5 Things that Will Actually Make You Poor

I was not born with a silver spoon in my mouth. I have worked hard my whole life to create wealth and success for myself, my family, and my community. I do not ever blame someone or fault them for being poor. But I do not tolerate people who continue to stay in the mindset that being poor is a permanent condition. Throughout my life, I have built my success by showing others how to increase their income. I have heard the worst cases, people who were handicapped, people who were addicted to drugs, people with too much debt. I have heard it all and I tell you that there is nothing so severe that you can't overcome it and create massive success.

HERE ARE 5 THINGS THAT MIGHT BE MAKING YOU POOR: 

1. Living in the past. The successful don’t live in the past, they’re always looking to the future. Surround your environment with the images of the things you want in the future. Look, you don't have it now. You don't need pictures of what you got now and what you had in the past. It's keeping you stuck in now and the past. You don't want to be in the now or the past. Look, the now is what? It's the past now! Do you get it? I want to be in the future.
2. All talk, no action. You must readily take action and not just talk. Whether it’s by way of getting others to take action for them, getting attention for their products or ideas, or just grinding it out day and night, the successful have been consistently taking high levels of action – before anyone knew of their names—that’s how they became successful! Stop talking about a plan for action but instead, assume that your future achievements rely on investing your time and energy in actions that may not pay off today but when taken consistently and persistently over time will produce unlimited success.
3. Punching the clock—People who struggle with money usually work for time, not production. This means they get paid for working a certain amount of time (usually 40 hours) and after that they quit working. People who work with the idea of production don’t care how long they’re working, they are after producing. Nobody gets rich just working the clock because there isn’t enough time to accumulate a big payoff. Flip your mindset and start focusing on how you can produce, not count the hours until 5 o’clock.  
4. Having small goals—Successful people dream big and have immense goals. They are not “realistic.” They leave that to the masses who fight for leftovers. The poor are taught to be realistic and average, whereas the successful think in terms of how extensively they can spread themselves. The greatest regret of my life is that I initially set targets and goals based on what was realistic rather than on giant, radical thinking. “Big think” changes the world!
5. Talking about hump day and TGIF—Successful, rich people aren’t always telling their co-workers every Wednesday about hump day, they’re not high-fiving on Friday mornings shouting out “TGIF!” Monday morning, for the successful, is a new chance to make their dreams a reality. If you find yourself on Sunday evenings dreading the thought of Monday morning, you are probably not doing well financially.

If any of these 5 things hit close to home, just flip the switch. You can change, it all starts with a simple decision to do so. Then you must make a commitment to not go back. Real commitments require time and money. If you’re serious about it, you will commit time and money to investing in yourself to make sure you become a person living toward the future, take action, work towards production, have big goals, and look forward to Monday morning.

Be great,

GC

Source: https://grantcardone.com/blogs/grantcardone/5-things-that-will-actually-make-you-poor

10 Strategies to Master Your Money

Whether it is too much debt, damaged credit, lack of savings, or not having enough income, financial challenges can be very stressful and discouraging. It is critical to your success strategy to focus on building a firm financial foundation to support your goals. In fact, it is a strong foundation in every area of your life that empowers you to build the life you truly want more easily.

Ask yourself, "What are the three worst financial choices I have made in the past?" and "How could I avoid making similar choices in the future?" It is easy to beat yourself up for mistakes, but a better approach is to simply acknowledge poor choices and seek to make healthier choices starting today. Here are 10 smart choices that will help you create a stronger financial foundation, less financial stress, and the freedom to enjoy your life more fully:

1. Identify past choices that have led to financial frustration or stress, and stop making those choices, starting today

One of the most important choices you can make with your money is to learn from your past choices. Use failure and frustration as a learning tool for future success.

2. Pay Off Credit Cards Before Other Debt

High balances on revolving debt, such as credit card debt, negatively impact your credit score more than loans that are scheduled to be paid off in a set number of months or years such as a car loan, student loan, or mortgage. One of the fastest ways to improve your credit is to pay down or pay off your credit cards.

3. Stop using your credit cards unless you can trust yourself to pay them in full each month

The average American household carries more than $8,000 in credit card debt with no hope of paying it off in the next 60 days, according to the most recent statistics. Make a decision to live within your means, using the money you have rather than money you have to borrow.

4. Change Your Lifestyle If Necessary

Sometimes building a strong financial foundation requires sacrifice. If you need to "downsize" your lifestyle so that you can become more financially strong, do it! When you have a purpose and vision, and understand the importance of a firm financial foundation, it is empowering to make tough choices such as keeping your old car for a while longer, waiting to buy a bigger house, or curbing the shopping sprees while you save to buy your own home.

5. Get insurance (health, life, home or renters, auto, and disability) that you feel confident will meet your needs in the event you need to use it

No one ever expects a crisis, but it is comforting to know that in the event of one, your finances won't be completely destroyed. An illness, fire, or accident is stressful enough. Make sure you are covered in the event of unfortunate circumstances.

6. Establish A Financial Cushion of Six to 12 Months of Expenses 

Make this a priority goal and begin saving toward it, even if it takes you five years or more to reach your goal. Knowing that financial ruin is not a couple of paychecks away is a very empowering feeling. It will often keep you from making decisions out of fear and empower you to make decisions based on your purpose and vision.

7. Invest Time In Your Own Financial Education

One of the main causes of financial problems is what I call "financial illiteracy." Some companies make a great deal of money off of the financial ignorance of otherwise intelligent people. Spend two hours or more per month learning about wealth building, debt elimination, investing, and real estate. Read books or articles. Attend a seminar. Learn from those who handle their money well. The more financially literate you become, the better off you will be.

8. Refuse To Be An Emotional Spender

Have you ever spent money on your children out of guilt? Or in an effort to win the affection or admiration of others? Do you shop when you are feeling down? Do you buy things you can't afford because they make you feel better about yourself? Have you co-signed on credit cards or loans, even though your intuition told you not to? If so, you have engaged in "emotional spending," an expensive habit. Recognise your propensity to spend emotionally and make a decision to change your behaviour. Wait 72 hours before making a decision about an impulse purchase. Question your motives before spending money. And make sure you spend your money in a way that reflects your vision and purpose.

9. Have A Vision. Set Goals! 

Last week, I challenged you to create a vision for the five key areas of your life. One of those areas is your finances. One of the reasons it is important to have a vision is because it serves as a reference point for where you are headed. When you are building toward something specific, it is easier to tell when you get off track. If you have no vision or goals, you often don't even realise you are on the wrong path until something goes terribly wrong!

10. Put Money Into Proper Perspective

Having money can certainly make life easier, more convenient, and less stressful. But always remember this: If your biggest problems are money-related, consider yourself VERY blessed. Money problems can be fixed. There are other more important things in your life – your relationship with God and the people you care about, your health, and your integrity, to name a few. Don't allow financial frustrations to ruin your relationships, cause you to be angry with God, do things that compromise your integrity, or stress you out to the point of causing high blood pressure, panic attacks, or other health problems. Count your blessings and remember that life's richest rewards will never be found in material things.

Journaling assignment:

What past choices have led to financial stress or frustration in your life? What could you do differently to eliminate this stress and frustration in the future?

My challenge to you this week:

Re-read these 10 smart choices. Then decide what changes you need to make to build a stronger financial foundation for your life. Write them down and take action!

Click HERE for the source!

Link to the original article: http://www1.cbn.com/finance/10-strategies-to-master-your-money

Link to writer profile: http://www1.cbn.com/profiles/burton-valorie