Poverty Mindset

An AHA Moment

I recently asked my husband to buy a bouquet of flowers for the dining room table.  He looked at me askance and asked:  “Why — we aren’t having anyone over for a while?”  I was overcome by an aha moment.  “That is a POVERTY MINDSET“, I replied.  “Why not have beautiful flowers on the table to brighten our house and our moods?”

I think most of us are guilty of this kind of thinking from time to time.  I know I am.  I am naturally very shy.  It is much easier for me to ignore someone on the street than to make an effort to say hello.  I am very aware that this can make me seem snobby.  However, I have no trouble convincing myself that so and so won’t remember me or that I am in too much of a hurry to stop.

What Does it Mean?

I first came across this concept in a feng shui book by Stephanie Roberts.  Ms Roberts talks  about having a poverty consciousness.  Her basic concept is that regardless of how much or little you actually have, your attitude and actions are more powerful indicators of your self-worth than anything else.

I particularly love her spin on the power of positive thinking.  Quite simple, happy people are not optimistic simply because they are happy.  They are happy, in part, because they think and talk in a positive manner.  Conversely, people who project a “woe is me” attitude are not necessarily negative because they are unhappy, but may well be unhappy in part because they habitually think and talk themselves down.  Think of the difference between someone who fixates on “things would be better if I only had x” versus someone who approaches each day thinking “I am so lucky that I have y.”

Thinking about the importance of attitude and outlook, led me back to Carol S. Dweck’s book Mindset:  The New Psychology of Success.  Ms. Dweck talks about two different mindsets:  fixed and growth.  Those with a fixed mindset tend to believe that things are what they are.  People have certain strengths and weaknesses and need to work within those confines.  In other words, you are good at some things and not so good at others.  Those with a growth mindset, on the other hand, believe that skills and accomplishments are cultivated through perseverance and effort.  You never know what is possible if you commit to trying your best over the long term……

Mindset and Actual Poverty

While I think mindset matters for all of us, I believe it has particularly important ramifications for those who are truly struggling.  It is easy to throw around the term “poverty”.  Believe me, I do not mean to be cavalier about it.  Quite the opposite.  I have been tutoring elementary school children since my eldest started kindergarten. I have always gravitated towards those students who are struggling, and who, with some extra help and encouragement, can grasp a concept and keep up with their class.

Many of these kids face immense challenges like hunger, instability and little parental support.  These challenges are often coupled with a negative mindset.  “School is hard.”  “I can’t do it”.    As a tutor, I am growing increasingly conscious of how I speak to my students.  My role is not only to help them pass a test, but also to help shift their mindset so that they start believing that if they work hard they will start to understand and that they can do it.

This is only one small piece of the poverty puzzle, but since every piece counts, any step towards taking poverty out of one’s mindset is a step forward, in my opinion.