There’s lot of ways to improve money mindset, and you’ve probably already tried some of them. But changing your mindset around money can be problematic. This is because much of your “mental software” around the idea of money has been hardwired into your subconscious mind. Before you were 10 years old, you will have already received a lot of information on the subject of money. Ideas such as “money is the route of all evil”, “money doesn’t grow on trees”, “rich people are greedy” and so on are embedded into society and many people’s belief systems.
As such, you probably received at least some of these negative ideas on the subject of money. So even if you consciously reject these ideas, your unconscious mind disagrees. And since it is largely responsible for running the show of your life, it prevails – however hard you persevere on the “outside” trying to change your circumstances with conscious effort. Your conscious mind is the tip of a very large iceberg. Your unconscious mind holds the secrets to real and lasting change. So to get around some of your negative programming around money you need to deal with your subconscious mind.
Your unconscious mind is wrapped up in feelings of inadequacy, and trying to please your parents. Your parents’ ideas around money are absorbed into your consciousness without query from a very young age, before you were able to consciously reject an idea.
Improve Money Mindset – Delving Into Your Unconscious Mind
To help you discover some of your limiting beliefs around money, and improve money mindset, you can do the exercises on this article. Be honest with your answers because how you really feel is what’s important here, not what you would like to believe. Think about the relationship your parents had with money. How was life growing up? Did you have money or was it an issue? Was money used in the relationship between your parents and did it carry any negative connotations?
There may be some unconscious beliefs around money which are holding you from attaining a more abundant life. To find them, ask yourself why you don’t have the abundance you seek at the moment. What are your reasons? If you have some hangups over the rich, that could be a possible reason. If your programming was to frown on the rich, thinking “rich people are greedy” for example, how would you reconcile this with yourself growing rich, for example?
How would becoming more wealthy change your relationships with those closest to you, and your parents? Would it threaten the existing status quo and why would you want to maintain it? Here’s a few other habits you can create to help you uncover your unconscious beliefs around money and abundance.
Improving Money Mindset – Why Limit Your Income?
There’s many payoffs for maintaining the current status quo. It helps you keep a consistent world view, which may be threatened should you start earning more money. Perhaps your partner will feel threatened if you earn more than them? Look at your closest relationships and ask yourself whether they would change if you were to double your income, for example. Do you fear this?
Perhaps you feel that having a lot of money will mean more responsibility? Or more hassle. Maybe family members will come looking for a handout! Maintaining a low income means you can maintain your self image and your “pity me” story when you tell it! Are you embarrassed to be incredibly rich? How would your friendships be affected and how would you see yourself differently when you’re making the income you desire?
Your Self Worth & Self Image
Your self worth is intricately tied to the amount of money you allow yourself to earn and keep. Although making lots of money isn’t everyone’s focus, if you’re struggling with money, chances are good that you may have some issues with your self worth. If so, it’s possible that’s why you’re struggling with money or want more of the stuff.
Maxwell Maltz wrote a great book called Psycho-cybernetics. Maltz was a plastic surgeon who discovered that many of his patients still had mental issues after surgery. He started working with them to change their self image. When a patient changed their self image, they no longer wanted surgery because they became happy with themselves.
By changing your self image, from struggling “victim” perhaps, to thriving entrepreneur, for example, you change the story you consistently tell yourself. Your inner dialogue is the biggest threat to changing your mindset around money. You’ve probably told yourself a similar story for years, about who you are, what you’re worth and why you can’t have what you really want. Learn how to change this dialogue and you tap into the most powerful tool for transformation – your self image.
Thinking Patterns & Meditation
One way to learn more about your self image is to watch your thinking patterns. To bring more awareness into your thoughts, you can start a meditation practice. You don’t need to sit cross legged and join an Ashram to become more mindful about your thinking with meditation. Just sit somewhere quiet and remain still. Watch your thoughts and focus on your breath. Continue this practice for as long as you like but it helps to start with a short time of say 5 minutes. Then extend it to 10 and then 20 minutes over time. Practice every day.
The idea is to become more mindful of your thinking habits, but without being attached to them. So you can watch thoughts from a space of quiet, detached observation. You will also notice your emotions too, as certain thoughts come up. Avoid getting involved when this happens and bring your attention back to your breath.
This is useful to improve your money mindset when you notice thoughts arising which relate to money, wealth or self worth. As you notice them, take note. These are likely to be regular thinking patterns which may limit your ability to earn and keep money.
The Lottery Winner
Lottery winners often lose their money within a few years after their big win. Why is this? Perhaps they find ways to lose their money because they don’t believe they are worth it. Or, they haven’t changed their financial thermostat to a level capable of accepting the new wealth.
If a poor person suddenly finds themselves rich, there’s a lot going on. Suddenly their relationships have changed and this can bring with it some serious problems. Suddenly their friends who are complaining about lack have nothing in common with them.
They may feel guilty about being wealthy when their surrounding circle is poor. Others expect a hand out. The only way to reconcile this disparity is to lose the money and re-join the collective who are living with money struggles. They become the villain to others around them. Lottery winners have stated that the win turned out to be a bad thing because of losing friends and falling out with relatives over it.
When you think about your closest relationships, how would it affect them if you suddenly came into a lot of money? How would you feel about going on a cruise and buying a new car when your neighbours, friends and relatives struggle?
These questions are worth considering if only to show you the potential negative beliefs you may hold which you are unconsciously holing onto to remain in your current state of income and perhaps scarcity. What new ideas could you bring instead and how could changing your ideas around money bring in change? If you haven’t already, checkout this money mindset questionnaire which will help you understand better your relationship with money.
