Before I make some of you get all up in your feelings, let me ask you a few questions.
- Do you save your last $1 or do you spend your last $1? I’m talking about those very last four quarters you have to your name. What do you do with them?
- Do you pay your power bill or go shopping with that power bill money?
- Do you write a bad check to one of your bill collectors and say a quick prayer that it won’t go through until your paycheck arrives in your account?
- Do you have any savings at all?
- If someone asked you why you’re broke, what would be your reply?
Got your juices flowing? Good.
You being here tells me enough. Especially if you answered yes to 4 out of 5 above. It tells me you’re broke and you want to know why (or you could be here or entertainment purposes too and you’re totally welcome here, btw). And see, that’s the problem right there. You’re broke and you want me to tell you why you’re broke.
Stick with me, I’ll explain.
Why are you broke?
Now back to question five from above, if someone asked you why you’re broke, would your answer be one of the following:
“I don’t make enough.”
“I’m poor.”
“I came from nothing.”
“It’s not God’s will for me to be rich.”
“I don’t know.”
I’ve heard all the answers above. I’ve even claimed once or twice in my life that I didn’t make enough money. Just lying to myself and other people like it was nothing. Truthfully, the majority of us have broken mindsets and have believed certain money lies our entire lives. Fortunately, I’ve been delivered and if you’re still inflicted with these beliefs, my hope is after reading this you will be delivered too. Or at least on your way to deliverance.
The real reason you’re broke
See the real reason you’re broke isn’t because of any of the tired excuses above. The real reason you’re broke is because you don’t do what you say you want to do. You say you want to save money, but you don’t. You say you want to be debt free, but you’re dodging bill collectors. You say, you say, you say…
I came to this conclusion long before reading, You’re Broke Because You Want to Be by Larry Winget. See, I didn’t want to make this post about a review of this particular book because I know many would skip right on past it (and some of you are ready to hit the back button right now, but stay a little longer). No one wants to hear they are broke and it’s their own fault. I know I wouldn’t if I was still claiming broke.
But let Larry tell it, you’re broke and it’s because you want to be? Trust me, if I’d saw the title of this book around eight years ago, I would have Kanye shrugged my way right on past it. However, that was then and this is now. Curiosity got the best of me and I had to hear what this man was talking about especially if that means it could help one of you. I’ve rambled enough, let me get into the meat of what this book is about and get on with my point.
You’re broke because you want to be
There is one quote from this novel you need to hear. Once you hear it you need to keep ingrained in some of your membranes. Write it on the mirror. Carry it in your purse. I don’t care, just don’t forget it. It will help you.
“What you think about, talk about, and get off your ass and do something about comes about.”
Let me tell you why this quote was so profound to me. I’ve been dreaming of being free of my student loan debt since the day I got that first bill from Great Lakes way back yonder. And all I did was dream. Almost ten years of dreaming and my balance sat there and continued to mock my behind until I decided it was time for me to actually get it done.
Thinking about paying the bills don’t pay the bills. Talking about paying the bills don’t pay the bills. It’s you getting off of that arse of yours and clicking payment or running your monthly bill errands that actually pays the bills.
Larry’s logic on why you’re broke because you want to be (and my big fat co-sign)
If such logic applies to bill payments and getting myself out of student loan debt, you’d better bet your last dollar the same logic applies to being broke. Why does it apply? Because, those who want to get ahead, they get ahead. They make a plan, they save their money, they hustle their way out of debt and they make ish happen.
It’s all in the mindset. If you’re about your business with little income and make a habit of paying bills on time, saving, and living within your means, you will certainly do the same thing if you’re making more money. If you’re broke and you’re not trying to pay your bills on time, save more, or cut your expenses, earning more money ain’t going to “fix” you. You’re still going to be broke and it’s simply because you have made the choice to stay that way.
“You can’t get ahead until you are willing to give up the things that are keeping you broke.”
According to Larry, not having money isn’t your problem. Your lack of money comes from the result of several other problems like your attitude, sense of entitlement, laziness, lack of discipline, and thinking. Basically, your priorities are jacked up and the value you put on things will keep you broke.
If you had more money, you certainly wouldn’t keep it long because of all these other problems that you need to deal with. More money is not always the solution. Larry describes this best, if you’re a jackass without money, you would be a jackass with money – and I’m putting it nicely. He isn’t as kind. Bottom line, money doesn’t change the person, it just brings more attention to what values were already there.
So should you read it?
Well, let’s see…
Are you broke? Are you broke because you want to be or because you never do what you say you want to do?
Then yes, you might want to cop one of these at your earliest convenience if you’re looking for a change. If being broke doesn’t apply to you, at the very least you’ll be entertained by the gall this guy has to talk to folks the way he does. It’s pretty interesting to say the least.
So if you’re broke and plan to read this, I will caution you. You may very well get your feelings hurt because Winget does not bite his tongue. He straight up calls you out on everything and will have you in your feelings before you even get to chapter one. But my guess is, if you’re broke and you’re tired of being broke, you won’t care. You’ll take the strong verbal reprimands he delivers and you’ll do the work he tells you to do.
If you can handle that aspect of this book and you’re willing to do the work, ? fist bumps ?. I’m proud of you.
The fact you’ve lasted this long tells me you’re seriously ready to get your finances out of jacked up mode and on the course towards that ballin’ future you’re always talking about. Go ahead and get your copy of You’re Broke Because You Want to Be. Then do the work and make the changes. Don’t believe it’s that simple? Then you’ve proven Larry’s point and solidified my co-sign (and that’s unfortunate). ?
Have any of you already read You’re Broke Because You Want to Be? What did you learn from it? If not, let’s hear your point of view…. why do you think people are “broke”?
*Part of Financially Savvy Saturdays on brokeGIRLrich, Disease Called Debt and I Am the Future Me