by Cara Lumen
I’ve just finished going through my email and I’ve never felt so pushed and shoved in my life. All that hype about getting rich. This person made $100,000 in two weeks, that person became a bestselling author over night. And I stopped to think – is money all I really want?
No, In fact, money has never been a motivating factor for me – the joy of doing is.
How do you measure success?
For me success is about waking up every morning eager to get to my desk and work my business. It is about my creative Saturdays when I write for myself all day and maybe produce a product for my clients. It is the excitement that comes when I help a client breakthrough and create a new success. It is the joy of sharing ideas with my fellow entrepreneurs as we move our busyness forward.
Yeah, I want money. I want to feel valued and appreciated for what I do. But that’s not why I do it.
Up level your feelings of self-worth
As a metaphysician I believe we attract to us what we think. So how do I think about money in a way to attract it when I’m not very motivated by having money? It has everything to do with how I see myself. How much I value what I have to offer. I much I want to help others.
I need to stay in service and be certain I am continually helping others achieve their greatest success. I have to be willing to accept money when it comes, especially when someone offers to pay me more because they value what I have done… I have to value myself and my services enough to put a healthy price on them. Then I have to have the intention to attract clients and customers who love what I offer and can’t get enough of them. They also have the money to pay for it and willingly do so. That’s my ideal client.
And I have to keep producing services and products that express my values and my self-worth.
Raise your expectation
I recently filled out a questionnaire that asked me to name an income figure I would like for next year. I put in a wimpy amount because I couldn’t imagine a larger amount. I was all caught up in what I could see not what I could imagine. Why couldn’t I earn in the high six figures? The only person stopping me in my business is me – my attitude, my beliefs, my fears, my expectations.
The change begins with you
The success or failure of my business and my life resides solely on my own shoulders. It is in my actions, my choices, my interactions, my stubbornness, my generosity, my loner-ism or my outreach. My business is a reflection of who I am and how I see myself.
Write down the great things people say about you and start believing them. Get clear about where you can be in the deepest service. It’s going to be doing what you love to do because that’s what you are best at. Then go do more of it.
Money is a symbol, not the reward
If we were an ancient culture our wealth might be measured in horses or sheep. In others it may be the size of the roof over our head. In today’s world I personally have no concept of billions of dollars. I have to measure my success close up and personal.
A smile, a hug, a kind word? A well written article, a new idea for a workshop, an appreciative email from a client? A bill finally paid off, a new savings account opened? A trip to see family, a trip just because you can? A favorable earnings comparison with others, a new job title? How much you can give away? Who you can help?
They tell us in business to always find a way to measure your success so you know when you have achieved it. How do you measure your success? Is money really all you want?
© 2008 Cara Lumen