Can You Really Become a Millionaire?
Are some people just destined to make it big and the rest of us better just learn to make a dollar stretch? T. Harv Eker doesn’t think so and addresses the idea of the mental wealth game in his book The Secrets of the Millionaire Mind.
You Got More Than Dad's Nose
Just like most of our habits and worldviews our understanding of wealth begins in childhood. We see and hear our parents interact of money and develop a mental framework around how it is earned, used and reacted to. The way of thinking follows us into adulthood and unless altered becomes the way we operate as well. So does that mean we are destined to act exactly like our parents and grandparents? Well, like everything in life that is up to you. Without introducing new ideas into our concept of wealth we will default to earning and spending money how we have been taught. Not a bad thing if your dad is Bill Gates but if you are part of the less financially holding family it may be time to reprogram the way you understand money.
Getting Started
The first step is to collect information so you can pinpoint where you are starting from. What habits and behavior patterns can you recall your parents exhibitions? Which are positive and which are negative? Do you find yourself operating the same way? Next it is important to fill your brain with new practices like owning your transformation internally and making it stick with new behaviors. For example, not buying something that is on sale if you don’t have the money to do so. It being marked down didn’t change that there isn’t room for an extra purchase in your budget.
Millionaire's Don't Play the Victim
Another imperative thought pattern to becoming wealthy is to stop blaming other people for your financial situation. As long as you play the victim, you will never give yourself enough power in your life to actually change your situation. Once you own that you are in control of your financial trouble can you find a way out. Similarly, you have to actually want to make money. Any negative framework around money must be dealt with otherwise fear and discomfort around having it will subconsciously keep you from making progress. Lastly, you need to push yourself to change. It doesn’t happen overnight and earning big money requires big thinking and big commitment. The payoff will be large but there is sacrifice, hard work and an unpredictable road to that payoff.
