Is 2014 the year that you change your relationship with money? How many times have you said to yourself; “THIS is the year that I will; get out of debt; save more money; make more money; change my career/job; make more money in my business; or set some real financial goals?
But time flies, and life gets in the way. Weeks turn into months and you get the same results that you have… Why? You did the same things. Isn’t that the definition of insanity; doing the same things but expecting different results?
I know for me in my own business and life, if I want things to change, then I need to have a different plan, or fine tune the one I have. What I have also come to realize is that my self-image is the key to unlocking any limits that I have established that are stopping me from getting what I want.
Our opinion of ourselves is our blueprint. Our self-image is the product of our past experiences and creates a picture of our perceived self. Every person who I coach (including myself!) has put on self-imposed limits.
When it comes to money, you may have decided that since you have failed in the past you are imprisoned with that self-image by saying to yourself;
“That’s just the way I am.”
“I am not good with money or numbers.”
“I am not good at setting goals.”
“Why fight it…I can’t afford it.”
Every day we face the opportunity to accept hopelessness and failure. It reminds me of the story of Christopher Reeve who played Superman in the movies. After he was confined to the wheelchair he contemplated suicide. Every morning he faced waking up and deciding to accept failure and say; “I can’t do it anymore, why fight it”. But he didn’t; every morning he would face despair and he would have to ‘sell himself’ on optimism and action. He did it and he became a symbol of hope and inspiration for thousands of handicapped people around the world.
Whatever your self-image is around your relationship with money is, let me ask you this; “What if it was not true? What is the story that you have been holding on to that is keeping you from what you want?” You must change it and you can.
The past does not equal the future, yet you are giving your brain the same old work orders around money and your goals. Jet fighters have no rear view mirrors.
We are hypnotizing ourselves with our negative beliefs and we need to free our self-image with; “We are what we decide to be.” And after working with hundreds of men and women over the last few years (including my own self), I know that the self-talk and self-image not only defines who we are but can also limit our results.
Here are some tips for you to be more optimistic and how to use it as your advantage to get what you want.
- When you are feeling frustrated, stop and ask yourself if you are giving the power of permanency to something that CAN be changed.
- Tell yourself, “I can figure this out.”
- Make a list of your past achievements. We tend to focus on what goes wrong rather than what went right.
- Be on the alert for patterned actions. Always doing the same thing the same way, even though you got lousy results. Break the pattern!
- Keep track and note all the good things that happen every day, keep a gratitude journal. Break the habit of focusing on what isn’t working.
- Get a mentor or a coach to talk to.
Many people that I have coached tell me that they just need to get motivated; they believe and are waiting for that something or someone to happen or not happen to them. Some even think that they deserve success and then do nothing to achieve it. Do you buy lottery tickets to fund your LRP? (Lottery Retirement Plan)
I can’t motivate anyone. What I can do is to show you how to you create a mental picture and act ‘as-if’ you’re already who you want to be, where you want to be and everything else you want to see happen in your life, and confidently believe it! The motivation comes from your self-image and your own self-talk. The stronger you create the mental picture as if everything has happened and achieved, the easier everything will become, including failures. Your mental images will be become your reality and your actions and reactions will become automatic to make it happen!
My wish for you for this New Year – 2014, is to have clarity, confidence and be connected to what is really important to you. Oh and most of all…. Go for it! You deserve it and you were meant for greatness in your own right, whatever that looks like! If you feel that ‘money’ is holding you back from your dreams, contact me for a free chat. I know two things in my heart; One, that every person can be reached, interested, inspired and opened up. Two, that everyone is smart enough to try a different approach, and then a different approach, until one proves successful.
With much love,
