If you find yourself freaking out about even the smallest expense, and going above and beyond to save pennies, then you may have a scarcity mindset.
Someone with a scarcity mindset is a person that sees everything through the “lack” lense. Around them, everything is scarce and only a few people can access abundance. For them, having “enough” or “more than enough” is simply not possible.
Most of us immediately think about money, riches, and wealth when we think about abundance. However, when I say abundance, I’m not talking only about money. I’m also talking about love, friends, time. People who have a scarcity mindset feel they never have (and never will have) enough of anything.
I’ve struggled with this myself: Thinking I don’t have enough of this or that, especially money. But that’s basically behind me now because, for the past year, I’ve dedicated myself to build a strong abundance mindset around money.
So, in this post, I’m going to talk about how to build a rock-solid money mindset. I want to teach you the most important and interesting tips I’ve found.
What is a “money mindset”?
Money mindset or money mentality is the set of beliefs you hold regarding money. Whether you think it’s filthy, highly sought-after, the root of all evil, hard to earn, or easy to obtain, you and everybody else in the world has a money mindset. It just happens that some people have a healthy one and others… a not-so-healthy relationship with money.
Your money mindset dictates how you see money, how you think about money, and how you feel regarding everything money-related, which ends up determining your relationship with it. Plus, what you think, you become.
If you think money’s filthy, you’ll find yourself running away from it unconsciously; missing good opportunities, wasting money, or turning down invitations to earn more money, etc. On the other hand, if you see money for what it is, a tool that offers you more options in life, you’ll start attracting it and keeping your eyes wide open to spot money.
Why is your money mindset important?
Your relationship with money determines how much money you make. If you want to have money to live your dream life, then you need to build a good and healthy relationship with it.
Who can benefit from a rock-solid money mindset?
Everybody. Whether you like it or not, money plays a key role in today’s world. Unless you’re living by yourself in the mountains, harvesting your own food, and ready to take care of yourself when you get sick, you need money. And since we can’t escape from it, why would we want to hold negative beliefs around it? So, take out a pen and paper and get ready to learn some tips and tricks to build a solid money mindset.
10 foolproof ways to build a rock-solid money mindset
- Understand money is a tool
- Know it’s okay to love money
- Practice gratitude journaling
- Identify your limiting beliefs
- Perform small actions to help build confidence
- Say “there’s always more where that came from”
- Give back
- Manage your debt
- Never judge people because of the money they have
- Keep your money tight and right
Understand money is a tool
Money isn’t good. Money isn’t bad. Money’s just a tool. Just like a hammer, which can be used to destroy something and also to build gorgeous furniture. People can use money to do nasty things, but that says absolutely nothing about money. Instead, it says everything about the people who use it to wrong others. You can donate money and sponsor good causes and, again, that doesn’t have anything to do with money. And it has everything to do with you.
In my opinion, what money does is bring out who people really are. Money gives people the power to reveal their nature. If you have bad intentions and suddenly win the lottery and become a millionaire, you’ll probably use the money to give your bad intentions full rein.
On the contrary, if you have a kind heart, the moment you start making more than enough money, I’m sure you’ll use it to make a change in the world, help people in need or finance a cause you believe in.
Stop saying money is good or money is bad. It’s just a tool.
Know it’s okay to love money
Some people say it’s selfish to want a lot of money and I honestly don’t understand why. Do you? I mean… when you get richer that doesn’t mean you’re taking something away from someone else. It used to be that way in the past but now, and this is something I learned from the book Sapiens, thanks to credit and our amazing economic growth, money has become an unlimited resource. I love money. And I’m not afraid to say it. I like having it and I like it when I have more than enough of it.
Money makes a lot of things easier. It gives you freedom and time to be with people you love and to do things you care about.
However, I’m not willing to do anything for it. I’m not willing to do illegal or immoral things to obtain money. And I’m not willing to wrong or harm other people in order to make money. And that’s where you should focus. If you love money as I do, just say it. But know it’s not ok to let that love blind you. That’s where you draw the line. What’s wonderful about this is that money can love you in return. People who have a rock-solid money mindset and aren’t afraid to say they like money, usually attract it somehow. For them, it’s relatively easy to get money because they’re open to opportunities.
Practice gratitude journaling
Because true abundance starts by appreciating everything you have right now. Gratitude is one of the most wonderful habits you can cultivate because it teaches you to appreciate everything you do have. And when you concentrate on what you have, that means you’re focusing on abundance.
This habit will not only make you a happier person but also someone with an abundance mindset. If you want to cultivate this habit, then practice gratitude journaling: Every day, preferably as soon as you wake up or right before going to bed, take a pen and paper and write down a list of three things you’re grateful for.
Try to list different things every day. By doing so, you’ll force yourself to see all the abundance that surrounds you, and that will help you build a strong abundance mindset.
Also, remember that what we think, we attract and we become.
If you concentrate on not having enough, you’ll attract lack. However, if you concentrate on abundance, you’ll attract, and become, abundance. Give gratitude journaling a try for at least a week and I promise you’ll start to see results.
Identify your limiting beliefs
Limiting beliefs can be conscious or unconscious and they can take many forms. Pay attention to everything you think related to money.
Some of the most popular limiting beliefs in the money department are:
“I’m not good with money”
“I’ll never be able to afford that”
“Money is the root of all evil”
“Being poor or not having enough is my destiny”
“Money is a limited resource”
An easy way to identify your own limiting beliefs around money is by saying:
“I wish I had more money, but _____”.
Think about it and jot down all the lame excuses you tell yourself. Little by little you will realize they’re just that: Excuses.
It’s not easy to change your mindset and get rid of limiting beliefs. It won’t happen overnight. But just by identifying your limiting beliefs, you’re taking a major step towards your new money mindset. Once you’ve done that, you will start noticing every time you think one of those thoughts. Find new ideas to replace them and do so step by step.
Perform small actions to help you build confidence
One of my favourites is checking my bank balance daily.
Have you ever been scared of checking your bank balance or your credit card balance? I have. And I know how frightening it can be. However, I decided to stop running away from the truth and started checking my balance every single day while feeling grateful for the money I have. I highly recommend you get into this habit.
It will give you confidence. It makes you feel you’re in control. Another habit that can give you confidence is tracking your expenses. There’s no need to do this for years, but you should do it for a set period, like a month or two. You’ll be amazed by how much you learn about yourself and your spending habits.
Say “there’s always more where that came from”
This is something I learned from Marie Forleo. Paying for something can cause stress to so many people. I get it. However, you can use this mantra every time you spend money on something. Slowly, you’ll start to understand that it’s actually true. Whether it came from a job, a gift, or an inheritance, there’s more money in the world. And part of that money will come your way.
Remember: There’s more money where that came from.
Give back
When you give something away, it’s because you understand you have more than enough of it. Donate to a good cause you believe in, help sponsor foundations, use your money to change the world.
Plus, they say money is energy. When you donate money or give a portion of your money away, you become a piece of the money circuit.
So, instead of accumulating money forever, give it back.
Manage your debt
Don’t let your debt and the anxiety it causes consume you.
Check out Dave Ramsey’s advice on how to pay off your debt and save money. If you think you can’t pay your debt right now, think twice, because Ramsey can teach you a lot and change your mind about the topic.
Another good advice is to stop running away from it. I’ve heard from people who go years without checking their credit card balance because they’re too afraid of what they’ll see. Don’t be one of them. Face your fears and tackle your challenges.
Never judge people because of the money they have
If someone has your dream car or dream house, bless them. Bless that car and bless that house. Feel genuinely happy for them. Remember that them having those things has nothing to do with you not having them yet. Jealousy is for losers. Don’t play that game!
Keep your money tight and right
This is another one I learned from Marie Forleo (I just love her content).
According to Marie, having your money well organized in your wallet is a sign that you have a good relationship with it. Don’t keep your bills all wrinkled and crumpled everywhere; doing so is like saying you don’t value it. When you care about something, you take good care of it, and bills are a small representation of money as a whole, so take care of them as well.
Conclusion
Oh, money… such a complicated topic that’s everywhere. You just can’t escape it. Some way or another, money’s always involved. Money can even destroy relationships.
Remember what the rapper Kanye West said once: “Having money isn’t everything, not having it is.” When you have money, you stop thinking about it. But try living without money for a week, and you’ll realize how hard it is to stop thinking about it.
Build a solid money mindset. It’s the main step to reach success.
What is your money mindset? Do you practice any of the tips mentioned above or have other tips of your own? Share them in the comments!
Originally published on The Ray Journey.
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