''I hated poverty. Poverty is
                                                            more of a choice than anything else,
                                                       and i can change that (poverty). It depends
                                                       upon how hard i want to work, and i decided
                                                       that i would change it.''- Dr. Ben Carson
 

What this quote means is that poverty (being poor) is a choice and that you can change it but it depends how hard you want to work.  If you dont work hard you wont be able to change the fact that in poverty.