I was a bit taken aback this week when a Coloured business owner, who shall remain nameless, ‘cos the point of this article is not to name and shame, responded to The Raven Report’s support of our National Champion MMA fighter Xavier Cornelius’ fund raising efforts.
The person boldly posted their response on social media saying, and I’m paraphrasing here “I am not going to support someone else’s holiday.”
The good news is that the person was willing to engage with us telephonically and once they understood what it was all about, they did a complete turn around and even offered to approach other business owners to help.
So, thank you for that. However, it gives me the opportunity to share the psychologically-acknowledged concept of having a Poverty Mindset. This is not a judgement call on us, I’m sharing this to create awareness and inspire change.
In psychology, what is commonly referred to as a Poverty Mindset (closely related to the concepts of Scarcity Mindset) describes a pattern of thinking in which a person becomes so focused on limited resources and perceived unfairness that they struggle to recognise long-term opportunities, collective success, or mutual benefit. Rather than seeing another person's achievement as something that can inspire or uplift a community, they may interpret it as a personal loss or as someone receiving an undeserved advantage.
This way of thinking can sometimes be seen when a talented young person asks for support to represent their country. Instead of recognising the sacrifice, training and dedication behind that opportunity, the effort is dismissed as "paying for someone else's holiday." That response overlooks the reality that elite sport is earned, not gifted.
IT'S NO HOLIDAY
And, let me leave you under no illusion, that you really have to be the best in the land to earn the title of National Champion. From personal experience, I can tell you that traveling to a foreign country, for business (cos that’s exactly why Xavier’s going, to take care of business), is no holiday. The stress and discomfort is real, and add to that the fact that you still have to step, alone, into a cage to literally fight on behalf of an entire rainbow nation! And don’t even mention the exchange rate!
Lets create a different world for our kids than what we were forced to endure because of Vervoerd and co.
Supporting one of our own is not charity; it is an investment in the belief that people from our own community can achieve extraordinary things. Communities that celebrate and back their achievers tend to produce more achievers. Communities that resent or diminish success often reinforce the very limitations they wish to escape. The question is therefore not simply whether we support one athlete, but whether we choose an Abundance Mindset that says, "If one of us can succeed, perhaps many more can follow."
Oh, and can someone please tell me if the radio presenters and the politicians who posed for pix with Xavier, are promoting his fund-raiser on their platforms? 'Cos I don’t listen to the radio and I don’t follow individual politicians, so I genuinely would like to know.
Yes man, I know I’m being aspris.
So, please, can we stop breaking each other down, and support Xavier and what he represents.
Give what you can. I will personally make sure that the names on the backabuddy list of donors, lives on and will forever be a part of Xavier’s extraordinary journey. He's already told me he is bringing home the title, so why on earth would you not want to be part of that?
Sincerely, with love and kindness.
Thank you all, and please share the link to this article with at least one other person, and get them to do the same.
Let’s change our own narrative, ourselves.
Marlon Abrahams
Editor-in-Chief, The Raven Report
