Changing the things We can Control

"The most important thing to do if you find yourself in a hole is to stop digging. Warren Buffet"

There are two ways in which we can view the world. We can either view it as a large place with very different people or view it as a small place with just people.

When we view the world as a place with different people, we focus on what makes us different from others and pay attention to dissimilar attributes like nationality, race, ethnic background, customs and traditions. Occasionally, this focus on differences may give rise to the belief that those who are not from a similar background or of a similar appearance, do not share a common bond with us and may not understand our experience.

However, when we view the world as a small place with one people, we can see past the divergences and focus on those things that all of us humans share in common. We all have similar needs, the basic need for food, clothing and shelter, in addition to the need for love, safety, financial security and the protection of our dignity.

As immigrants in America, especially from African countries, there is this unfortunate tendency for us to believe that certain privileges are reserved only for majority white Americans. Many African immigrants are resigned to just work, pay bills, send their children to school and maintain their houses and cars. Occasionally we help relatives back home. In search of these goals, many immigrants work for years and retire with very little to show for all the years of work. Without social security and job based retirement plans, many of us have no private retirement initiatives. Ask any group of African immigrants how many of them believe that they would retire as millionaires and many would think the question is a joke.

So why do Africans as an immigrant class work so hard and at the end of the day have vey little to show for all the years of work? Why are we always one illness or crisis away from financial ruin? How can we break the mindset that we can never get truly rich or retire in our 40s? How can we believe that like others, we are all one people and like others there is no limit to what we can achieve? How can we emancipate our minds from the belief that prosperity is the preserve of a particular group? How can we truly believe that the sky is our limit?

This blog will explore these questions and together we will explore ways to move beyond debt, living paycheck to paycheck, on to a path of financial freedom.

"It always seems impossible until it's done." Nelson Mandela