The Reason for Financial Problems
The primary reason for financial problems in life is lack of self discipline, self mastery, and self control. It is the inability to delay gratification in the short term. It is the tendency for people to spend everything they earn. Today, the savings rate in America is too low to achieve financial independence. After a lifetime of work, the average American family has a 200 net worth of only about $8,000. People continue to spend and borrow as if theres no tomorrow.
The lack of self discipline and the inability to delay gratification is a weakness in character. This is prevalent among the majority of adults in society today. It goes back to early childhood and the fact that when you were a child and you received money, the first thing you thought of doing was to spend that money on candy or something you wanted. Did you have anyone telling you a better idea was to save it?
Spending Makes You Happy
As you grew older, you developed what psychologists call a “conditioned response” to receiving money from any source. When you receive money, you mentally salivate at the thought of spending this money on something that makes you happy, at least temporarily. When you become an adult and you earn or receive money, this automatic reaction continues. It is very common for many people, when they are feeling unhappy or frustrated for any reason, to go shopping whether online or in a store. People unconsciously associate buying something with being happy. I used to do this very thing to generate temporary pleasure.
Rewire Your Way of Thinking
Shift your thinking from, spending equals happiness to happiness is saving and investing. This is changing your money mindset and creating the starting point for eliminating your financial problems and making room for financial freedom. Self discipline is a must when saving for your future and trying to reach financial independence. When you begin thinking this way, something amazing starts to happen. You start to feel happy about the idea of having money in the bank. I used to hate looking at my bank account but now I am excited to check it every day.
Money being in your bank account is emotionalized by your own thoughts and feelings. It sets up a force field of energy that begins to attract more money into it. It takes money to make money. As you begin to save and accumulate money, the universe begins to direct more and more money towards you, to save and accumulate.
Here are a few ways to stay disciplined in the new year:
- Set some financial goals
- Use automation for your bills
- Give yourself a challenge
- Change your money habits
- Get an accountability partner or financial coach
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