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I’ve got some tough love to share with you today. If you’re broke, this might sting a little.
Are you in the driver’s seat or in the passenger seat of life?
If you’re sitting in the passenger seat, you’re allowing other people to determine where you go in life and how financially secure you’ll be.If you’re the driver, you know exactly where you’re going, how long it will take and how much money you’ll have in the end.
It’s easy to take the default option and remain a passenger, allowing others to determine our financial destiny.
The difference between the two and how you see yourself is significant if you want to be making and keeping more money.
Table of Contents
Some Tough Love If You’re Broke
When you’re the driver, you know you have the power to control how your life turns out. When you’re the passenger you feel powerless to control your life and believe that life “happens to you.”
The first is a prosperous mindset and the second is a poor, scarce mindset.
I had a consulting business a few years back and my intro stated Rise Above Mediocrity – Dare To Be Phenomenal.
It came from the belief that we have the power to create the kind of wealth and success we want in our lives. If we believe the opposite, then we know we are the creators of the mediocrity in our lives, and the struggles around money.
The poor, scarce person’s mindset is one in which you fail to take responsibility for what is happening in your life. You play the role of victim. Not that you are a victim, but you play the role because you think it will get you something in the long run.
Now I’m sure that no one reading this is of that mindset, but you might know someone who is. Victims leave three clues that people in the driver’s seat can spot very clearly.
Read: Does Living On A Budget Mean You’re Broke?
Clue #1 – Blame
Victims love to look at everything before they (if they ever!) look towards themselves for why they’re not making money and are broke.
They blame the government, the stock market, greedy investors, the company they work for, God, the type of business they’re in, their parents — in essence everything and everyone EXCEPT themselves.
It is always easier to blame others than to look towards oneself. But the problem is that when you are looking outward, you NEVER have an opportunity for self-growth or personal reflection – which, by the way, is the foundation of being in the driver’s seat.
Clue # 2 – Complaining
Complaining is a colossal waste of time. Not only is it a waste of time, but it’s one of the worst things you can do if you are trying to bust out of being broke. Why? Because according to the Law of Attraction, what you focus on expands.
When you’re complaining, what are you focused on? The NEGATIVE. So if you complain that you’re broke — guess what? You’ll be broke. If you complain about how you can’t seem to bring in any new clients — guess what? You won’t be able to attract new clients. If you complain you can’t land that promotion — guess what? You won’t.
[tweetthis]Have you ever noticed how complainers usually have terrible lives? [/tweetthis]
I know a woman who always complains; she never takes responsibility for anything and loves the phrase, “But I didn’t do anything wrong.” Guess what? She didn’t do anything right either. She has the most miserable life of anyone I know.
If she could redirect that complaining energy into making adjustments to her life, she would quickly see positive changes occurring.
Read: Why Using Cash Only Is Crucial When Getting Out of Debt
Clue # 3 – Justifying
We all know what a justification or rationalization sounds like. It’s those words that people will use to explain away almost anything they can think of that hasn’t quite gone their way.
I love when I hear people say, “Money isn’t really that important.” Really? You’re kidding, right? The only people I know that ever make that statement are people who are broke. For the rest of us, we know that money IS important.
People with money understand the place of money in our society. They don’t need to make dumb rationalizations that money isn’t as important as love. That’s like saying my hand is more important than my ear.
You can’t pay your mortgage with love, or buy food with it, or do any philanthropic work without it, so stop deluding yourself into believing that money isn’t important.
Read: There’s No Magic Bullet To Getting Out of Debt
Blaming, complaining and justifying is a stress reducer so that it doesn’t feel so bad for being broke.
The next time you hear yourself blaming, complaining or justifying, stop yourself immediately and remind yourself you’re in the driver’s seat of your life. Remind yourself that you are creating your financial destiny.
Do you want to be mediocre or phenomenal? Do you want to be broke and a victim or do you want to be financially stable?
You decide – because you can’t be both.
