As the nation approaches the 250th anniversary of its independence, true financial independence remains out of reach for the average American household. In a country known for its vast wealth, it is striking that 70% of that wealth is held by just 10% of citizens. While new millionaires are created every day, most Americans still live paycheck to paycheck. Recent research shows that nearly 67% of families could not manage even a brief disruption to daily life without facing difficult financial choices.

The opportunity to build wealth is more real today than ever before, yet a quiet wave of “bad attitudes” is tearing at the fabric of this country. As the saying goes, a body begins to decay from the head; the same can be true of any organization, community, or nation.

As leaders, we have a responsibility to stay grounded, recognize both our opportunities and challenges, and fulfill our duties to our families and communities. What we do matters. How we organize, communicate, and make decisions matters. We must learn to recognize and avoid the destructive attitudes shaping today’s world. With cameras everywhere, some of the most harmful and unbelievable behavior is now recorded for all to see. What is the root cause? After much thought, I return to a lesson from my fourth-grade teacher, Ms. Mathis, who taught me that a “bad attitude” leads to self-destruction. She urged us to look up the meaning of a bad attitude, and I still remember it: negative thoughts and uncooperative feelings toward people, circumstances, and outcomes. Ms. Mathis reminded us that we control our thoughts and actions, which ultimately shape our habits. She never allowed us to use phrases I hear too often today: “I don’t care,” “I don’t give a damn,” and, more recently, “It doesn’t matter.”

I am convinced that the issue is not a lack of knowledge- it is – in my opinion a “bad attitude” & our approach to the thing we call financial independence.  Yes, we have been knocked down, we have setbacks & have countless examples of thriving black communities that have been attacked, destroyed by the very people who go on social media expressing their demonic thoughts of “why we can’t get over the hump”. Rather than offer a relatable excuse, I say – No matter how many times you are knocked down- GET BACK UP!  A dream will never die if the dreamer acts & keeps dreaming.  The good news is that I have seen a number of people who have made the decision to dream. 

In conclusion, just because the majority have made the decision to just get by, I encourage you to put on a new attitude, make better decisions & think about the consequences of your actions. Lets turn that “F” into an “A”!