I’m sure you’ve heard the phrase “you are what you think,” and there is no doubt in my mind that it is true. Last week we talked about the role that the physical appearance you craft has a hand in helping you reach your goals by increasing your confidence. Today, we are going to take that same thought process and apply it one step further to the elusive and ever tantalizing realm of wealth and prosperity.
I wish I could tell you that money doesn’t matter and you don’t need it, but that isn’t the point of The Life Uncommon. The point is to do what you love while yielding both financial and emotional success. As much as the idea of a penniless writer or starving artist has been romanticized throughout the last two hundred years, there is nothing romantic about having to choose between gas for your car or food for your family, or panic every time an unexpected expense crops up.
To live uncommonly, and to give to the world in an uncommon way, a sense of financial steadiness and security is imperative. Think of the fact that caregivers need to take care of themselves first so they can give the most back. Those that ignore their own needs will eventually burn out, become resentful, and have nothing left to give, yet the caregiver that makes time for themselves and keep their batteries charged will be a giving machine for a long time.
It is important to note that what qualifies as financial steadiness will be different for every Uncommoner. I’m not saying it should be all our goals to make 10 Million dollars a year – that isn’t what real wealth and prosperity is about. Real wealth is the ability to be comfortable, feel secure, and make sure your family/those you love feel the same. So whether you need $300,000 or $300 to do that is no one’s decision but your own. So going forward, whenever we use the word “wealth,” remember that it is meant to represent whatever you personally define it to be, not some arbitrary number. But we’ll get more into how you can define that number later.
The Wealth Mindset
Like all things in the Uncommon world, the process of creating prosperity is 90% mental, so it is important we get our heads on straight regarding how we think about money and our ability to bring it into our lives. This is called The Wealth Mindset.
From my own life and my own experiences I can tell you for a fact that when I am living and working in my Wealth Mindset, I see tangible (and spendable!) results. When I consciously work to keep myself in the Wealth Mindset I see an increase in more than just revenue, but also an increase in revenue generating thought processes and creative storms. This means I am bringing more in and also setting myself up to continue to bring more in…sweet!
Similarly, when I am out of The Wealth Mindset (which does happen!), I notice a stagnation in my revenue as well as a lack of creative thoughts or initiatives.
The difference between the two states can most easily be described as being “in the flow,” and “out of the flow.” Like going down a river in an inner tube, being the in the Wealth Mindset feels like you are being swept along by universal forces, where as when you are out of The Wealth Mindset you feel like you are on the bank looking at the river.
Have you ever felt this way? Next post we are going to get into the psychology of The Wealth Mindset and how to apply it to your life, as well as how to define exactly what your unique and personal Wealth Mindset. But before then, I would love to hear from the Uncommoners out there who have experience being “in the flow” or “out of the flow.”
As the Vulcans say: Live Long and Prosper!
{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
As far as being in the flow, I can do this with people and providing content – but the money is yet to come.
That very interesting, Evan – I wonder if all states of flow are sides of the same coin or if they are really different things – thanks for bringing that thought to my attention!
I love the idea of the flow. A different way at looking at things. I’m feeling in the flow right now, thanks in large part to your post. Keep ‘em coming.