Does
Your Money Need a Job?
If your money had a job description, what would it
be? What is your money's job in your life? Before reading
on, think about this for just a moment and notice what
words and images show up.
I've come up with four job titles that sum up descriptions
I've heard over the years. Here they are with their
main tasks in life and their mottos.
Security Guard:
to keep you safe, to protect and maintain. Motto: "Safety
first; it's all fun and games until someone loses their
retirement savings."
Personal Stylist:
to make you look good, feel valuable/powerful/lovable.
Motto: "Without me, you'd be nothing."
Genie: to grant
your wishes and fund your dreams. Motto: "Your
wish is my command."
Day Laborer: hired
one day at a time with no guarantee of future work.
Motto: "Here today, gone tomorrow."
Which one best describes your money? Consciously or
not, you gave your money whatever role it's playing
out. You began interacting with it in specific ways,
expecting certain things from it (or not), and creating
a pattern that persists over time. Perhaps you entered
into that contract long ago. The terms of that contract
may be holding you and your money back.
If you're not totally satisfied with your contract,
it's time to renegotiate the terms and give your money
something to aspire to. This may seem like a silly exercise,
asking you to personify money in this way, but think
about it. You do have a relationship with your money.
You care whether it's in your life or not. You have
emotions and beliefs attached to it. You have a history
together. You interact with it daily. A relationship
like this requires your attention in ways you may not
have realized before. If you can treat your relationship
with money similarly to how you treat other personal
relationships in your life, your money will respond
in kind.
How to Renegotiate Your Contract
with Money
1. Starting with
your money's current job description,
write down what's working and what's not working
for you.
2. Create a new job description
for your money, incorporating anything from
the old description that you want to keep.
3. Set clear directives. Tell
your money in no uncertain terms what is to be expected
of it. Remind your money that this is a win-win situation.
If it does its job well, you'll treat it with more respect.
You'll give it more to aspire to.
4. Be the boss. Lead
with integrity by doing your part. What will you be
responsible for? How will you provide the appropriate
"work environment," skills, nurturing, and
resources for your money to excel?
5. Conduct regular performance
reviews and don't forget to give your money
promotions as warranted with bigger goals to work toward.
Remember it's up to you to determine they dynamics
in your relationship with money. It's not magic. It
takes work just like any other important relationship
in your life. Assume an active role in setting the terms
of that relationship with clear expectations for both
you and your money. Financial health will become less
of a distant hope and more of a realistic goal. You'll
partner with your money in new ways to fund your dreams.
Contact:
Debbie Lacy, www.MoneyMindful.com
206.709.3948
See Debbie's other article: Conquering
Your Money Fears
Copyright Protection and Reprint Rights: This
article and accompanying tips are fully copyrighted
by the author, but can be reprinted without permission
provided the article links back to this page: http://www.800Muses.com/muse-profiles/muse-debbie.htm
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