In a compelling new book, Nigerian-born leadership expert Dr. Sam Adeyemi argues that the financial decisions trapping people in poverty are often shaped by deeply-rooted beliefs absorbed from family, community, and culture. According to Dr. Adeyemi, growing up in poverty—whether in Africa, the projects, or a deprived community anywhere in the world—programs individuals for poverty rather than prosperity.
"If you grew up in Africa, the projects, or in a poor community, whether in Europe, North America, or anywhere in the world, it is more likely that you've been programmed for poverty than for prosperity," Dr. Adeyemi says. He explains that this programming comes from absorption: "from growing up in a poor home, a deprived environment, or with people from poor communities. It all stays in the conscious mind, and after some time, it drops into your subconscious and becomes a part of you."
The result is a frustrating disconnect between conscious goals and subconscious programming. "Many times, the goals people set with their conscious mind are not in alignment with their programming," says Dr. Adeyemi. "People want to be prosperous and wealthy, but their programming is for poverty."
Using a fruit metaphor, Dr. Adeyemi illustrates the challenge: "If we really want an orange, but our roots are for mango, we're getting a mango," he says. "What should we do? Unfortunately, there's nothing you can do to get your orange. Unless, you remove some roots, and put new ones in their place." This metaphor emphasizes the role of environment, just as soil affects a seed's yield, the environment a person grows up in affects their mindset and the possibilities they see for themselves. "Your seed may be perfect, but the soil determines its full potential," Adeyemi adds.
However, Dr. Adeyemi insists this cycle can be broken. "The beliefs we've formulated from our environment can become deeply-rooted, but thankfully, they are not necessarily permanent." For him, changing results begins with changing underlying beliefs—the 'roots'—that shape them. This idea is central to his SHIFTS process model, outlined in his latest book, SHIFTS: 6 Steps to Transform Your Mindset and Elevate Your Leadership (Wiley).
The SHIFTS acronym stands for See, Hear, Insights, Formulate, Transform, and Succeed. "Transformation begins with becoming conscious and disciplined around what we See and Hear," says Dr. Adeyemi. "What we repeatedly expose ourselves to influences our Insights, which shape the way we Formulate our decisions. Those decisions then inform what we implement (Transform), ultimately determining whether or not we Succeed, and get the oranges we've always wanted for ourselves."
Dr. Adeyemi is the CEO of Sam Adeyemi, GLC, Inc. and founder of Daystar Leadership Academy (DLA), which has over 52,000 alumni. He is followed by more than 3 million CEOs and high-performing individuals on social media. His previous book is Dear Leader: Your Flagship Guide to Successful Leadership. He holds a Doctorate in Strategic Leadership from Regent University and is a member of the International Leadership Association.
For those interested in breaking free from poverty programming, Dr. Adeyemi's book offers a practical guide. More information is available at SamAdeyemi.com and drsamadeyemi.onlinepresskit247.com.
