Does My Money Mindset Matter?

When thinking about money or the idea of having to check your bank account to see if you have enough to pay the bills, what thoughts come to mind? For example, some may think “money doesn’t buy happiness” or “the rich get richer and the poor poorer.” Or, if you grew up religious like me, you might think “money is the root of all evil” or “you cannot slave for God and Riches.” These beliefs are your money mindset.

Money mindset is your attitude towards finances. It shapes how we spend, save, and view those with a little or a lot of money. Our mindset can be positive or negative. For example, a person with a positive money mindset would view money as abundant and easy to obtain.

You will often hear our negative thoughts about money called limiting beliefs.

Where do these limiting beliefs come from? These thoughts are deep in our subconscious and are typically ingrained in us by the time we are seven years old. They are things we have heard our parents, teachers, grandparents, pastors, and friends say about money. And every financial experience you have had has helped shape your view of money.

Letting these limiting beliefs control how we view and spend money can keep us in a lack mindset—for example, seeing money as scarce and not abundant. As a result, our beliefs often hold us back from taking financial risks or new job opportunities and ultimately keep us broke.

Can we change our mindset? Thankfully, yes. You have the power to take control of your mindset.

I have read many books that have helped me change how I think. When you start learning about your mindset, it goes hand in hand with manifestation. And to be honest, it can get a little too woo-woo for me at times. But one book that puts it into a comfortable, easy-to-digest perspective is “You are a badass at making money” by Jen Sincero. I listened to the audiobook, which she narrates in her no-nonsense and often blunt way of talking. Her writing style is motivating and gives you the kick in the pants you need to make changes.

The first step to change is finding out what your limiting beliefs are. Next, decide what your financial goals are. Maybe you want to pay off credit card debt or save up for a down payment on a home. Whatever your goals are, you need to get clear and specific with what you want. You need to have something you want more than the safe feeling of where you are now that keeps you stuck in your current situation. Trust me, at first, this will feel uncomfortable, and it may seem impossible depending on how deep our limiting beliefs go.

This next step may sound odd, but every book I have read about mindset tells you to do this. And that is to visualize your goal. If you love science and want to understand all this on a deeper level, I highly recommend the book by Dr. Joe Dispenza called “Breaking the habit of being yourself.” He says it’s best to visualize either first thing in the morning, right when you wake up, or at night just as you are falling asleep. These two times of day, our brains are in a slower brainwave pattern which allows us to reprogram our subconscious. See, I told you this could get a little woo-woo. So if your goal is to pay off credit card debt, see in your mind’s eye receiving the last statement with a zero balance. Or, if your goal is to buy a home, visualize exactly what that home will look like. Then go deeper. What is happening in your dream home? Are you all gathered around the table enjoying a meal? Is the salad from your backyard garden? Get detailed in your visualizations. Don’t limit yourself to what is possible. Now go beyond just visualizing what you want. What emotions do your visions bring up? Do you feel a sense of freedom now that your debt is paid off? Are your anxieties gone now that you no longer have debt collectors calling you every day? How happy and content do you feel in your home surrounded by all the ones you love? We move towards what moves us. The emotions attached to our goals move us to take decisive action to achieve that goal, which is the next step.

How will you get the money to pay off the debt or save for a house? Have you been putting off asking your boss for a raise or starting that side hustle you have done endless hours of research on? Nothing is going to change unless we take the needed action. When you are face to face with your boss, sweaty palms and all, asking for that raise, you need the goal and emotions behind that goal to be stronger than how scared and uncomfortable you feel at that moment. The last thing you want to do is give up. If you cannot push through the tough times and the fear, you will never reach your financial goals.

Lastly, you have to start viewing money as abundant. We learned in science class that everything is made up of energy, right. Jen Sincero, in her book mentioned earlier, says that spending or receiving money is just an exchange of energy. I think that is a fantastic way to view the abundance of money. It is truly limitless. Once you start to shift your lack mindset to abundance, you will begin to see it in your reality. Maybe someday, I will tell the story of how my husband and I manifested over $100,000 shortly after I started overcoming my limiting beliefs.

And when you start to see money coming into your life like never before, don’t forget to be grateful, give thanks and give back. When you give with gratitude, it brings you happiness. The author of “Rich dad poor dad,” Robert Kiyosaki, says you get what you give. His belief, which I agree with and have seen in my own life, is that when we give with the right motivation behind it, we will see that money come back to us somehow.

This is just the tip of the iceberg in money mindset. If you want to dive deeper, read the books mentioned in this post. My favorite and free app to read and listen to audiobooks is Libby. It is connected to the public library system, so all you need is a library card to electronically check out the books. Also, go to the store section of my website, where you can get a copy of my money mindset workbook. It will help you see what your limiting beliefs are. Then you will pick a financial goal to work towards and how to achieve that goal without letting your beliefs stop you. Use code IREADTHEBLOG at checkout to get your free copy.

If you need one-on-one help, I am available to coach anyone to work through any limiting beliefs you have. Our limiting beliefs go way beyond just what we think about money. They can affect all aspects of our lives. So don’t let them stop you from achieving your dream life.