Money is something we all have a relationship with. Whether you love it, despise it, or try to ignore it, the truth is that having money is essential. Yet money is also a highly taboo topic. It can be viewed as rude to share specific numbers, too. There are certain stigmas around being wealthy just as there are about needing money. In fact, a recent survey shows that most people are more comfortable talking about addiction, race, sex, marital problems, and politics than money. And for entrepreneurs, there can be limiting beliefs about money that may actually hold you back.
Money matters
If you want your money situation to play out in a different or more expansive way, then it goes beyond investing and conferring with a financial advisor or money coach—although those components are important too.
To really open yourself up to financial abundance, you need to look at the beliefs and mindset you have about money. Without doing this, you can learn all you want about Roth IRAs and money market accounts, but there will still be a piece of the puzzle missing that will hold you back from earning the right way.
The first step is to acknowledge those limiting beliefs. Especially considering the common hush-hush mentality when it comes to money, this is a great opportunity for you to examine your beliefs around money. Read on to see if you relate with these common beliefs and how you can shift your mindset into one that’s prepped and primed for making more.
Common limiting money beliefs
1. Money is “hard” to obtain
This is probably one of the most common beliefs about money that’s neatly encapsulated by the saying we’ve all heard: “Money doesn’t grow on trees.” If you believe the idea that making money is challenging, then it will be. As with many limiting beliefs, this can quickly become a self-fulfilling prophecy.
Part of this is how we critique money influx. It’s common to only think of your paycheck when considering the money you make—instead of acknowledging and being grateful for all the money that flows your way. An effective way of shifting this is by tracking every single cent that enters your bank account. Paychecks, bonuses, birthday money, a credit from a store—keep track of it all, no matter how small of an amount or where it came from. You can also pair this with the mantra, “Money flows to me with ease,” to help shift your mindset. You might be surprised over time at all the ways money finds its way to you.
2. You need to be frugal to have more
For many big purchases, you might assess what you already have and plan for how you can save. However, you can also reframe the question, “How will I save this much?” to “How can I make this much?” Perhaps that’s by offering coaching services along with your course or using order bumps to garner some extra revenue. You can even poll your audience to see what they want and then create based on that.
Another reason to reframe this common misconception is because it might have you pinching pennies, which will put you in a scarcity mindset rather than an abundance mindset. Lack creates more lack, so if you’re focused on what you don’t have, (or the need to tightly hold onto what you do have), then you’re going to be more likely to overlook ways to make money. You can also use the mantra, “There’s more where that came from,” every time you make a purchase as a reminder that money comes and goes—what you spend will come back to you, if you’re open to it.
3. You’re selfish if you want to make a lot of money
There can be a lot of stigma around the desire to get rich—especially if your motivating factor for creating is money. And the truth is, that’s perfectly OK if you want to make money. It doesn’t mean that you’re greedy, selfish, or creating your course for the wrong reason. Shift away from labels and get curious about why you want to make a lot of money, instead.
One helpful way of diving into this is to journal. If a million dollars hit your bank account today, what would you do with it? Go into detail here—write about what you would buy and from where, what you would save, and what would be spent on others.
In fact, a lot of what you do could have a positive ripple effect—buying clothes from a small business boutique, investing in your own business so you can offer more to your audience, or getting a better studio for your team. Wanting to make more doesn’t mean you’re selfish. It means there’s the possibility of expanding your reach in a positive way.
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4. Money determines success—or failure
This is simply not true. There are so many factors that contribute to success. While cashflow is one of them, it’s not as simple as money equating to success or a lack of money equating to failure. Failure is a very tainted concept that links to self worth.
Observe carefully to see if this is a belief that you hold. And reframe it when it shows up. The number in your bank account has no bearing on who you are as a person. A powerful way to neutralize and shift this belief is through EFT tapping, paired with journaling, or talking with a loved one when it comes up.
5. “Realistically, I’ll only make X amount of dollars with my course.”
The use of “realistically” can be limiting, especially when it comes to making money. If you go in with the bar set at a “realistic” height, then that’s as high up as it’ll ever go. Instead, get expansive. Set revenue goals that challenge you from time to time. Next, let go of the “how.” You don’t need to have every answer for how it’s going to happen in the beginning. Stay open to how things could unfold in unexpected and abundant ways.
Remain open
An effective way for your mind to let go of some of the logistics (which is OK from time to time) and open into a place of possibility is to look for expanders. These are people who are doing something similar to what you are (or what you want to be doing) but are a few—or many—steps ahead. Oftentimes these are people we can feel jealous of or threatened by—like the stranger you came across on Instagram who is your niche but has five times as many followers and is booked out and making top dollar for the whole month. However, this person is there to expand your awareness and open you to the possibility that what they have is also attainable for you too.
No matter what beliefs you have around money, remember they can be shifted into a more positive and open place so that you can call in the cash you desire and deserve.
