Victim or Victor?
Updated: Oct 25, 2020
Are you a victim or a victor? The difference is in your mindset. I know this to be true from my own story.
I am thankful for the work ethic of my parents but I was still raised in poverty. Food stamps and every other kind of government assistance were a regular source of support. I adopted the mindset that I was owed something and the world needed to give it to me or it was âtheirâ fault I didnât succeed. Now this wasnât directly taught, I was always taught to work hard and take care of my family, it was adopted because of my circumstance.
Everything changed when I realized that I wasnât a victim because of what happened or didnât happen in my life. I was a victim because I chose to be. Wow, I need to choose something different. I need to take responsibility and take control.
Before I started my business I was thinking about friends of mine who are rather successful. They own multiple businesses, land, and are establishing quite the legacy. I caught myself thinking, âI wish I had the opportunities they had. I wish my parents or grandparents would have established themselves to the point of owning land so I would have had a better start.â That is the last time I allowed myself to think like a victim. No sooner than that thought crossed my mind I had another more powerful thought, âWhy donât YOU stop complaining and YOU create that opportunity for your family?â
You see, instead of fueling the victim mentality I made a conscious decision that day, choose to be a victor and build from there. Stop looking back on what you didnât have and look forward to what you are called to create.
I had two options:
A) Play the victim card and complain about what I didnât have.
B) Start building and creating a lasting legacy that will impact my lineage forever.
I chose B. You can too.
âNow there were four men with leprosy at the entrance of the city gate. They said to each other, âWhy stay here until we die?â
ââ2 Kings⏠â7:3⏠âNIVâŹâŹ
These men men made their choice. (See 2 Kings 7 for the full story.) The point is they could have stayed there sulking in their circumstance. Instead, they took action! The world we live in encourages a victim mentality. Itâs a trap. Make a better choice today.
Oh, and if you catch yourself saying, âBut you donât understand!â This is definitely for you and I am glad you read this far. Letâs get to work.
Check out âVictim v. Victor? (Mindset)â on our podcast: âMore Than Numbers: Enneagram For Entrepreneursâ available on all platforms.