10 Differences Between Middle Class And Rich People

According to Forbes, the 400 wealthiest Americans have more wealth than the bottom 150 million Americans combined. But what about the people in between? The middle class? You may be considered middle class. Youre not poor, but youre not rich…yet. The website here middle class seems to be shrinking, according to the data revealed over the last couple decades. That means youre going to be less likely to be middle class in the future. Youll more likely be poor or rich. Which side do you want to be on?

If you want to be on the side with the rich, youve got to start thinking like the rich. Here are 10 differences between middle class and rich people for you to learn from…

1. The middle class live comfortably, the rich embrace being uncomfortable

“Be willing to be uncomfortable. Be comfortable being uncomfortable. It may get tough, but its a small price to pay for living a dream.” -Peter McWilliams

Its comfortable to work a “safe” job. Its comfortable to work for someone else. The middle class think being comfortable means being happy, but the rich realize that extraordinary things happen when we put ourselves in uncomfortable situations. Starting your own business is a risk and risks can be uncomfortable, but a little risk is what it takes to create wealth and achieve superior results.

Step out of your comfort zone. Look at all your options. You will have to be at least a little uncomfortable if you want to become rich. You might even have to fail and thats great, because if youre not failing, youre not doing much.

2. The middle class live above their means, the rich live below

“There is no dignity quite so impressive, and no one independence quite so important, as living within your means.” -Calvin Coolidge

You wont catch the average millionaire in a $100,000 car or a multi-million dollar home. The rich dont spend their money on depreciating liabilities, they spend their money on appreciating assets and they live below their means. On average, the rich drive cars that are a few years old and they dont buy them new, according to studies done in the book “The Millionaire Next Door.” Even if they can “afford” that fancy new Escalade, they usually dont buy it.

3. The middle class climb the corporate ladder, the rich own the ladder

The middle class tend to work for someone else. They have a job. A career. Upper middle class tend to be self-employed. They own a job. The rich tend to own the business. They own that corporate ladder that the middle class are busy working up. The rich understand that they need more people working for them to earn more money. The rich understand the power of passive income.

4. The middle class are friends with everyone, the rich choose wisely

“Its better to hang out with people better than you. Pick out associates whose behavior is better than yours and youll drift in that direction.” -Warren Buffett

The rich understand that when you surround yourself with successful people, your own success will follow. Likewise, surrounding yourself with unsuccessful people tends to have the anticipated effect. Your income is usually the average of the incomes of your three closest friends. If you want to earn more, hang around people who earn more. Its all about aligning your mindset with the mindset of successful people. If you want to be rich, you have to think rich.

5. The middle class work to earn, the rich work to learn

The middle class are easily persuaded to change jobs when someone offers more money. The rich understand that working isnt about the money, especially in the early years. Its about developing the skills and traits you need to develop to become rich. That may mean working a sales job to better understand the world of selling. Or it could mean you work at a bank to better understand accounting. If you want to be rich, you should be working to learn the skills you need to become rich. Most rich people didnt get there by earning a high salary.