Truth or Myth? Common Beliefs About Money and Wealth – Part 1


For some years now I have been interested in exploring commonly held beliefs about money and wealth. My interest is in how the beliefs that we learn growing up  may shape our actions and behaviour as adults. We are all familiar with the one about not being good enough, either in ourselves, our families and friends, or our clients. Like the “not good enough” belief, we come by our values and beliefs about money and wealth as a gradual process of assimilation. Often too, we may never subject these values and beliefs to any substantive examination, but they continue to play on in the background, like a virus running on our computer.euros

Some of the values and beliefs we hold about money and wealth serve us, and some don’t serve terribly well. Maybe it’s time to find alternative ideas that are more supportive of us. Here are some of the beliefs that I have been exploring, perhaps you can relate to some of these:

  1. If I spend money, I’m using up a precious resource. This one is based on the belief that money once spent is gone. Have you heard the story about the guy who went into a hotel and paid €100 to book a room for a meeting? The hotel used the money to pay their butcher. The butcher used it to pay the farmer. The farmer paid the garage where his car was repaired. The garage paid the baker who supplied their bread. The baker paid for a night out in the hotel with his wife. The following day, the first guy went back into the hotel and told them he’d changed his mind. The hotel gave him his money back. Result? Five people paid bills or bought services costing €500 on the strength of the first payment, which was returned. Try this idea instead: When I buy or pay for something, I am creating wealth, not depleting it.
  2. There are a small number of rich people who are actively engaged in keeping the rest of us poor. I don’t know if there’s any truth in this. However, it strikes me that it’s one that keeps a believer in a place of powerlessness. If there’s no hope that things can change, because someone else is in control, that’s a good reason not to take any action to change my situation. A more useful way of thinking about it might be to focus on what options and opportunities there are available, and take the focus away from what others may be doing. Try this idea instead: What other people are doing is irrelevant. I can focus on what’s possible for me.
  3. If someone is making a lot of money, or has a lot of money, they must be doing something illegal, immoral or otherwise wrong or bad. Again, I’m not sure about the validity of this one, but I’m sure there must be some people who come by their good fortune honestly!  Again, try taking the focus off what the other may be doing, and bring it back to yourself. Try this idea instead: We all need money to live (they don’t accept stones or beads in Tesco’s or on the internet) so I choose to earn a living doing something that feels authentic and in alignment with my own values.
  4. Photo no (51)There is a limited amount of money to go around, so I should limit what I take. It’s interesting that we don’t have this view of health. We see people who aspire to greater health in a different way than those who aspire to greater wealth. And ironically, those who have good health can’t share it with others, but those who have wealth often spend it and therefore spread it around. Try this idea instead: When I receive graciously, I am allowing abundance for all.
  5. If I have more than others, I will be lonely or rejected by those around me. Well, there’s good reason for this belief isn’t there? When you see how much is projected onto those who have wealth (see above), it’s understandable that this would be a fear. However, ask yourself if someone you loved came into wealth unexpectedly, won the lottery for example, would you reject them, or would you feel happy for them? Try this idea instead: It is safe for me to allow my abundance.

You may find yourself relating to, or perhaps arguing against any or all of these, or you may have more of your own. If they have triggered some feelings or questions for you, I’d love to hear from you, click here to contact me.

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