Poverty and wealth shouldn’t be defined by only how much income you make or what you have

How do you define the words “poverty” and “wealth”? Both words have distinct meanings that are usually poles apart and depend on the amount of material/physical possessions an individual either has or doesn’t have.

Wouldn’t you agree that a doctor is not rich if he earns $500,000 a year, but spends over $750,000 per year and struggles to make ends meet? Certainly, anybody who spends money this way would make life a bit difficult for themself.

Most people would agree that $500,000 is quite a lot of money, and people who have made that amount of money—or much less per year—became very wealthy by utilizing or investing it in amazing ways.

At the other end of the ladder between poverty and wealth, some people live on less than a few dollars per day, don’t have modern conveniences, walk several miles each day to get clean drinking water, and even cook all their food by burning wood with fire!

However, these people who “struggle”—as most of us would say—always have an infectious smile, joy, and contentment, and continue to work hard and remain optimistic as they strive to make ends meet and improve their lives.

Poverty and wealth are much more than just a context or concept

What I have learned—not only by understanding the lifestyles of people in the suburbs but also by understanding the lifestyles of people in the slums—is that poverty and wealth are much more than just a context or concept. In many ways, both are different types of mindset.

There are some rich people who live in the poorest parts of the world—but they are truly rich; also, there is a different category of rich people who live in million- or multimillion-dollar homes, but are actually bankrupt!

At the other end, there are some people who have only the basic needs of life but are contented and radiate wealthiness even though the world believes that they are poor are “living in poverty” and “struggle to make ends meet”. Oh, what a world we live in!

Even if we conclude that someone is poor because of the beliefs and definitions we have about “poverty”, that person might not be poor or continue to remain poor because they have a demeanor, a vibe, and attributes that can attract opportunities and change their life to depict our own definition of what “wealthiness” or “having wealth” means.

Poverty is not poverty when it has prospects and high hopes

Some types of poverty are of a different kind; they don’t necessarily mean “poverty” in the actual sense, or in the sense that depicts the popular definition of “poverty”. You can see something inspiring through some of the eyes of those whom the world believes are living in poverty.

If someone can find meaning and motivation in a rural or slummy environment with nothing more than a farm to feed on, and a shack to start their business, then what is stopping many of us from utilizing some or all the modern-day tools that are at our disposal?

In reality, our circumstances can rarely dictate what we are capable of doing with our lives; people who have become great after living under harsh conditions have often taught me more than any millionaire could ever teach me: at whatever stage I am in life, how much income I make, or what I have, is a means to a much better life.