Throughout my work as a millennial business and career coach, I've had to help dozens of individuals get a better handle on their money mindset in order to help them thrive.
Money is something we all tend to freak out about. It's also something everyone seems to have an opinion on -- from our parents to the national media. As a result, we tend to pick up a lot of our beliefs about money from other people.
Often times, this keeps us totally stuck in financial ruts as we get caught up in stories that aren't necessarily true. Consequently, instead of putting the power back into our own hands, we tend to treat money as some sort of external, unconquerable force that has complete control over us.
Below you'll find some common money stories that keep us from financial freedom.
I'm being of service, so I won't ever make very much money.
We often times feel uncomfortable asking for money if we're being of service. Many of us have been led to believe that if we are doing good in the world, then we shouldn't expect to get paid.
Thinking that you can't make any money because you're being helpful to other people will only keep you stuck in in a financial black hole. You're going to keep giving more of yourself without receiving anything in return, leaving you exhausted and broke.
Last time I checked, plenty of people make money being of service to others. In fact, regardless of whether you're an entrepreneur or a sales rep for a Fortune 500 company, there's no possible way to make money, unless you're solving someone's problem.
Bottom line: there is nothing wrong with giving and receiving something in return.
I can't make money doing what I love.
We have grown accustomed to believing that doing what we love isn't practical for our wallets. Fortunately, times are changing. From running an Etsy shop to freelance writing, more and more people are doing work they love and getting paid for it.
One good way to start making extra money, while actually enjoying what you do, is to create a side business. Take an inventory of skills you possess that also make you feel good, and slowly start creating a business around it. Not only will you make extra money, you may also have a lot of fun doing so.
(Insert other person here) takes care of the money.
Money is one of the major causes of divorce and failed relationships. Finances are also a major cause of business dissolutions and family issues.
In a society where everyone is now making some sort of income, it would be in our best interest to take an active part in the caring of finances.
I can't ask for more money.
Not to turn this into a gender issue, but according to statistics the paralysis to ask for more money does tend to affect more women than men. In fact, many would argue that the reason there is still a pay gap between men and women is because women don't negotiate a higher starting salary, where as most men do.
Regardless of your gender, you're never going to get more money if you don't ask for it. Similarly, you'll never have negotiations go your way if you never attempt to negotiate.
There isn't enough.
At the root of all money fears is the idea that there somehow isn't enough to go around. There aren't enough clients, there aren't enough jobs and there certainly isn't enough money.
The truth is that we have more options available to us than we could imagine, and by automatically assuming that there isn't enough, we give away our power to fix our own financial issues.
Here are some examples that show you always have a choice:
- Can't find a job? Start a business.
- Don't have the money for such a high credit card bill? Look into options like negotiating a lower APR or creating a debt repayment plan.
- Can't afford something you really want? Ask yourself what you need to do in order to be able to afford it.
By flipping the script from a place of scarcity and hopelessness to one of looking into options, you put the power to control your finances back into your own hands.
Identifying our money stories, and then starting to disassociate from them, will help us tremendously in taking back control of our financial lives. At the end of the day, money isn't out to make or break us, and we do, in fact, have the power to better our financial lives, regardless of what we may have been led to believe.
