Maybe you’re not in financial despair, but you still worry about money more than you’d like.
Or you’re not hitting your money goals fast enough, and you are far from financial freedom.
Or perhaps your business isn’t struggling, but you are nowhere near building the company you always wanted or living the lifestyle you’ve dreamed of.
If any of those things are true, you might think your first order of business is to live by a budget or get a higher-paying job.
However, if you want to make a significant difference in your financial future, there’s something else you must focus on first—your mindset.
What’s Your Money Mindset?
Your money mindset refers to the attitudes and beliefs you’ve developed about money over your lifetime.
These ideas originally stem from your family and friends, your environment, and your education. Your mindset affects your income, expectations, and financial future.
For instance, a scarcity mindset likely means that you are afraid or uncomfortable with the idea of having a lot of money. You think you’ll never have enough, not to mention become wealthy. However, a prosperity mindset means you are comfortable with and expect to have an abundance of money.
Your money mindset acts as a limiter on your financial success. Until you change it—whatever it may be, not much will change for you financially.
Change the Way You Think About Money
I imagine there have been times in your life when you decided to make a lot more money.
You started doing some things differently, but you fell back into old habits a few weeks later even though you felt committed to your goal.
That’s because our paradigms and old beliefs are so ingrained that deciding we want to change often isn’t enough.
However, if your money mindset isn’t as positive as you’d like it to be, you can change your beliefs and attitudes to a more empowering position.
While it won’t happen overnight, taking the following steps can lead to far better financial results:
1. Make a committed decision.
If you want to improve your money mindset, one of the first places to start is making an irrevocable decision to do it.
Unfortunately, most of us have weak decision-making muscles. We fail to realize how effective a committed decision is.
Part of the problem is that we use the term “decision” so loosely that it has come to describe our wishes, not our commitments. Instead of making decisions, we state our preferences.
The word decision comes from the Latin roots, “de,” meaning “from” and caedere,” meaning “to cut”… therefore, a decision means cutting from any other possibility. A TRUE DECISION, then, means you are committed to achieving a result and then cutting yourself off from any other option.
2. Set a worthy goal.
How much money would you really like to have? Come up with a figure that excites you but seems impossible. Dream big.
If you don’t have a number in mind, calculate how much money you would need to pay off all your debt, cover all of your bills, and live the way you would love to live. Or maybe you’d love to turn your annual salary into your monthly salary.
When you settle on a number, write down what you want as one meaningful statement in the present tense, as if the money you desire is already in your possession. People often don’t reach their goals because they keep them “out there” in the future.
“I’m so happy and grateful now that…I make $__________ a year, and I’m able to be, do, and enjoy the life I really want.”
To keep your subconscious mind focused on where you’re headed, carry the goal card with you at all times and read it several times every day.
Focusing on a big-money goal inspires you to change your money mindset because the excitement of achieving your dream pulls you forward.
3. Replace limiting beliefs.
Think about this for a few moments…
You can use your thoughts to create almost anything you seriously want. No other creature on earth can do that.
You have the power to create something that has never existed, write best-selling books, live in the house of your dreams, and make all the money you want.
You can do all those things and much more. But you have to believe that you can do it. And if you don’t believe it, it’s time to upgrade some of your beliefs.
Leland Val Van de Wall said, “Our belief system is based upon our evaluation of something, and frequently if we reevaluate a situation, our belief about that situation will change.”
So, take a few minutes to evaluate the following questions to help you see what shifts you may need to start making in your mindset.
Do I believe that I am worthy of having all the money I need and want?
Am I comfortable talking about money?
Do I believe I can create financial freedom?
If any of the answers are ‘no,’ ask yourself where those beliefs came from and if they are true. Most of the time, you’ll find there is no supporting evidence; you’ve just been operating on autopilot because it’s part of your conditioning.
When you find any negative or limiting thoughts or feelings, your job is to recognize that it’s not a beneficial belief to have and look at it from a new, more empowering perspective.
For example, if you often find yourself thinking or saying, “I can’t afford it,” your mindset is that you don’t believe in your ability to live the life you really want to live. You believe you have to hold onto the money you have because you lack confidence in yourself to earn all the money you need and want. Thinking you can’t afford what you want is demonstrating resistance to life.
A more empowering perspective would be, “The universe is naturally abundant, and I know I can earn the money I need to live the life I really want.”
Think of it this way…
How would you feel if you doubled or tripled your annual income? Or if your annual income was your monthly income? Get into your body right now and imagine how you would feel? Write down the words. This is the mindset and feeling that attract more abundance.
4. Use affirmations.
In addition to replacing limiting beliefs, you can use money affirmations, such as the following, or you can make up some of your own:
1. I am so happy and grateful now that I have a healthy relationship with money—I treat money with respect and handle it with confidence.
2. I am so happy and grateful now that money comes to me easily and effortlessly.
3. I am so happy and grateful now that money is coming to me in increasing amounts, through multiple sources, on a continuous basis.
Look in the mirror and repeat them over and over again—with feeling!
5. Make personal development a priority.
Spend time each day developing your mind by reading or listening to personal development material that will teach you more about yourself, the power of your mind, and your potential.
You might also read books that will help you better understand money and your industry or improve your skills.
Also, start spending time with successful people. Being around clever, successful people is one of the fastest ways to learn. Most successful people are happy to share their knowledge with people who genuinely want to learn.
One Final Thing…
If you’re serious about changing your money mindset, don’t just read these steps; start to practice them.
As you do, you will bring more of yourself to the surface. And, over time, you will realize that earning the amount of money you want becomes not merely ‘possible’ or ‘probable’… it becomes practically inevitable.
And while you’re changing your mindset, practice being grateful for what you already have and your progress. The more you focus on what’s good in your life, the more things you’ll attract things to be thankful for.
I recommend that you start taking these steps today. You’ll be so happy that you did.
To more and better,
Sandy Gallagher
