Stop! Before reading on, take a minute and ask yourself: what would a more Awesome life look like to me?

You may be crystal clear on this already (“You want it alphabetically?!”) but if you aren’t, feel free to take a few minutes to think about it.

Do you have it? Great! Hold on to it for now, we’ll get there. First, let me share some responses I’ve heard to that question:

• “I would LOOOVE to travel, donate more, and do work that really has an impact on the world!”
• “I wish I was able to jump at the opportunities that come my way and not have money be the deciding factor.”
• “Honestly? To feel financially independent, secure and empowered. And own a pony.”

I’ve asked nearly a hundred potential clients that question, and helping them achieve their Awesome is why my job is, as DT would say, “The Greatest”. But there is another question I have to ask too – one that brings them back to earth:

“So, what’s standing in your way of making that happen?“

Why that question? Well, I’m having that conversation with them precisely because they aren’t living their Awesome. They wish they were, but just haven’t been able to put the pieces together to make it happen:

• “I need a plan so I can finally start thinking beyond just next month.”
• “I’ve tried different budgets, read all the personal finance books but nothing has worked.”
• “I honestly have no idea what my first step should be. I know I need to do something, but don’t want to screw things up even worse.”

Any of those sound familiar?

Look, all those approaches above (apps, budgets, a plan) are incredibly useful and part of the process of getting from Broke to Awesome. But they are only half of the equation. In order for you to not just get out of debt but stay out of debt, be able to afford those regular vacations and stop stressing about money, you have to look beyond tools and tactics.

 

YOUR MONEY MINDSET

Imagine this – a genie magically appears and gives you two options. On the one hand you can have the house/apartment of your dreams, but instead of being built on a solid foundation it will sit atop loose sand and likely crumble within a year. On the other hand you can have a modest (read: unsexy) house, but its foundation is as sturdy as the shoulders of The Rock. Which would you choose?

Your mindset is the foundation and tactics are the house. You can have the newest apps, a balanced budget and a plan to pay of your debt, but if your financial foundation is faulty – if you’re carrying around limiting and negative beliefs about money – your progress will never last. This is why people cycle in and out of debt, because no matter what tools/tactics they try they haven’t addressed the fact that there’s no solid foundation to build on.

Over the next few weeks I’ll share with you resources you can use to improve your money mindset. But before that, since this ’money mindset’ concept may be new to you, I want to help you get more familiar with it.

Last month I was a guest on the Budgets & Cents podcast (their second guest ever!), which is hosted by my lovely friends Cait and Carrie. In that episode we dove into what money beliefs are, how they’re impacted by our childhood and how were raised, and the ways in which these beliefs ultimately create our reality (for better or worse)

If you have tried different budgeting tools and self help books, only to end up back where you started, it’s time for your to think about addressing your beliefs and mindset about money. It’s not a ‘quick fix’, but it’s what will help you change your habits and beliefs, for good. Check out the episode (409) below:

Listen on iTunes
Listen on Google Play

Lastly, I’d love your response to two quick questions: What does a more awesome life look like for you and What limiting belief(s) do you think is stopping you from getting there?

Simply reply to this email and let me know! Oh, and don’t worry – if you’re having a hard time answering the second question, I’ll share some tools with you next week that will help.

Love,
NightGare on Elm’s Street