I recently asked a business owner whether she thought she had a good
relationship with money. She said she had the same relationship with money that
she had with her first husband--when either one showed up, she was grateful. But
neither one usually did.
Her response--of neglect run amok--did not surprise me. I have had the
privilege of coaching some of the savviest women business owners in the country.
These powerhouses rattle off business projections, marketing plans and industry
stats all day long. But when asked how they’re going to create wealth for
themselves, they freeze in their tracks or, even worse, revert to New Age-y
responses such as, "The universe will bring it to me."
For the record, and the last time I checked, the universe was not preoccupied
with whether anyone achieves early retirement.
So how could capable women like these be reduced to crystal-ball-watching,
worry-bead-rubbing romanticists, particularly when it comes to their financial
destiny?
The answer is not a simple one, so I have decided to dedicate a series of
columns to the topic of money. True, this column is about business growth, but
there can be no real growth where there is no commitment to being fully valued.
Is money showing up where you are? If not, what is missing along with money?
Let’s start where every respected recovery process begins: that is, with
admitting there's a problem between you and your money.
The following is a quick self-test. Check all those below that describe you:
_______ I have not established a firm billable hourly rate for my time.
_______ I have not raised the price of my product or service in the past 12
months.
_______ Thinking or dealing with money can be very emotional for me.
_______ I often try new things out in my business without being completely
sure my efforts
will generate a profit.
_______ My competitors' pricing tends to drive my own.
_______ I rely on other people (i.e., my bookkeeper, accountant or partner)
to tell me where
I stand financially.
_______ I allow my clients to renegotiate my pricing.
_______ It is more comfortable for me to give away my services or volunteer
my time rather
than to charge top dollar for my service or product.
_______ Money concerns prevent me from trying new things or investing in my
business or
myself.
_______ I sometimes feel like I am working harder for the same or less money.
If you checked off at least three items, it may be time for a tuneup. With a
few adjustments, you can replace your concerns with cash.
If you checked off seven or more items, face it: You are in an abusive
relationship. It’s time to redesign how you value yourself and how this value
connects to the money that's missing in your business and personal life.
Next month, we will take a deeper look at what you can do to improve the
critical connection between you and your money. I’ll also show you how to open
the door to real abundance.