Are you constantly marketing your services and keeping in contact with your list however you’re just not getting the number of people you’d like signing up for your programs? Frustrated because you continue to struggle to reach your income goals? At your wits end?
If you’ve answered ‘yes’ – I can sympathise with you. As can many of my clients.
Just a few years ago – I too was frustrated and confused. Despite all my efforts – I just couldn’t break through my income barriers.
One of the things I have learned (and now share with my clients) is that the reason I was struggling to generate the income I desired went much deeper than marketing and other business development strategies. The reason I wasn’t able to charge what I was worth had nothing to do with my abilities and the programs I was offering.
I was struggling because of my self-belief, self-worth AND beliefs I had around money. I call it my family’s money legacy. So up until a few years ago, the story that I had grown up with about money as a young child had been negatively impacting the income I was making (or in my case ‘not making’) in my business.
So what are your beliefs around money? What is your family’s money legacy? What are the stories you grew up with about money? Like me (and many of my clients) – could your beliefs also be the reason why you continue to struggle to reach your income goals?
Here are some common money beliefs. See how many you recognise.
- Money doesn’t buy happiness
- Money doesn’t grow on trees
- Filthy rich
- It’s difficult to keep money
- You have to work hard to earn a living
- All rich people are crooks
- Money is the root of all evil
- The cost of living keeps rising quicker than I can manage
- It’s a hard road to make a buck
- Spiritual people aren’t supposed to be rich
- Money and spirituality don’t mix
- It’s sinful to have a lot of money
- A penny saved is a penny earned
- It takes too much effort to earn money
- Money is dirty (dirty money)
- If I’m rich my children will grow up spoiled
- Being rich will stop you from getting to heaven
- The rich get richer and the poor get poorer
Perhaps you’re also able to relate to some of these self-worth and self-beliefs:
- I don’t deserve success
- I am an unworthy person
- I’ll become a greedy and untrustworthy person
- Money will change who I am and what I stand for
- If I want to be rich, I have to cheat and lie
- To be wealthy I have to sacrifice everything
- My parents always struggled with money so that means I will too
- I will never be wealthy / successful / rich
- I don’t have the qualifications therefore I’ll never make any real money
- I don’t have the strengths and talents to earn a good living
- I couldn’t possibly make that much
While you may be tempted to blame your parents (or other significant family members) for your beliefs around money, it’s important to realise that they did the best they could with the resources available to them. They may very well have been brought up with similar family legacies and therefore made the choices they did with the best of intentions for you.
Like the grandfather who always reminded you to “Save a penny because you never know when you may need it.” He didn’t say this to scare you. His intention for you was to ensure you were financially secure in case you needed it.
Or perhaps the grandmother who would always say “What’s the point of saving your money – they’ll only take it away from you anyway.” She had experienced a very difficult situation in her life and was doing the best she could. She didn’t mean for her comments to impact the way money was showing up in your life.
So, whatever your family money legacy and the story you grew up with (that’s impacting your life today) it’s vital to understand that you DO have a choice. You can choose whether or not you continue to allow these old and unhelpful money beliefs to impact your life. So what choice will you make?
To your money breakthroughs!
Hi Annemarie,
I think we were raised in the same household. I could add to your list of saying that not only my grandparents, but parents parroted to me while growing up; but, I can also tell you their actions spoke volumes too. Grandma saved all aluminum foil she used. It was reused until it was absolutely not usable any longer. Every butter tub was washed and used in place of Tupperware or other commercial containers.
Thank you for bringing this up. It is such a great article and solid information that everyone needs to read, meditate on and start reversing right now.
Hi Carla, thanks for stopping by and sharing your comment!
I am constantly amazed at the ‘money’ stories I hear from friends, colleagues and clients, and how this is impacting their lives. I’m always very careful about the way I act (or what I say) around my children so that I don’t pass on any of my unhelpful beliefs. It can be very challenging at times for sure! However, it sure is comforting to know that I can change my beliefs and my habits, and ultimately my results.
Best, Annemarie
Valuable info we can all use – I've signed up 🙂 Thank you, AnneMarie!
Hi Susan, thanks for stopping by! So pleased you’ll be joining me!! Looking forward to hearing your voice call.
Best, Annemarie
Annemarie, thanks for writing about this. Many of us do struggle with our belief system. I remember one mentor said, "If you judge the rich, you will not be rich." Your webinar will be really helpful to breakthrough those unbelief and negative beliefs about money.
Hi Claudia, thanks for your comments! Those were very wise words spoken by your mentor! Best, Annemarie
I would imagine that the majority of your readers will find something in this article that strikes a chord. Yet so many continue to blame themselves for the lack of success of their businesses, if they're entrepreneurs. Unfortunately, even being the greatest action-taker in the world won't solve anything. It's all about the quality of the actions … and it all starts in the mind. Great article!
Thanks Sharon. It’s amazing how we can impact our outcome just by what we continue to allow ourselves to think. I love the saying ‘Change you mind – change your outcome.’ Pretty inspiring, although for some people changing their minds can be difficult. Especially if their belief is deeply anchored by previous experiences. Thank goodness there are ways that we can change our belief systems! We CAN change our minds!
Hi Annemarie
Your article certainly struck a cord with me. It is the people we love and know who ultimately can influence our thoughts and feelings as we grow up.
Money, is no exception. If their is a lack of respect for money around us, we may tend to think “money does grow on trees” and become spendaholics, later on in life. If money is in short supply during our childhood, we may think the opposite and not think we are “worthy” of having money in our adulthood.
I’ve always had a fascination for money & wealth from an early age when my dad told me that a relative had passed on. He lived in an orchard and he collected and buried throughout the house and orchard, pearl handled penknives & MONEY…. yes, money.
you can imagine the fascination of a young boy DISCOVERING all this buried treasure…
Keith
Thanks for stopping by Keith and sharing your story!
I can only imagine what it would have been like, as a child, to find money hidden throughout your orchard and house. Just amazing!!
Best, Annemarie
Hi AnneMarie – this is so relevant, in fact I’m doing something I’ve never considered in my life before, which is, going to a “millionaire mindset” event. The concept of solidifying positive perceptions about worth and wealth are all-important when you’re an entrepreneur; if you don’t have this in place, most likely nothing will come of your business. Great writing!
Hi Meg – thank you! You’re so right. Our mindset is vital; it impacts our behavior and actions; which impacts our outcomes. If we don’t have the right mindset – how on earth can we expect to develop success and wealth in our businesses!
Looking forward to our call this week too! Sharing lots of information to help people breakthrough unhelpful mindsets and habits to make 2011 their best year yet!
Great article Annemarie. It’s a topic perhaps not covered enough yet so vital for all of us to be comfortable with and understand our behaviors better towards money.
Thanks Kelly. This is an area that fascinates me. Especially since it has so much influence on the amount of money we make (or don’t make depending on what beliefs you hold!)
Hi Annemarie,
I heard about your webinar from Tia over at BizChickBlog. I was hoping to find a summary or transcript here. I like to keep my limiting money thoughts in check, even though I don’t really think I suffered from it.
Still, I had some bad ideas about money and only adjusted my thinking about ten years ago, after reading Rich Dad, Poor Dad.
Right now, my big challenge is to ensure that my children can deflect all that negative noise and think correctly about money and prosperity.
Cheers,
Mitch
Hi Mitch, great to connect with you!
Yes, the recording from the webinar is available. You can access it by going to https://annemariecross.com/breaking-through-income-barriers-by-stepping-into-your-power-with-money or even scrolling down to the bottom of this article and clicking on “Get access to the webinar recording >> …”
Best, Annemarie