Everyone wants to be successful in life, and that often means achieving wealth. But is it realistic to expect someone from a disadvantaged background or who is broke to become wealthy? Absolutely! By thinking outside the box, anyone can achieve financial success.

People from disadvantaged backgrounds or those simply in dire straits hold themselves hostage.

They believe that they are trapped by their circumstances, unable to change things. Waiting for some magical Genie to appear that will grant them three wishes and make all their dreams come true. Your thoughts can hold you hostage and keep you poor.

To free yourself from the box you are trapped in, you must open your eyes and learn to see, you must read, you must write, and you must learn new things. You must look for ideas and opportunities everyday as you go about your daily life.

Thinking Outside the Box

In Ideas Like Shoes, we read about Ludwick Marishane, the son of a Limpopo shop cashier, who hails from a rural area. Yet his story should inspire everyone in both privileged and underprivileged society to think on their feet, reminding us all that anyone can be creative.

Anyone can come up with a great idea. The challenge many rural communities are faced with is the lack of running water and people are often tasked with walking great distances to fetch and carry water for their home use. Showering is a burden. His great idea came to him on a cold winter’s day in 2007 when he was still a pupil in Grade 11.

After a few friends had been sunbathing, they needed to run an errand. They were getting ready to go when someone asked one of their smelly pals to go and take a bath. He piped up and said, “No, guys, why doesn’t someone invent something you can put on your skin and then you don’t have to bath?”

Most of them liked the idea and thought such a product would be really cool but Ludwick loved the idea; he would buy a product like that. They all got up and went about their business, but the idea stuck in Ludwick’s mind; he thought about it continuously. A few years later, after thinking outside the box, he created Dry Bath Gel, a waterless shower alternative, which is taking the world by storm, saving time and helping those with no access to water.

Marishane is now the youngest patent holder in South Africa and his company claims to have provided 445 590 baths, saving 35.6 million litres of water. Not bad for a rural lad, the son of a shop cashier. Anything is possible. Anyone can do it if they simply open their eyes and learn to see. This once again highlights the benefits of thinking outside the box.

As Alvin Toppler reminds us, great ideas do not only spring from literate minds: “The illiterate of the 21st century are not those who cannot read or write, but those who cannot learn.”

Look at Julius Yego, the world champion Javelin thrower. Born in rural Kenya, the African and Commonwealth record holder for the event with a personal best of 92.72m. Another great success story. What makes the story just so much more remarkable is the fact he did this without a coach. Julius Yego, dubbed “Mr You Tube”, is self-taught. He spent hours watching videos of other javelin greats to help him develop his training techniques and skills. He believed in his own ability and showed others that it can be done with the right discipline and dedication.

Follow these simple steps to change your mindset and improve your success and financial wellbeing:

1.      Believe It’s Possible

Stop waiting for the Genie to appear and start believing that you have the magic within you to make things happen. Walk around with your eyes open, think outside the box and look for ideas and opportunities around you each day. Your circumstances and experiences are totally unique, which means that your insights and ideas are totally unique too.

2.      Create A Plan

The first step to achieving wealth is to create a plan for success. This plan should include setting long-term and short-term goals, as well as outlining the steps needed to reach those goals. Once you have set your goals, map out the resources that are necessary for you to reach them, such as money or time and then set a timeline for when each goal must be achieved.

Having a plan in place gives you focus and direction and helps ensure that you stay on track with your goals. It also helps keep you motivated and accountable by providing measurable milestones that will track your progress towards your ultimate objectives.

3.      Be Resourceful

When it comes to achieving wealth or big ideas on a budget, resourcefulness goes a long way. Look at what resources are already available and find ways to maximize their use and benefit.

For example, if you want to learn more about a certain skill or industry but don’t have much money, consider taking free online courses, watch You Tube videos like Julius Yego, or attend free webinars offered by experts in the field. All these examples can provide you with lots of insights and will not require a large cash investment up front.

Finally, there is no doubt that anyone can achieve financial success regardless of their current position—it just takes some creative thinking and savvy decision making along the way! By creating a plan for success, being resourceful with what resources are available, investing your time wisely and believing in your own magic anyone can go from broke to wealthy over time – all they need is the right mindset!

So why wait any longer? Start thinking outside the box today!

CULTIVATING A CULTURE OF INNOVATION & CREATIVITY