John McCain: prosperity evil-doer?

Boy there sure are some histrionics coming out of the US Presidential race. And yes, we're even hearing it down in far-flung Canberra Australia. The latest hoopla over John McCain's 7 or 8 houses is a case in point.

After all, how dare he own so many houses?

Why are people so outraged that McCain has a plethora of accommodation? Surely people admire his capacity to attract and accumulate wealth - so much so that he is not even hung up on the details of exactly how many houses he actually owns.

However judging by the media frenzy and Obama's scathing sarcasm, this is exactly the wound the Democrats are throwing salt in to: many Americans do NOT have a wealth consciousness. Many Americans really are struggling to make ends meet. Many Americans really do believe that having more than one house is selfish and even downright 'obscene'.

And that is exactly what is keeping the majority of folks in struggle-town: these long rants about McCain being 'out of touch' are really expressions of many people's own fears and debilitating beliefs.

These are the beliefs that say:

• "Wealthy people are out of touch"
• "That rich guy has no idea what it's really like to work for his money"
• "It's harder for a rich man to get through the eye of a needle than enter the gates of heaven"
• "Money is the root of all evil".

Obama's campaign has stirred up the great 'us and them' deception: there is the 'us' - the hard working middle class - and the 'them' - the companies that pay paltry wages and exploit our labour for profits.

We've got the same dialogue in Australia: it's the "Battlers" against "Big Business". The David/Goliath myth. The big guy/little guy thing.

The thing is, there is no 'us' and 'them' - there is only US. We ALL have the opportunity to create and attract as much wealth and opportunity that we can imagine.

Perhaps you've heard these excuses:

• "I haven't got the education"
• "I was born on the wrong side of the tracks"
• "I came from poor people"
• "I've got to work hard to make my way"
• "There's only so much room at the top"
• "In companies, it's always the sh**t that rises to the top"

These are just that - excuses.

Or rather, BELIEFS.

And beliefs are simply ideas that have been repeated over and over until we believe they are true. Unfortunately for most people these beliefs are absorbed subconsciously from their parents, teachers, schools, and communities, until eventually you have a whole sector of the population has these self-limiting arbitrary notions strangling their perspective, and hence their enjoyment of life.

And this is where Obama and McCain missed a huge opportunity.

McCain might have clued in to this and responded to the accusations with:

"Yes I have an unusual number of houses. I consider myself fortunate to have been raised with an entrepreneurial spirit and have mastered wealth creation. This is the same kind of prosperity thinking and strategies that I want to bring to my Presidency so that ALL Americans can shift their limited experiences and enjoy super-abundance like myself and my family. I am here to teach Americans the real truth about prosperity - on the ground, in schools, and in businesses. This is after all, the Land of Opportunity - I am living proof - and I want this for ALL Americans."


Obama for his part, instead of stirring the flames of anti-wealth fear-mongering, might have responded:
"Yes it's incredible that McCain has that many houses. This is after all the Land of Opportunity. But where he's failed miserably is that he has not shared his wealth, knowledge, or know-how in a way that benefits the majority of Americans. I am here to tell you that I bring a new era of education that is about empowering ALL Americans to create their own prosperous futures, not just for those who were born with a silver spoon in their mouth."



Americans, and the rest of the world if you found yourself indignant at McCain's assets, could have asked,

"Wow! 7 houses? Or is it 8? More even? How the heck did that guy do that? I wonder what I could learn from him? I wonder if I might be able to attract that many houses? How can I find out about this? Isn't it great that I live in a country that has libraries where I can start to learn about wealth creation for free. I really am wealthy!"

Folks, recognising that you have limiting beliefs is half way there. Changing them takes some effort and persistence, but it can be quick. I've outlined in great detail how you can overhaul your limiting beliefs in my popular program The Three Pillars of Personal Power.

In the meantime, if you found yourself freaking out at McCain's housing, then it's time you started asking better questions - about you, your beliefs, your potential, and what you really want. Because you really can have it all. Now that's a much better thought than, "what the heck does he want 7 houses for!"

Zoe