Why Giving Money Doesn’t Truly Help The Homeless

I once listened to an audiobook called 101 positive thoughts, by Loiuse Hay. She said that if you divided the money equally across the world, after a few months, the rich people will be rich and the poor people will be poor again. Now initially I thought no, can’t be right. Then I decided to open my mind to the fact, that she could indeed be right. After awhile, I decided I agreed.

The Homeless Demographic

I don’t in anyway want to make homelessness seem like an issue that is as simple as filling out a job application. It’s a complex issue, especially considering the fact that 40% of  homeless men are veterans. A lot of people who are homeless are chronically homeless which is defined as, “an unaccompanied homeless individual with a disabling condition (e.g., substance abuse, serious mental illness, developmental disability, or chronic physical illness) who has been continuously homeless for a year or more”.In these particular instances, homelessness is a much more complex issue, than a lack of finances and just giving money won’t be enough to fix these issues. Giving money is a kind, warranted and necessary. At the same time it only a temporary fix to a much more serious problem.

Poverty Is A State Of Mind

Giving money to homeless people can help to a degree but poverty is a state of mind. In other words poverty occurs in the mind before it ever manifests in our finances.  If someone really wants to help the homeless, paying for them to go to a seminar to help them to think the way rich people do, could be of good help. Take the popular, classic timeless “Rich Dad, Poor Dad” for example.  The author Robert was about to figure out that the rich dad and the poor dad had different mentalities.

Rich Dad Poor Dad

A person with a poverty mindset can’t maintain money. This is why 75% of athletes lose their money a few years after retiring. This is also why rappers, lottery winners and other people who attain money fast, lose it fast. They don’t have the mindset to keep it.

This is why I believe it’s important for people who have made it to, educate others about the mentality it takes to keep money. You can’t be a baller, when you are first starting out and be rich. You have to save, invest and work hard.

I do believe in giving money to the homeless to help them. I do believe in giving to the less fortunate. I just also acknowledge that it won’t fix the problem. Even if everyone gave money to the homeless I don’t believe it would end poverty. It is the right thing to do but a person can only maintain the money they receive, if they have the mindset to do so. If a person doesn’t have the mindset to accumulate and maintain wealth they won’t.

I Blame The Rich People

At one point, I blamed the rich people. It’s their fault. The rich get richer and the poor get poorer. Of course, rich dad poor dad warns us about this mentality. But we can’t blame rich people. People who are in poverty have to blame their own mindset. We should still help people who are in poverty but they need mentoring more than money. Money will only truly help a person when they lose the poverty mentality, that put them in poverty. This doesn’t mean that I am completely negating the fact that the economy is falling apart, people are getting laid off, having a hard time finding a job and other REAL, CIRCUMSTANCES that lead to poverty and homelessness. I understand that circumstances can present themselves that we didn’t expect and that can knock us off our feet. Ask Donald Trump who was mentally rich but still lost all his money at one point. Hard times can hit, but if you have a rich mindset, you will eventually, land on your feet. Though Donald Trump lost all his money, he still landed on his feet and became richer than ever because he had the right mindset. If he had a poor mindset, when he lost his money, he would have never overcame it. Their would be no “The Apprentice.”

Nothing Can Stop People With A Strong Mindset, Whether African American or College Dropout

No matter what your obstacles are, there is no true excuse to stay broke. I acknowledge that being African American or uneducated or little work history, the bad economy and the general structure of society can be obstacles to being rich. But there is nothing that can truly hold you back but a weak mind. If you truly believe, since your African American you won’t get a job, then their you go. If you truly believe that since you don’t have a degree you won’t be successful, suit yourself. But there are people who are African American with no degree who are successful. I’m not even counting entertainment and sports. Anything is possible and obstacles are only challenges meant to build character.

You can acknowledge your obstacles but don’t allow them to define you. Anything is possible.