In a recent Larry Elder TV Show Appearance, I was asked to express my opinion on the aforementioned question. For those of you who saw my segment, clearly I was passionate about the subject having an intimate connection to it.

From my experience, I can tell you that poverty is not a disease, but rather a state of mind caused by poor decisions. Yes you can be born into poverty. Yes you can have poverty "happen" to you, but unlike a disease you have a choice to get out of poverty once you are capable of earning a living.

In my humble opinion, I believe that the only power we have as human beings is the power of CHOICE and when I was young, living in poverty, telling me that my state was a disease would have seriously weakened my resolve to improve my situation. Our goal should be to empower those in poverty and inspire them to take action, not to condemn them as stricken by disease. Further I find it very dangerous to use a medical term to classify a condition that is social and economic in nature, to define poverty in medical terms clouds the issue when it is social, spiritual, and motivational in reality.

By equating poverty to a disease, you stigmatize the poor, and all you will do is alienate that segment of the population. When you are poor you are labeled all kinds of things by society; stupid, drug addicts, criminals, etc! Having overcome such labels I am appalled that certain people are encouraging yet another disempowering label to be imposed upon an already disenfranchised population segment. Who will want to hire somebody out of poverty if the community views a poor person as diseased? People fear diseases, because they are contagious and uncontrollable. Poverty is neither contagious nor uncontrollable.

I was indeed born into a family of poverty, abuse, and drug addiction and like everyone in similar situations, I had every excuse in the world to follow that path to jail or the grave, but I didn't. Because of the help of a mentor, I learned how to drown out the disempowering negative beliefs that had been holding me back, and replace them with positive, motivating messages. This is the reason why I am no longer in poverty and this is the solution to the problem. Behind every successful person who has overcome poverty a mentor, an icon or a role model exists.

What is most important is not governmental declaration of poverty as a disease, but rather personal motivation on the part of the individual, and collective action as a society to support those striving towards a better life.

I encourage your feedback. Please email me: ryan@pathconnect.com

inspiration to reach for any goal gives me a level of fulfillment that my success as an entrepreneur never could. Having seen the best and worst of what life has to offer, I know all too well the importance of guidance and support at every one of life's turns.

I grew up in Ventura County, California, north of Los Angeles. The product of two abusive, drug-addicted parents, my fate seemed sealed at an early age. I blindly followed a dangerous path for years, hanging out with the wrong friends, making horrible choices, not having the confidence to stand up for myself and choose a different route.

Everything changed when a mentor came into my life and took the time to listen to what I had to say. A self-made man who understood the importance of hard work, he taught me many of the values which now make up my "5 Principles of Fulfillment." With his support and guidance, I was able to unlock my potential as an entrepreneur and turn my ideas into action, creating 3 companies by the age of 27.

My latest venture, PathConnect, is a revolutionary online community designed to unite people with common goals in a truly empowering environment. PathConnect fuses the science of psychology with the technology of the Internet, allowing mentors and experts to connect with users in search of guidance. As a user spends more time on PathConnect, his social networks expands, giving him streams of knowledge and support never before seen in the industry of self-help.

As the network expands, there is virtually no limit to the number of people who can be helped and the number of goals that can be achieved. The site has countless tools to help users set goals, generate focus, and connect with mentors for support.

Essential to the mission of PathConnect is to make our tools accessible to anybody who wants to be more effective in pursuit of his or her goals in life. For this reason, PathConnect is FREE. While much of today's self-help industry caters to those with the money to buy into certain programs, our mission is to exclude nobody. Every person who attends one of my speaking engagements walks away with an incredible free tool to help turn the inspirational energy of my presentation into action.

My speaking engagements center around my "5 Principles of Fulfillment," a set of simple values I learned on my journey to personal and financial success. The application of these principles in daily life has kept me centered, focused, and unlocked my full potential.

Identify the Path that Will Lead to Your Purpose. Before you can fully commit to maximizing your potential to be happy, you must commit to your ultimate purpose. You will know when you are on your path because you will feel comfortable and confident. Fear of failure or the fear of change often accompany the start of your journey. It is natural and expected to fear these things, but with the second principle will come the strength to convert this fear into positive energy.

Connect with mentors for support and guidance. We are not alone in this world, and to try and tackle our grandest goals alone is misusing the millions of dynamic assets which surround us every day. The support of a mentor is an empowering gift, as I learned early in life. The strength to ask for help is always rewarded with the strength of a helping hand. PathConnect is a living, breathing example of the goodness of people; a community built on the premise of mentorship and support where thousands of goals are achieved every day.

Create Empowering Beliefs. With the support of your mentors and peers, now is the time to push any negative thoughts from your mind. You will always be your own toughest critic, but the power of positive thinking will amaze you. There is no reason you can't accomplish your every goal, and to think otherwise is a misuse of your time and energy. This will be a breakthrough, unearthing a well of motivation and passion you never knew you possessed.

Generate Unwavering Focus. With the negative belief gone from your internal dialogue, it is now time to eliminate the thoughts and distractions that lead you away from your path. You will be able to identify the essential and the extraneous, investing your attention on tasks critical to your purpose. You will make strides towards your ultimate goal, achieving more than you ever thought possible. Possessing the tools and knowledge to achieve your goal is important, but the focus to apply them is essential.

Achieve your goals. This fifth principle comes naturally if you are able to master the first four. If you are on your path with the proper attitude and focus, supported by mentors in a positive environment, the fulfillment of your goal is simply a matter of time. The PathConnect community was founded on this principle, and thrives because its members and mentors believe in each other.

My path has led me to this point, and I look now to the members of PathConnect and audiences at my speaking engagements to help me realize my ultimate purpose. Knowing that my work is helping people unlock their full potential gives me great personal fulfillment, something everybody deserves to feel.