Debt Free

Americans are lucky. Face it. America is the only country in the world where poor people are fat. We’re not talking a few over, either. We’re talking way overweight. In most countries around the world, the poor are lucky to get something to eat, much less enough to make them obese. Something else to differentiate the poor in America from the poverty stricken around the globe is the TVs, and the cars, and the DVD players, and the satellite dishes, and the furniture, and the cigarettes, and the….well, you get the picture. Even the poor in America seem to have an awful lot of stuff. They eat at restaurants, for god’s sake. So what if it’s only the two tacos for $.99 at Jack in the Box.

The point is that we’re lucky to be in a land of unbridled opportunity. Even poor in America you’ve got it better than anywhere else in the world, especially if you want to be successful. Almost anyone can rise from the most humble origins to become CEO of a Fortune 500 company. Andrew Carnegie, one of the richest men of the last century, began as a messenger for Western Union.

John H. Johnson was born in a poor town in Arkansas in 1918. His father died when he was eight years old. His mom was a cook, and saved her money so they could move to a place with more opportunity and better schools for her children. Her son went on to found Johnson Publishing Co., a business empire with interests in publishing and cosmetics. They have offices in New York, Los Angeles, Washington, DC, Detroit, London and Paris. Last year, they had gross sales of $412 million.

Oprah Winfrey began poor, living on a farm with her grandmother. She had a rough childhood, suffering sexual abuse and being sent to juvenile detention when she was 13. Through guts, vision and perseverance, she’s now the head of one of the most successful media companies in the world. She was the first black woman in the nation to become a billionaire.

You’ve all heard of Sam Walton and probably shopped in one of his more than 6,000 super sized discount stores. He started out the child of a farmer who was so poor, he had to quit and get another job so he could feed his family. That’s poor. Sam had a modest start, delivering newspapers and milking cows. He ended up revolutionizing retailing. It took determination, vision and lots of extremely hard work. He put himself through the University of Missouri by again delivering newspapers and bussing tables in exchange for a meal.

Upon graduation, he had an entry level position at JC Penny, making a paltry $75/week. After a stint in the military during WWII, he parlayed his knowledge of retailing gained at JC Penny, a loan from his father in law, and his military savings into a small retail store franchise that was quite successful. After selling this, he began the chain of stores that would one day become Wal-Mart, and make Sam a billionaire.

All of these people grew from poverty to become business titans, revolutionizing their respective industries. They did this in different eras, but had some things in common. First of all, they were determined. They had drive like a Kenworth down a mountain road with no brakes; virtually unstoppable. Starting from nothing, you do little without perseverance. You must get started and then never stop. For most successful people, getting started wasn’t the problem. They were driven to succeed, and wouldn’t know how not to move forward.

They got an education. There are many tales of success by those without one, but the percentages side with those who do. It’s not only about what you learn in books, but what you learn from the people you meet, and the contacts they provide you throughout your life that are important.

They had vision. You need to see the future and what you can do to make it better. The vision on how you can do something better, shift the paradigm, or do something that’s never been done, is essential to true success.

No excuses. There is a path to success for everyone. Now, get moving.