Six Symptoms That Expose Fear of Poverty

How did you go with the questions from yesterday?

The majority of people, if asked if they have a fear of poverty they will answer, “No.” Few people realize that they are in a prison, bound by the shackles of fear.  Fear of poverty is a mental bondage which shows up in the physical realm.  Like an alcoholic is bound to drink alcohol and hate the consequences of drunkenness, yet does not know how to escape it, so is the prison of poverty; many people are bound in mental poverty and speak poverty and hate the consequences of poverty yet they do not know how to escape lack and poverty.

If you answered yes to any one of the nine questions you have a symptom of fear of poverty.

Jesus said, “If you stick with this, living out what I tell you, you are my disciples for sure.  Then you will experience for yourselves the truth, and the truth will free you.” (John 8:31-32)  Truth will always free us from a spiritual or mental prison.

The 6 symptoms that expose fear of poverty (as written by Napoleon Hill in ‘Think & Grow Rich’):

1. INDIFFERENCE – Commonly expressed through lack of ambition; willingness to tolerate poverty; acceptance of whatever compensation life may offer without protest; mental and physical laziness; lack of initiative, imagination, enthusiasm and self-control.
2. INDECISION – The habit of permitting others to do one’s thinking. Staying “on the fence”.
3. DOUBT – Generally expressed through alibis and excuses designed to cover up, explain away, or apologize for one’s failures, sometimes expressed in the form of envy of those who are successful, or by criticizing them.
4. WORRY – Usually expressed by finding fault with others, a tendency to spend beyond one’s income, neglect of personal appearance, scowling and frowning; intemperance in the use of alcoholic drink, sometimes through the use of narcotics; nervousness, lack of poise, self-consciousness and lack of self-reliance.
5. OVER-CAUTION – The habit of looking for the negative side of every circumstance, thinking and talking of possible failure instead of concentrating upon the means of succeeding.  Knowing all the roads to disaster, but never searching for the plans to avoid failure. Waiting for “the right time” to begin putting ideas and plans into action, until the waiting becomes a permanent habit. Remembering those who have failed, and forgetting those who have succeeded.  Seeing the hole in the doughnut, but overlooking the doughnut. Pessimism, leading to indigestion, poor elimination, bad breath and bad disposition.
6. PROCRASTINATION – The habit of putting off until tomorrow that which should have been done last year.  Spending enough time in creating alibis and excuses to have done the job. This symptom is closely related to over-caution, doubt and worry.  Refusal to accept responsibility when it can be avoided.  Willingness to compromise rather than put up a stiff fight. Compromising with difficulties instead of harnessing and using them as stepping stones to advancement. Bargaining with life for a penny, instead of demanding prosperity, opulence, riches, contentment and happiness. Planning what to do IF AND WHEN OVERTAKEN BY FAILURE, INSTEAD OF BURNING ALL BRIDGES AND MAKING RETREAT IMPOSSIBLE.  Weakness of and often total lack of self-confidence, definiteness of purpose, self-control, initiative, enthusiasm, ambition, thrift and sound reasoning ability.  EXPECTING POVERTY INSTEAD OF DEMANDING RICHES.  Association with those who accept poverty instead of seeking the company of those who demand and receive riches.

Fear of poverty is a state of mind, nothing else. As such, every person has control over it … they may not know how to exercise that control but they do have that ability.  Money will not come to us in gushers until we change our state of mind to faith of abundance and prosperity.

So how do you change your state of mind from fear to faith?  Read by recent blog called “Change Your Life” and listen to my audio on Faith below.

‘Faith’ by David Schirmer

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The Secret To Wealth: Where Does Money Come From? – Part 1

Since The Secret DVD and book, I am known around the world as the “Checks-in-the-Mail” guy!

If you have watched The Secret more than a few times you will remember me saying:

“Today I just get checks in the mail. I still get a few bills but I get more checks than bills.”

There have been times in my life when that has not been true … when the money coming in has been less than the money going out … where the end of the money comes before the end of the month!

So where does money come from? How do I get some?

To fully answer those two questions will take me weeks … maybe months! I invite you to come on the journey with me as I share my insights and little known secrets on wealth, abundance and prosperity.

First there are two key concepts you must accept:

1. That money is an energy which flows according to your thoughts; and
2. The source of money is NOT other people.

These two concepts may challenge you initially, however I will prove to you their validity.

To create real wealth you have to abolish the idea that there is only so much to go around. The fear of poverty is the greatest and most destructive fear in the world today. It stems from the taught thinking that there is a limited supply of money.  Did you know that the study of economics is the study of lack?  That which a person studies they create.  While ever you live on that mental plane of lack and poverty thinking you cannot attain financial freedom.

Financial freedom means to be set free from the worries and doubts of money, to have no fear that something can be taken from you or that you will be left with less and not more. Money is most people’s god and master. They are ruled by debt, interest rates, mortgage payments, credit cards and bills.

Freedom /fri:dem/ noun:

1. the power to act or speak or think without externally imposed restraint
2. immunity from an obligation or duty

Oh, you can have stacks of assets and money in the bank and still not have financial freedom! You cannot be happy or feel that you have achieved success while you are constantly fearful of getting ripped off, losing your money, someone stealing from you or that you simply don’t have enough. Chances are though that you will remain in lack and never acquire any wealth.

While you operate on the thought plane in lack, thinking there is only so much to go around; you will always be operating from the level of competition.  “What can I get for me?”

The only lack that exists is in a person’s mind … and that, my friend, causes the lack to show up in their circumstances.

So here are some questions for you to ask yourself … about YOU. Please take a sheet of paper (a journal is better), write today’s date on the top of the page, and answer these questions:

1. Do I willingly tolerate poverty and accept whatever compensation life offers without protest?
2. Do I lack initiative, imagination, enthusiasm and self control with money?
3. Am I in the habit of allowing others to do my thinking?
4. Am I envious of others who are successful or do I criticize them?
5. Do I drink alcohol in excess?
6. Do I look for what can go wrong in every circumstance?
7. Am I in the habit of putting off until tomorrow?
8. Do I always have a ‘back up plan’ … just in case?
9. Do I believe there is only so much money to go around?

Tomorrow we will look at the symptoms that show up when a person has a fear of poverty.