What The Rich Do That The Poor Do Not That Make Them Poorer ~ By Fame Agidife

What The Rich Do That The Poor Do Not That Make Them Poorer Curled From The Book Hope Alive Yes We Can (Chapter 46 in review) ~ By Fame Agidife

Building On The Opportunity Mindset &

 The Fundamental Differences Between The Two Divides –

What is the single greatest distinction between the rich and the poor? It is not merely a matter of bank accounts, but a profound difference in mindset, language, and action.

At every moment, those who build wealth are positioning themselves for opportunity. They are not just waiting for it; they are actively seeking the environments where it thrives. They identify it, seize it, and leverage it, all while preparing for the next one. In other words, the wealthy are restless in stagnant environments but are keenly drawn to the land of opportunity.

The rich will sacrifice comfort and security to live where opportunity abounds, among their peers. Conversely, the poor often save what little they have to remain in familiar, comfortable zones—areas with limited potential, surrounded by others in the same situation.

This creates a self-fulfilling prophecy. The rich are attracted to big opportunities that align with their ambitious goals, while the poor are often drawn to smaller, seemingly safer chances that offer little room for growth and no real security to fall back on.

 The Psychology of Risk and Reward

Both the rich and the poor face the same fundamental psychological hurdle: the fear of the unknown. This fear dictates the decisions they make. Both see risk, but each chooses to absorb a different kind of loss.

The wealthy allow their big dreams to overpower their fear of uncertainty. They sow seeds in proportion to their ambitious vision, understanding that big rewards require big risks. They believe in winning big, which means they must also be prepared to lose big. This is why they commit themselves fully to ventures they perceive as having massive potential, while showing little interest in small, incremental gains.

The poor allow their fears to cloud their hopes. They sow seeds in proportion to their fear, not their dreams. They often live by the mantra "little by little wins the race," because that is the level of risk their heart can bear. To the wealthy mind, however, things of little significance hold no sufficient substance to fuel a big dream.

It is therefore understandable to conclude that people remain poor because they fail to do what is necessary to become rich: seeking, seizing, and maximizing opportunity. The rich, on the other hand, become rich because they do precisely that.

The Language of Success vs.The Language of Survival

As a leader, I am exposed to countless complaints and arguments daily. People ask: "Why am I poor and not rich like my peers? Why couldn't I get an education? Why can't I get money to support my children, get married, or start a business?"

But are these complaints the true cause of their poverty? Or are they symptoms of a deeper issue—the very language they use to define their world?

How the Rich Speak

The wealthy are among the smartest communicators on the planet. They speak the language of marketing and act with the principles of commerce. The reason is simple: they instinctively hate depreciation and relentlessly pursue appreciation.

They always speak from a position of strength, never weakness. They know it is suicidal to say anything that could devalue their "product"—be it a business, an idea, or their personal brand—in front of a potential customer, partner, or investor. Every day is a market day, and every interaction is a potential transaction.

Listen to how they speak:

"Clara just got admitted into Stanford, but she’ll be back for the summer holiday. My partner and I just launched our company's new brand and are awaiting the end-of-year windfall. Cherry and her husband just had their second baby in the US, so we went to see our new grandchild. Oh, and we've moved from our old house in Festac Town to our new home in Parkview, Ikoyi."

Do you think they don't have problems? They have more than you can imagine. But their public language is a deliberate act of marketing.They project success to attract more success over their personal problems and weaknesses.

See How the Poor Think and Speak

The poor, tragically, often speak and think only of their perceived weaknesses and past failures. Their language is filled with regret:

"If I had gone to school like my mates, I wouldn't be here today. If I had learned a trade, I would have been better off. If only I had money to start my business. If I had married earlier…"

The question remains: who stopped them from doing what they ought to have done? Do they believe it was easy for the rich to achieve their success? It was not. It took immense pain, sacrifice, and relentless sowing of seeds to get where they are—and they are still sowing till the end of time.

Systemic Failure vs. Personal Responsibility

This analysis is not meant to condemn one group and praise another. It is intended to provide a solution—a way to bridge the vast gulf between these two worlds.

Now, some may accuse me of contradicting my previous lectures, where I emphatically stated that "the poor are poor because the corrupt have stolen the fundamentals of their human existence."

I stand by both statements.

My first view is based on the social science of thinkers like Karl Marx, who argued that systemic inequality and corruption create poverty. He saw the chasm between the rich (bourgeoisie) and the poor (proletariat) as a flaw in the capitalist structure. In his view, the state should control the economy and distribute resources equally to create a true egalitarian society. From this perspective, it is correct to say that the poor are often victims of a system where their opportunities have been stolen by the greedy and corrupt.

However, my view in this lecture is based on the empirical reality of bourgeois capitalism itself: the struggle for survival and the survival of the fittest. This view holds that every human being beyond infancy bears the ultimate responsibility for their own survival.

So, while the system may be rigged, the core question remains. If the whole world fails you, do you have an excuse to fail yourself?

The answer is no. If the world has sidelined you, it means you are unique—a candidate for greatness. Use that position as an opportunity to create your own path. The world, in all its imperfection, desperately needs your unique solution. Our planet is filled with problems, from our dilapidating ecosystem to our need for renewable energy and advanced security. It needs solution providers like you.

Conclusion: Position Yourself for Opportunity

I urge you to connect yourself to the right places, both mentally and physically. Having the right psychology is the foundation, but being in the right place at the right time is how you build upon it. And as Shakespeare often implied through his works, "chance begeth them all"— fortune, fate, and circumstance shape every man’s destiny. "Time is the nurse and breeder of all good." ~ 'William Shakespeare', 'All’s Well That Ends Well, Act I, Scene I 

The opportunities available in Banana Island, Victoria Island, and Parkview will not come to you if you remain in a remote village neither will the opportunity in the remote village come to you in the city and in all – I mean, open your heart for God's abundant blessings that are in abound everywhere you found yourself as home there are abundant opportunities, exploit and translate your limitations into vision and big time opportunity to launch out of a Satanic circle big time. Yes, that is the spirit, the right attitude to the game of life, for the only parameter to weigh the scale of upward trajectory in life is growth only and a fundamental key to principle of survival and survival of the fittest.

And remember, you are not the only one searching for opportunities. As much as being in the right place at the right time matters, so also being smart at opportunities matters for another will surely seize it and perhaps do even better from where you failed to make it count.

The great King Solomon said it best:

"I returned and saw under the sun that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, nor bread to the wise, nor riches to men of understanding, nor favor to men of skill; but time and chance happen to them all." (Ecclesiastes 9:11)

Position yourself for opportunity, "time and chance" and work smart for that is what the rich do.

Thank you.

~ Fame Agidife, @The Fame Agidife

 Leadership Lecture Series (TFALL)