Uncommon Accountability

2THE VICTIM MINDSET

THE POWER OF MINDSET

“Free your mind and the rest will follow.”

– Foster and McElroy

Mindset is the source of everything that gets accomplished in life. The way one thinks drives behavior, and behaviors create results. Thinking is so fundamental to success that if it isn't intentional, results cannot be optimized.

At a macro level there are two mindsets with respect to accountability – either victim or accountable. In this chapter, we will unpack the victim mindset. As you will read, it's pretty grim. This chapter is not designed to discourage you but rather to increase your awareness of the detrimental and insidious nature of a victim mindset. (We promise to keep the gore to a minimum.)

There are times when success appears to be the result of luck, or having a head start in life. While inherited wealth and position can be a great boost to financial success, they are not what it takes to be successful, or to maintain success.

There are multiple news stories about everyday people getting lucky in life, winning the lottery, or receiving an unearned inheritance. Interestingly, a few years after receiving their riches there are two common, and starkly differing, winner's stories.

One frequent scenario is where recipients apply a level of personal discipline – maybe buy a new house and a few nice things – but generally manage their assets conservatively and make ...