5 Mental Steps to Help With a Financial Setback
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5 Mental Steps to Help With a Financial Setback[/caption] There is a widely accepted misconception in which it is believed that people who are financially astute — those who have experienced a certain level of success in the area of wealth building — never experience financial setbacks. That cannot be further from the truth. In fact, it is estimated that the average millionaire will go broke at least three times over the course of their lives. What can be said, with a great level of certainty, is that those who are financially astute view their financial setbacks from a completely different perspective than most. After all, wealth is a frame of mind that does not change with temporal financial shifts in accumulated wealth.
What happens with many people who are attempting to take control of their finances is that they have a tendency to focus on the temporal circumstances instead of the mental or psychological reality of who they are becoming. When a person defines themselves, or allows someone else to define them based on their current circumstances, they literally lock themselves into that reality. The power of the mind cannot be overstated, but it is often underestimated. Here is the simple truth that everyone should understand: Even the greatest financial minds make mistakes, and there are times in which these mistakes can cost them dearly. The difference between these great minds and the average person, is the fact that the person who understands finance will not allow themselves to be defined by that one mistake. So, even in the most challenging of times, these people will maintain a level head — thinking their way out of the negative position, rather than worrying their way further into it. There are five mental actions that anyone can take during a financial setback that will allow them to regain their focus and rebuild the momentum that they have lost.
- Give Yourself Permission to be in Process
You should see financial security as the fulfilled promise of efficacious financial engagement. In other words, there are literal financial laws that, when practiced, will produce the desired results of financial wealth and financial security. The problem with individuals who are new to this concept is that they don’t give themselves the necessary room to be in “process.” They don’t plan for mistakes and setbacks. So, when a setback hits them, it tends to take a lot out of them. What each person must learn is that “process” always precedes “promise.” There can never be an attainment of the promise without there first being an endurance of a process. We live in a microwave society, in which everyone wants it all right now. People are addicted to quick-fix solutions that only provide temporary aid. To achieve lasting results, there must be an undergoing of enduring a specific process. When you give yourself permission to make mistakes, you will not be shaken or caught off guard by them. You will not become overwhelmed with guilt — blaming yourself. You will simply regroup and restart.
- Failing Forward
While you will often here self-help gurus scream “failure is not an option,” the truth is that failure is inevitable. The good news is that having the right mindset about what you are doing will help you benefit from your failures. You can literally fail forward. Say that you were to set a goal of $100k for a four week period, but at the four week period you have only earned $65k. Technically, you failed to reach the $100k, so you failed, but you have progressed $60k beyond where you started, and if you regroup and restart, you will hit the original goal during the next goal cycle — ultimately failing forward to the desired results. Failure is not final if you refuse to quit.
- Block Out the Sweet Nothings of Negativity
One thing is almost certain on your road to financial security, and that is that there will be those who will make it their business to point out your mistakes and right your financial obituary. You must learn to mentally block out the negative opinion of the naysayers. You are not perfect, and you will make mistakes, but just remember that, at least, you are in the game. The negative naysayers actually have time to criticize because they are not in the game. Don’t ever allow yourself to become distracted by someone who is not even in the game.
- Consistently Reaffirm Your Belief that Your Goals are Possible
Again, it is important to understand that the mind is immensely powerful. What you believe will inevitably dictate your actions and ultimately what you are able to achieve. This is why you must constantly feed your subconscious with the reminder that all that you are aspiring to do is within your grasp — consistently reinforcing a belief system that will drive you to unparalleled success.
- Mentally Push the Reset Button
Let’s be clear here. Life is going to throw you some curve balls. Murphy is going to visit you every possible chance he gets. If you don’t know who Murphy is (Murphy’s Law), just give it a while; you will. What you must learn to do is process what has happened, evaluate it for the purpose of growth and then press the reset button. You will definitely press that reset button many times over the course of your life, but each time you will find that you have gained tremendous ground. When you press the reset button, it allows you to release the mental stress and frustration associated with the idea of failure. It allows you start over with a renewed sense of purpose and determination. It allows you to have a clean start in which you are able to leave all of the negative mental baggage behind. No, there is no circumvention of the vicissitudes of life. There will be difficult moments; of this you can be certain. However, when you understand how to effectively mentally process it all, then you will recover and continue your progressive move toward your ultimate goal. There will be financial setbacks, but you don’t have to linger or languish in them. Keep it moving. ~ Rick Wallace, Ph.D., Psy.D.
