Secrets of the Millionaire Mindset

by Ann Vertel, Ph.D.

Over 90% of U.S. millionaires are self-made business owners – entrepreneurs who embrace the millionaire mindset. The first element of any change is awareness. Discovering where you got your “money story” and how that determined whether you think like an employee or like an entrepreneur is the first step in becoming aware of how you really think about money. In order to develop a millionaire mindset you must stop judging what you truly want.

Money does not equal bad, evil, selfish, immoral, unethical, stingy, money-grubbing, selfish, lucky, or being too good for other people. Money is just a tool.

The people saying money isn’t important are not the people who have it. Wealthy people know money is important. You can think faith, family, and integrity are important AND you can think money is important. They are all important. You can be rich AND you can be good. You can be both.

As a matter of fact, having money will not change you; it will only make you more of what you already are. If you’re stingy now, you’ll be even stingier when you are richer. If you’re abundant and generous now, you’ll be even more so once you’ve achieved wealth.

We get our conditioned money imprint – our “programming” if you will – from parents, relatives, schools, coaches, and neighbors. Most of us were not taught the skills necessary for entrepreneurship – risk, making mistakes, creativity, authenticity, reinvention – we were taught to be a good employees, to not rock the boat, and to stay neatly in our box. We were taught not to think we were better than everyone else unless we could prove we were according to the values and parameters set by the organization.

Wow, think about that. We were only valued if we “fit in.” This absolutely flies in the face of entrepreneurship. Institutions value obedience, good grades, and homogeneity.

Entrepreneurs value ideas, creativity, mistakes and resilience, passion, authenticity, abundance, and a growth mindset.

Growing up, you heard specific messages about money and those who had it. These messages were both overt and covert, but you learned very quickly how you were supposed to think.

Those messages play like a song stuck in your head and support, not who you are, but who you learned to be. The importance of those messages only has the meaning you give them.

Ask yourself,  “What is the recording in my head that describes my own personal relationship with money?” Start with, “When it comes to money, I am…”

It’s important to know your money story because you will always validate your conditioned imprint with your behavior and people will only pay you what you think you’re worth. But understand this, no matter what you were taught, your earning potential is only what you think it is and that means you can change it.

You don’t need permission to be wealthy and no one else is going to do it for you. Stop waiting for prince charming, the cavalry, your spouse, the lottery, or a dying relative to make you rich. You already have everything you need to be enormously successful – now go be a millionaire.

Be bold!

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