Donald J. Trump and Robert T. Kiyosaki, authors of the latest best selling book, 'Why we want you to be Rich', state the following:

“One thing we all need to remember is that a little effort is the best replacement for excuses. If we were all to make an effort to understand what’s going on around us, to make that quantum leap to using our higher, non-complacent minds, some lucid thinking might result.”

They further state that:
“The best way to solve the problem of bad financial results is to change our thoughts – to start thinking like rich people rather than poor and middle-class people. That means losing the entitlement mentality – whether you are a military officer, government worker, schoolteacher, employee or just poor. If we do not stop expecting the government to take care of us, we will continue to have the same results – a bankrupt nation filled with well-educated but financially needy people.”

This is a strong indictment against the poor and middle-class people of America from two of the world’s wealthiest entrepreneurs. Looking at the last years economic unrest and strikes in South Africa, one might just as well think that they had written the book for South Africans too. The newspapers stated that it will take almost 3-5 years for government workers who took part in the 55 day strike to financially break even. Additionally, the country’s inflation is expected to rise as a result of the higher salaries to be paid. In the mean time, the private sector is being confronted with potential strikes and wage demands of up to 20% are being put on the table. Imagine the adverse consequences of all these activities on our economy!

It is not being suggested here that striking must be condemned. Sometimes it could be a means to an end. But what happens when it becomes the end in itself? Do we really understand what we are doing when we commit ourselves to certain economic activities, especially with respect to our medium or long term future? More so, are we willing to be brutally honest about our productivity and ability to uplift the institution we are working for? Can we demand what we are not willing to work for? And if we are to be brutally honest about this matter, haven’t we become to complacent in our thinking and our attitude towards industriousness? Is our entitlement mentality killing our entrepreneurial spirit to such an extent that we are bankrupting ourselves into complete ‘slavery’, beyond the point of no return?

What Donald Trump and Robert Kiyosaki are saying is that we need to become entrepreneurial again, that we should start to think differently, that we should start to build a strong economic foundation upon which more would be available to give. Wealth not built is wealth not being available for distribution. Making excuses and having an entitlement mentality also will not help. Our ability to lead a better life will depend upon our understanding of these things. But do we?