in assets, they form corporations called companies and they are not likely going to pay income tax as individuals. Why? You cannot apply income tax to an asset. The rich are only likely going to pay taxes when they spend their money on items. Their companies will pay some form of corporate this or that tax at the end of the year based on the profits they make (crudely speaking surplus funds above their Assets) and not in their individual capacity but as a group of shareholders (that is if they report a profit).

Let’s look at the middle class. This is composed of people who are in some form of employment which can be referred to as the social group between the upper and working classes, including professional and business people and their families. The working professionals form the bulk of this category. These hard working groups earn a prescribed income at the end of a working month. Their entire income is subject to taxes. They are the real tax payers. Just imagine, their salary is subject to income tax and the rest of the disposable income is distributed to expenditure items whose cost includes some form of tax such as VAT or sales or Excise tax. You see what I mean! It’s like the incomes are already finished even before they come every month. I can assure, they will be the bulk holder of credit cards.

The middle class is consciously or unconsciously in the ‘Rat Race’ in pursuit of something you can never achieve. This is what is typical of the middle class. They look at their current status and find it inadequate in terms of resource base and want more. if someone has the first education degree qualification, they decide to go for a masters’ degree in the hope of getting a better job with a higher salary. Let’s suppose they do manage to get higher qualifications and a better paying job. What happens then is that they probably would move to a more expensive house and change their style of living to match their new status which would push congruently all their costs upwards. What they have achieved is a new paper called qualification and higher taxes to pay in line with their increased pay and expenditure. Eventually they are back to square one and begin to think about how to get a better paying job to meet their now increased expenditure status which ends up as a rat race which is an endless, self-defeating, or pointless pursuit. It conjures up the image of the futile efforts of a lab rat trying to escape while running around a maze or in a wheel. No one can ever get rich working for others. Because it is just that, others own the assets of that company and they only spend out of the surplus funds or profits for such things such as salaries. You don’t get rich by saving but by investing. The middle class are clouded with so much fear of setting out into the investment arena but the strange thing is that they have no fear of spending their hard earned income even beyond

The only way out of the Middle Class Rate Race is to set objectives around ownership of productive assets and begin the transition to the rich. The greatest assets we all have is ourselves. Those innovative ideas that have been playing in your mind and fear has kept you from pursuing them, are the gold mines or the greener pastures you have been looking for and not the qualification or jobs you so obsessed with. Remember this

‘formal education will help you earn a living, but self-education will make you a fortune’ ~ Jim Rohn

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous?

Actually, who are you not to be?”

~Our Greatest Fear —Marianne Williamson

We all want to succeed in life. And although success does not come on a silver platter, it is still what everybody wants. This is why people get up in the morning to work and drag their bodies back to bed at night. People simply want to be better – in everything. There is only one reality and no matter how you would like to escape from that, it will always get you. So why not face it with a more realistic approach?

Have a well-defined goal

A well-defined goal gives you direction in life. People with a purpose wake up every day with a reason and a plan of action for each day. If you do not have a plan, you will always be operating other people’s agendas. Other people will dictate where you can or cannot go, they will decide what you can or cannot have. Each one of us has a God given talent and if you can identify it and build your goals around your talent, you are on your way to greatness. Imagine a talented football player who gets $100,000 a week, an amount not even a leader of an African country can earn legally. Identify what you are good at, pursue and it will earn you a fortune

Have the Right Mindset

Remember big dreams are made in a ‘CAN’ and not in a ‘CANNOT’. Whether you want to go to the classroom or build an empire, you have to have it in you. Having the right attitude is always the first requirement to getting things done. And, honestly it is the only credential that you will ever need.

Be Interested

Information and knowledge is power, and if you do not stick out your ear to whatever is happening, you do not stay current and will not know the trend and direction. You do not always have to know everything but it would matter a lot if you know what matters.

Smile

Sad but true! Smiling transcends almost all differences and just imagine how it would benefit your cause. You know it is a great gesture too, right? It is a formula that works and has been proven with time.

Appreciate the Little Things

Find a reason to be happy. It does not always have to be a person or something big. In fact, you would be astonished at how the little things can affect you in big ways.

Have the Right Relationships

Relationships are very ideal for all of humanity. It is through relationships that we grow, learn and get inspired. However, having the right relationships with the right kind of people is key to your personal growth. If you are the smart one in that relationship, you must find another group to associate with in order for you to out-grow your current level. If you are hanging around with a group of losers, you are on your way to being a loser. Keep nurturing relationships that stretches you beyond your current comfort zones.

Above all, commit to your personal growth through reading and listening to something inspiring. When you feed the inner man with the right consciousness, your whole personality will change in the desired direction. Do not pay attention to the garbage in the news that keep reminding people of how bad things or the economy is. Human beings have the ability to create the economy they desire in their own lives. It’s a personal choice