What reasons are preventing people from progressing to a higher economic class? United States citizens living in poverty are not always able to transition to the middle and upper class. Reviewing internal and external causes will help explain why people are not able to change their economic status.
Internal is something that comes from within. An example of an internal reason why an individual is not able to transition above the “poverty line” is because they are not making sound financial decisions. Their spending habits increase their debt and prevent them from saving money and making investments. Lack of ambition to improve their life is another internal reason that holds people back from reaching their goals. They are going through life without a definite goal in mind and just allowing life to happen to them.
Establishing and maintaining a spiritual relationship with God will help people overcome obstacles. It is very difficult, if not impossible for them to reach their goals if they do not uphold their relationship with God. Education plays a major role in helping people become successful. The inability to achieve a higher economic status may be due to lack of education. This can include formal education such as high school and college or specialized skill sets. A negative attitude can also prevent a person from transitioning to the middle and upper class. By remaining positive, people are able to stay persistent during tough times.
External reasons present a different problem for people attempting to progress from poverty to middle or upper classes. These situations are outside of their control, but still play a major factor in their life. An example is lack of support system. If someone does not have positive role models in their life, they may not have anyone to steer them clear from bad decisions. Lack of government programs may cause a person to stay at the poverty level. The government may not have a program to help a person change their economic status. Globalization of businesses results in the loss of jobs that were readily available in the United States. Since jobs are less in supply, businesses can pay a lower wage rate to employees. People may work 40 hours and not make enough money to live above the “poverty line.” Internal and external reasons contribute to a person’s inability to advance from poverty to the middle and upper class.
"People often say that motivation doesn’t last. Well, neither does bathing - that’s why we recommend it daily." ~ Zig Ziglar
The journey starts from within. If you are able to visualize your goals, then your chance of achieving them will greatly increase. That’s why we must consistently focus on helping ourselves and others.
