The Mind Game of Money Part III: Playing the Game to Win

This blog is a culmination of a three-part series on The Mind Game of Money , focusing on how our thoughts about money, and ourselves in relation to money, impact our financial destiny.
How we view and handle money is a reflection of our “Money Blueprint,” a program that was installed into our system—often as children—but also reflects our personal experiences with money. Unconsciously, we’ve run on this program most of lives. But is this program set for financial success or stagnation?
Once you’ve had a chance to reflect on your Money Blueprint, then you can begin replacing that “program” with new beliefs that are congruent with the game of wealth creation.
Then we move toward the next stage—playing the game to win! Again, sounds so straightforward, yes or yes? Why play anything to lose? But think about this; is your primary concern survival and being “comfortable,” or being flat out rich?!
See, rich people don’t play the game to be comfortable. They play for wealth. Growth. Non-stop improvement. If your objective is to “get by,” then that’s exactly what you’ll get, if you’re lucky. Now think about this; is “getting by” a very comfortable way to live? If you go for comfort, chances are you won’t get rich. But if you go for rich, chances are you’ll be very comfortable.
When it comes down to it, rich people play the money game to win. Those who aren’t rich play the money game not to lose. If you want to get rich, your goal has to be rich! Most people, often without realizing it, don’t aim for rich. They choose to play small. Why?
First, there’s fear of either failure or success. If they fail, they’ll either look or feel stupid for trying. If they succeed, they fear more will be expected of them. Second is unworthiness; feeling small, not smart enough, not good enough.
Third, and perhaps most important, is that many people don’t feel in control of their own lives. Rich people take responsibility for themselves. Those who aren’t rich choose to see themselves as victims, blaming someone or something outside themselves. Or even worse, they constantly complain, not realizing that what you focus on most manifests. If you focus on what’s wrong, what do you think you’ll continue getting?
Here’s a simple exercise in developing a winning mindset, not just for money, but for life! For the next seven days, don’t complain about anything—out loud or in your head. You’ll be astonished about happens when you stop focusing on what’s wrong and focus on making it right.
Once we begin to realize that a vast majority of any kind of success in life starts in the mind first, learning how to be successful can actually be the easy part. That’s not to say that becoming a millionaire is a cakewalk. Sorry to say; a lot of the time it’s not.
But when you become aware of what you do and why you do it; when you realize what’s influencing you and how to change that; when you focus on what it is you actually intend to create instead of reacting to conditioning, the ups and downs of the journey become more manageable. Then, even if there are occasional loses along the way, you’ve lined up your thoughts, feelings, beliefs and actions to win this money game.
Next week I will be checking in to hear about your progress with the 3-part series of the Mind Game of Money. I want to hear about your journey. The 3 people who submit the best stories of their experiences with this series will receive a signed copy of my book,Secrets of the Millionaire Mind. Look for the post next week!

Act Even When You Don’t ‘Feel’ Like It

It’s something that may not seem like a big deal all of the time—and in some cases it may not be—but think about the habit of putting things off when you know you shouldn’t.
For example: you have a deadline in two days. You know you need to put in extra hours in order to get it done on time, but … ‘I can always just do it tomorrow.’ Or any of the infinite reasons we come up with that basically boil down to “I don’t ‘feel’ like it.”
We can’t ignore how we feel, but should how we feel always dictate whether or not we take action, when we need to take it?
No evidence needed but common experience. When you fail to take action when you knew you should have, how do you feel? You feel worse, not even considering the actual consequences. There are enough things out there that can make us feel bad. There’s no reason for us to do this to ourselves.
It’s very easy to give in to feelings. Heck, there are plenty of times when we should, but we’re not slaves to them either. We just need to keep in mind that feelings come from thoughts, and we have the power to change our thoughts whenever we want. Change your thoughts, change the way you feel.
Instead of focusing on “I don’t feel like it,” focus on why you should get it done … now. Think about how good you’ll feel once it’s finished, and how it can free you up to do other things you want or need to do, and how proud you’ll be of yourself for acting in spite of not “feeling” like it. You shouldn’t deny yourself these little victories that mean something, yes or yes?
The Law of Momentum states, “A body at rest tends to remain at rest while a body in motion tends to remain in motion.” So what?
So get into motion! Don’t think, just do it! Train yourself to get going even if you don’t “feel” like it, like that feeling you get jumping out of bed as soon as the alarm goes off. You may be a little groggy at first, but after a few minutes, you’re up and at it. Moods change quickly once you’re in motion. It’s biological and psychological.
If you’re still having a hard time getting over that hump, what are you thinking that makes you not “feel” like it? It’s going to be too hard? Too painful to complete? Take more time than you want it to?
Even if any of that is remotely true—which it usually isn’t because we tend to make things out to be worse than they really are when we’re stressed—no one’s helping themselves with disaffirming thoughts. Instead of “I don’t want to do this,” how about “I’m going to treat myself when I’m done.” Positive associations instead of negative. You can make the best of it or the worst of it. We choose. It’s as simple as that.
Take one step at a time until the Law of Momentum kicks in. By then, you’ll forget that you didn’t “feel” like it, and you’ll be well on your way to finishing … and feeling great about it.
Act even though you don’t feel like it!

There’s No Freedom in Waiting to be Rich

It’s one of the most basic questions ever: What do you and 99% of the population want most?
Most people will say “More money.” Specifically, we want to be rich. Who wouldn’t? If you’re rich, you really don’t have much to worry about, except maybe what to do with all that money, or maybe what to do with that “distant cousin” you never knew, who all of a sudden shows up when they find out you’ve got some money. Still, that’s a problem most people will gladly accept.
More money means material comforts, and doing what you want when you want without having to answer to anybody. No bosses, no deadlines, no evaluations—being in charge of your own life. Since this is so apparent … why are we even talking about it?
Because sometimes, the obvious is so obvious that we miss the bigger picture. When we talk about wanting to be rich, what are we really talking about; money, or freedom?
There’s a pretty big difference between the two, no? Does having more money absolutely mean having more freedom, or security, or even peace of mind? Not necessarily. Being rich certainly provides material convenience, but you and I know there are plenty of rich people out there who are completely miserable. Sometimes they miss the whole point of being rich—i.e. freedom and happiness. Instead, they work even more than some middle class people, who struggle just as hard, because some rich folks think they have to work harder in order to stay rich and “free.” Can you believe that?!
So in the end, what are we really after? What do we really want?
What we’re really seeking is a feeling that we associate with being rich. The house we want can give us a sense of comfort. The car we want can heighten a feeling of importance. Travel and toys can bring excitement and stave off boredom. But you don’t have to wait to be rich in order to have these things or experience the feelings of freedom and happiness.
The goal isn’t to get rich in order to be free. Let’s turn that around! Get freedom first, and then being rich becomes icing on the cake.
How do we get free now? Financially speaking, you do this by creating passive income vehicles—some to build, some to buy—letting those streams gather momentum over a few years, reaping the rewards, then doing more of this with other passive income structures. This way, you get the material wealth that gives you tangible freedom from having to worry about working—one of the basic goals of our desire to be rich—and if you really know what it is you really want, you get the happiness part of it as well.

Freedom is only as good as the results of your true intentions. In other words, keep the endgame in mind. We’re not getting rich to be free. We want to be free and then enjoy the benefits of being rich. This is not something we have to wait for to arrive in the future. There’s no freedom in waiting. Freedom starts now.

Money Can Buy Roses, but It Won’t Help You Appreciate Them

Having money is awesome!
Uh, yeah Harv. Thanks for that brilliant insight. Got anything new to offer here?
No, really, financial freedom is one of the greatest blessings we can experience. As you might already know, I take this one step further and believe that we can have it all; money, health, adventure, happiness and anything else you want in life.
What are some of the things that make us happy? First off, being happy with yourself; with how you feel and how you look. Then there’s the happiness we want to experience with others: romance, family, friends, or business partnerships. Finally, there’s the happiness that comes from a deeper satisfaction with who you are as a person—your character—and connection with something bigger than yourself. And when you add in wealth, health, and adventure on top of all that happiness in your life, all things become magnified and the “good stuff” just gets better.
What about all those other things that also matter to us? What about success? Or more accurately, feeling successful? There arestill so many people who equate success with some kind of business venture or through their career. And it’s totally understandable. But how often do people stop to think about what success really means?
Sometimes we are led to believe that financial freedom means success. That’s part of my definition, certainly. But for me, success is not limited to dollars. That’s the beauty of success. It’s something that can be unique for each and every one of us. Success for one may mean learning how to play a guitar, then playing their favorite song perfectly note for note. Success for another can mean finding and maintaining happiness in their relationships.
So what does it mean to be successful? It means whatever you want it to mean, but it’s more than likely not going to be any one thing. If you’ve worked your butt off for years and years, become a millionaire, and at the end of it all look in the mirror and get disgusted with yourself because you’ve neglected your body along the way, is that success? Or what if there aren’t any personally meaningful voice messages on your phone at the end of the day because you didn’t nourish personal relationships? Is that happiness? For some, maybe. For most of us, probably not.
Financial success doesn’t equal life success. Success and happiness is a culmination of things. If one is off big time, you’re not going to feel like a success, or maybe even happy. That’s why it’s so important to pay attention to everything that matters to you now, and not just what money can do for you later. When you feel truly successful in any part of your life, that feeling carries over to other parts, and in the end, the financial success you achieve only enhances all those other areas even more.
Don’t be in a hurry for financial success. There’s plenty of money to be had. Your happiness may be a different story if you don’t work just as hard at that as making a buck. Frick knows I don’t want to be the one with regrets about not having stopped to check out the roses, appreciate them, and then give them to others I care about. Do you?

every success can reproduce: The Rich are Different—and So are You

every success can reproduce: The Rich are Different—and So are You: In an article called “ The rich are different—and not in a good way ,” psychologist Dacher Keltner argues that the rich really are a differ...

every success can reproduce: The Real Magic of Attraction

every success can reproduce: The Real Magic of Attraction: A lot of people seek my reaction to the phenomenon of The Secret and its focus on the Law of Attraction— which basically states if we envi...

The Real Magic of Attraction

A lot of people seek my reaction to the phenomenon of The Secretand its focus on the Law of Attraction— which basically states if we envision what we want and think positive thoughts, these things will “attract” themselves into our lives.
There’s profound truth in the Law of Attraction, but if you want an example of some real live magic, take the example of J.K. Rowling, who wrote the Harry Potter books that turned into mega-hit movies. Her idea about a young magician just popped into her head one day. A little more than a decade later, she became a multi-millionaire. But this wasn’t just by luck.
I mean, Rowling may have had a profound “aha” moment, but it took years of focus, effort, overcoming obstacles, and developing herself as a person. In other words, she took action, and the riches still didn’t come all at once. But as she was establishing the roots of her character, she went from mild success to outrageous success. She didn’t just think of this and it happened.
The Law of Attraction is accurate, if for no other reason than self-fulfilling prophecy. You think, you feel, you act, you get a result.But it’s just one of many rules we have to consider in order to produce something. Like the Law of Investment—you put something to use, it will grow. You can’t always just think something into existence. You often have to do something too, yes or yes?
We’ve all experienced the truth of The Law of Attraction. Ever think about somebody you haven’t talked to in a while only to have them call you within minutes? There’s all the proof we need about the power of thoughts and their connection to the universe.
When it comes to goal-setting though, we need focus that will direct our actions. So let’s put a little science to the magic, structure it a bit:

1. What kind of net income would you like to produce per year over the next three to five years? WRITE IT DOWN.
2. What do you want your net worth to be at the end of this time frame?  WRITE IT DOWN.

Now let’s sprinkle a little wishful thinking in there by adding a zero at the end of those numbers. Go ahead, add the 0 to the end of the numbers you wrote down!
When you have a focus and not just a wish, you’re taking another step toward figuring out the different ways you could go about meeting that goal. With that kind of focus, it’s clearer for you to see what you need to do, how you can go about doing it, and then the doors start opening. The coincidences start piling up. The confidence builds, and you find yourself manifesting your thoughts even faster.
We co-create reality with the Universe, or the Great Spirit, or whatever you want to call it, with our thoughts. So what you think definitely matters in what gets attracted to you.
But we also have to take focused, effective, consistent action, with the power of optimism as the emotional fuel. Attraction’s not just a one-way street. The Universe will do its part, but we have to do ours too.