If you had to choose one defining characteristic of wealthy people, regardless of their backgrounds and opportunities, it would be their attitude or mindset towards money. There are scores of books written about having an abundance mentality. It seems to be over simplistic but the motivational Guru’s say that if you visualise your eventual wealth you will achieve your goals, if you see yourself poor you will be poor. Even if you think that it’s all nonsense and only hard work will build wealth, believing that you will be wealthy one day is a mindset worth working towards; after all, you have nothing to lose
The good news is that it is relatively easy to nurture a wealthy mindset. Before you start working on it, take this quiz to see where you stand currently.
1. When you were growing up your parents:
A) Encouraged you to succeed and not to conform to the crowds.
B) Supported you and insisted that you get a degree.
C) Pretty much left you to your own devices.
2. Your parents told you :
A) You can achieve anything you want if you put your mind to it.
B) To play it safe and get a secure job.
C) Life is hard, making money is hard and only lucky people get rich.
3. When you are unsuccessful you:
A) Put it down to experience and try again.
B) Feel depressed and get angry with yourself about failing
C) You give up trying immediately and try to cover up.
4. Which of these statements fit the way you think?
A) Anyone can make a lot of money if they put their mind to it.
B) Most people have to have a head start to make money, and it is very difficult to get ahead.
C) I was born in a working class family and that’s where ill stay, I don’t have the opportunities that other people have
5. If you were presented with a great business opportunity while employed in a reasonable job you would:
A) Jump in with both feet and quit your job.
B) Test the waters and do the business part time.
C) Pass it up, you have a secure job and you don’t like risks.
6. What does money mean to you?
A) Money buys freedom of choice, and gives you the ability to help others.
B) It gives me a comfortable life but it does not buy happiness.
C) It means I can pay my bills, but I will never be rich.
7. Rich people are:
A) The ones who grow the economy and create new products and ideas.
B) Contributors to the society but they really don’t care about the poor.
C) Mean, ruthless and selfish, they don’t care about anything but making money.
8. Do you believe that money is the root of evil?
A) Not at all, it makes the world go round.
B) No, but too much money can corrupt people.
C) Yes for sure, I think communism still has merit.
9. If you won a million you would:
A) Start the business you have been dreaming of.
B) Invest most of it and continue to work.
C) Blow it on a car and a buy a bigger house, there is plenty of time to save.
10) Do you know what it takes to become wealthy?
A) Yes I read success stories about entrepreneurs and as many business books I can get my hands on
B) I have a fair idea but I prefer to earn a regular salary.
C) No and I don’t care, its out of my reach, as long as I can feed my family I’m fine.
If you chose mostly A’s
You have an excellent money mindset. You may have grown up with entrepreneurial parents, or parents that were not mired by social dogma and expectations. You have eliminated your negative beliefs about money and you are ready to put in the effort to achieve your goals. You realise that money in itself has no absolute value. It’s the things that money can buy that makes it valuable. Of course it can enhance your lifestyle but people with truly wealthy mindsets start to think how they can help others once their own wants and needs are taken care of. You understand that making money requires an element of risk and you are prepared to fail a few times in order to make it. You understand that if you don’t succeed straight away, it is not an indictment of your ability but rather a learning opportunity. You tend to be optimistic and have plenty of self confidence, traits that augur well for becoming rich.
If you chose mostly B’s
You have the beginnings of a good money mindset but still hold onto some limiting beliefs about becoming wealthy. You like the idea of being wealthy but you are unsure how to go about it. You tend to be risk averse but you are sufficiently knowledgeable to realise that if you want to achieve wealth as opposed to an average standard of living you have to become your own boss. Start reading books about money, wealth, business and investing, to compensate for your tendency to avoid risks. Knowledge is a great confidence booster. Biographies of how others have succeeded should give you the encouragement you need to start your journey.
If you chose mostly C’s.
You have negative and limiting beliefs about money that are deeply entrenches. You have bought into the philosophy that making money is a bad thing. You may compound those negative beliefs with the fact that you think that making money is laborious. You may resent people who make lots of money because you may have heard your parents saying that rich people are unscrupulous and selfish. You are extremely risk averse and may even stay in a job you hate to maintain a steady income. Its time to change those beliefs and reframe the way you think. If your mantra is ‘money is not everything, or I am happy being poor’ well, that’s what you will be-poor. Try and replace negative statements with positive ones. Look inward and get in tune with your values and your worth as a human being. Move away from people who pull you down and align yourself with people you admire and respect.
On the other end of the scale, some people put way to much emphasis on money. Balance is the key here. For example, if you have a product that you are selling and you pull out your sales folder at a wedding, you are not going to win any friends. If you never come to terms with how money can be of value in your life, it will limit your ability to attract more of it. Before you learn about the steps you need to take to engender a wealthy mindset, you should start having examining why you are holding onto the beliefs that stop you from pursuing wealth.
If you discover a few write them down. For example:
‘I can’t be more successful than my parents’. Then write down the consequences of earning more than your parents. You may find that they are positive. This will free you up to succeed.
Finally examine why you want to be wealthy. Everyone has the right to be wealthy. Many of us get caught up in short- term issues. We allow a temporary lack of funds to erode our confidence. People are poor because they have not yet decided to be rich. Try and consciously decide to become wealthy and have faith that you can achieve. Your beliefs will mirror your actions.