Why hating the rich is keeping you poor
Pop quiz: Which of the following statements is true?
• Rich people are greedy.
• Money corrupts people.
• People get rich by taking advantage of others.
• Good people should not care about money.
• All of the above.
If you agree with any of those beliefs, you might be hurting your chances of becoming wealthy yourself. In fact, hating the rich might be making you poor.
Brad Klontz, an associate professor of financial psychology at Creighton University, has found through years of research and surveying hundreds of people about their money beliefs that those who think negatively about wealth and wealthy people are more likely to have lower incomes. The stronger your hatred of the rich, the lower your income will be.
Here’s why.
You avoid money
Everyone needs money to pay for food, housing and other necessities, but some believe that they shouldn’t have more than they need because having too much can corrupt people. They think that those who have a lot are greedy.
Beliefs such as these are what Klontz calls money avoidance. Because of these beliefs, you often do things subconsciously that hurt your well-being, such as overspending, blowing a windfall or not seeking advancement at work. You sabotage yourself because of your negative associations with money.
Yet you worship money
Ironically, people who despise the rich are more likely to worship money, Klontz said. They think that having more money will solve all of their financial problems and make their life better. “On the one hand they think money corrupts people, but, on the other hand, they want more,” he said.
This contradiction causes you to end up hating rich people even more because they have money and you don’t. You convince yourself that everyone who has money is bad and you tune out any evidence to the contrary, Klontz said. Then you tell yourself that by not being rich, at least you’re not a jerk.
You surround yourself with others who hate rich people
People who hate the rich tend to find friends who feel the same. If you’re constantly reinforcing each other’s belief that the wealthy are bad, “it becomes a reality for you,” Klontz said.
If you do start earning more money, get a windfall or even change your tune about the rich, you risk alienating your friends. So you don’t make efforts to improve your finances because you don’t want to get kicked out of your social group.
Understanding and recognizing these thought processes and negative stereotypes can help you change your behavior. By managing your feelings toward money, you can begin to better manage your money.
How to eliminate negative feelings and get rich
If you want to start making more money, you have recognize that you have negative beliefs about the rich, Klontz said. These beliefs are not helping you. They’re only holding you back from achieving your own financial well-being.
Pinpoint where these beliefs came from
To help eliminate these beliefs, you have to identify why you have them. Opinions about the rich typically are learned in childhood, Klontz said. A parent or other f amily member might have ingrained in you the idea that money corrupts. Or perhaps you saw a rich person do something bad - in reality or even in movies - and have maintained that negative association in the back of your mind.
To pinpoint where your beliefs came from, Klontz recommended identifying three things your parents taught you about money as well as your most painful and most joyful experiences with money.
As a child, you accept these messages at f ace value, Klontz said. Unfortunately, because money is taboo topic, there is not a lot of opportunity to challenge those beliefs, so you hang onto them into adulthood, and they influence your relationship with money. It’s important to recognize that what you were taught about wealth and the wealthy in childhood isn’t always true.
Stop sabotaging yourself
Once you let go of negative feelings about wealth, you can stop telling yourself that you can’t get ahead. “There are a lot of opportunities out there for you,” Klontz said. “You’re just not paying attention because you have a certain mindset.”
For example, you might want to reach out to someone who is successful — such as your boss, a colleague or friend — and ask how he got where he is today.
Stop letting other people decide what you’re worth and start asking for raises or seeking advancement.
Stop blaming others for your financial situation. Own up to your money mistakes and accept that you’ve made them so you don’t repeat them, Klontz said. Then you’ll be on the path toward wealth.