The Modern-Day Slave Mentality: Are You Really Free?
Let’s start with a question: How many times did you hear this growing up? “Son, go to school, get good grades, find a safe, secure job, save money, and buy a big house.” I’m betting it’s more times than you can count. This was the mantra, the golden rule that promised a good life—a life of security, stability, and maybe even a little slice of the American Dream.
But let’s flip the script for a second. How many parents ever told their kids: “Son, go to school, get good grades, start a business, employ people to work for you, and enjoy time and financial freedom”?
Not many, right?
Which one sounds cooler to you? Exactly. Any intelligent person would tell you that the second option is the one that really sparks the imagination. But why, then, does society push us towards the first path? Why are we conditioned to seek out jobs rather than create them? Why aren’t we encouraged to be the ones who create opportunities in the marketplace? Why isn’t this taught in schools?
Could this be why more than 85% of the richest billionaires in the world dropped out of high school?
The Painful Truth About Our Lives: The Story of Modern-Day Slavery
I remember attending a business seminar where the speaker shared a story that hit me like a ton of bricks. It was painful to hear, but it was the kind of story that sticks with you and makes you question everything about your life. Before I share it with you, I want to apologize in advance—I’m about to get real, and it might sting a little.
The story goes back to the days of cotton plantations and slavery. Picture this: It’s 6:00 AM, and the slave master rings a bell. The slaves wake up, have a quick breakfast, and head out to the cotton fields. They work until midday, when the bell rings again, signaling a quick lunch break. Then it’s back to the fields until sunset. The bell rings once more for dinner. After that, they might chat, sing some songs to lift their spirits (there were no TVs back then, after all), and then they’d go to sleep, only to repeat the same routine the next day, the next week, the next month, the next year. Every month, they’d get a few coins to feel secure, but they were never truly free. Their lives were a living hell.
Fast forward to the 21st century. There’s no slave master ringing a bell for you to go to the cotton fields, but there’s an alarm clock that rings at 7:00 AM (or whatever time your boss wants you to arrive at work). You wake up, groggy and maybe a little resentful, and head off to your job. You work until lunch, take a half-hour break, then work until 4:00 PM. You go home, watch TV, eat dinner, sleep, and the cycle repeats itself day after day, week after week, month after month, year after year.
So, let me ask you: Are you really free? Is there any difference between the man working for the slave master and the one working for the boss? The only difference I see is that you might look a little sharper and drive a car to your job instead of walking to a plantation.
Can you travel whenever you want, or do you have to ask your boss for permission? Are you really free? Are you really happy? Studies show that 55% of workers in the U.S. aren’t happy with their jobs—just over broke (J.O.B.s), as they’re often called.
Why the Majority of People Are Slaves and Will Remain So
Here’s the harsh reality: Most people will remain slaves to the system for their entire lives, and here’s why:
1. Social Hypnosis
From a young age, we’re hypnotized by society to believe that the ultimate goal is to get a job after we graduate. It’s a script that’s been written for us before we even have a chance to question it. We’re told to work hard, keep our heads down, and follow the rules. But what if the rules are designed to keep us in line, not to set us free?
2. The Illusion of Job Security
Most people would rather look for job security—which, by the way, no longer exists—than freedom. The world is changing faster than ever, and the concept of a “safe, secure job” is more myth than reality. Companies downsize, industries evolve, and the job you think is secure today could be gone tomorrow. But freedom? Freedom is something you create for yourself, and it can never be taken away.
3. Lack of Belief
Many people don’t believe they have what it takes to create opportunities in the marketplace. They think opportunities are for big shots like Bill Gates, Sergey Brin, and Mark Zuckerberg. What they don’t realize is that these giants started out just as small as anyone else. The difference? They believed they could change the world, and they went for it.
4. Fear of Failure
In school, we’re punished for failing. A bad grade feels like the end of the world, and that fear of failure sticks with us as we grow older. Why risk starting your own business when you can get a job and avoid the possibility of failing? But here’s the thing: Failure is the best teacher you’ll ever have. Every successful entrepreneur has failed, often many times, before they finally made it. Failure is not the opposite of success; it’s a part of the journey.
5. The Comfort Zone
Most people are just plain comfortable with their everyday routine. They get up, go to work, come home, and repeat. It’s easy, it’s familiar, and it doesn’t require much thought or effort. But comfort is the enemy of progress. If you want to achieve something extraordinary, you have to be willing to step out of your comfort zone and embrace the unknown.
Why Are You Here? The Big Question You Need to Ask Yourself
I once heard a powerful phrase from Eric Worre: “Those who ask HOW will always end up working for those who ask WHY.” So, I ask you—why are you here? Is it just to go to work every day and make your boss happy, or is there a bigger purpose to your life?
If you feel like you’re falling behind, struggling to keep up, or just plain lost, I want to help you shift your mindset. It’s time to adopt a new belief—a belief that empowers you to create an amazing life. The new belief is simple: “It’s fun to adapt rapidly.”
I’m not here to sugarcoat things, and I’m not here to babysit anyone claiming they want to be an entrepreneur. I’m here to tell you the truth about what it takes to succeed. I’m here to inspire those who are ready to commit to creating a life beyond their wildest dreams, no matter the cost. I’m here for the truth-seekers, the people who want what’s real, and who are willing to do whatever it takes to get it.
The fact of the matter is, there’s a reality to what it takes to be a successful entrepreneur. You either abide by that reality, or you don’t. But it’s foolish to ask reality to change for you—it’s not going to happen. You have to adapt to reality.
If the market moves fast, you have to move fast. And you can’t get mad because that’s the way it is. You either play along, or you don’t play at all. It’s that simple.
The Changing Landscape of Online Marketing
2010 marked a huge shift in the online marketing industry. There was a wave of crackdowns across some of the largest advertising platforms on the internet, and it really constrained the marketing ability of many in our industry. There were powerful trends driving these changes, and they’re trends that aren’t going away anytime soon.
I won’t go into all the details here because it’s not necessary. But the big lesson is this: Things changed.
And here’s the lesson that will make you (and me) a lot more money in the future: When things change, don’t try to make what was old work again. I don’t care how frightening it is that things have changed or how big the ramifications are—if they truly changed, let it go. Follow the trends somewhere else.
The Bigger Lesson: Don’t Miss the New
Here’s the deal: If you’re focused on the old in a changing world, you miss out on the new. Fact is, there are emerging trends that make the trends of the past look like child’s play.
I thank God every day for the eyes to see because as soon as I opened them, I found something so much bigger it’s insane. Now all my focus is on business models that are $100,000,000+ to $1,000,000,000+ models.
There’s always a reason why everything happens. You never know that reason until the future about 99% of the time. That’s why it takes wisdom to perceive everything happening inside a larger context.
You have to have the wisdom to look at your experiences and what’s happening in your life and perceive it in a larger context. Perceive it out of the moment. Perceive it from the eyes of what you truly know.
If you look back on your life, your biggest failures, biggest challenges, and toughest moments were probably your biggest teachers. Even the things that made no sense when they were happening almost always turn into invaluable gifts.
Adapt Quickly or Get Left Behind
At this point, I’m learning to follow trends even faster. Gaining experience in the Silicon Valley world has given me a new perspective on what it means to follow trends. Silicon Valley is seriously crazy.
You don’t even know what you’re missing if you’re not plugged into that scene. It’s like the “you don’t know what you don’t know” principle in full effect. That world is so tuned in to what the largest business and technology trends are—it’s nuts. And it’s inspiring.
If you follow the trends and follow the knowledge, it will take you to incredible places. I plan on sharing much more of what I’m learning as soon as it’s the right time. But for now, let’s just say there are some extremely powerful and creative opportunities emerging that have changed my view on business, lead generation, and the future.
Bottom line: Adapt quickly. You don’t have a choice. It’s just how it works.
It’s not good enough to learn something and think that just because it was hard to learn, it will be valuable to you forever. The fact of the matter is, I’ve invested tons of time and money learning things that simply aren’t as relevant to my life anymore. That doesn’t make them a waste—it makes them a stepping stone.
Everything Is a Stepping Stone
Everything in your life is there for a reason. It’s all a stepping stone. Even your future lessons are just stepping stones to lessons beyond that.
It’s only when we get stuck feeling like we are somehow “owed” success from the universe because we’re “working hard” that we end up never getting it.
Hate to break it to you, but it’s not as much about hard work as it is about hard strategy.
It’s about intelligence. It’s about application. And it’s about execution. Who you are as an entrepreneur makes a 100x bigger difference in your success than how hard you work.
Live your principles. Live these teachings. Live knowledge. That’s what will make the biggest difference in your life. That’s what will shape your entire future success as an entrepreneur.
Finding Your WHY
Here’s the funny thing: I believe you have something special that can add a lot of value to the community and the world. The difference between you and any great man or woman is that they knew their WHY. Nelson Mandela looked for that meaning. So did Gandhi, Mother Theresa, Michelangelo, and all the other leaders out there. Now it’s your turn to find out.
If there’s something you’ve wanted to do since you were young, NOW is the chance. Go for it. Of course, you will fail, fail, fail, but ultimately, you will achieve massive success. If your WHY is strong enough, it doesn’t matter how many times you fail.
Your Time to Thrive
My goal for you is to achieve that success. I hope these words have touched you and inspired you to realize your WHY and take action. Let me know by commenting down below. And let’s share the value with all our friends on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and all other networks. Sharing is caring.
And remember, I apologize for any offensive language, but sometimes the truth needs to be said. Good luck!
Your Mastery,
Lusabara Essau
