Is Money Your Servant or Your Master?

Think about the question. Are you in charge of your money, or is your money in charge of you? Do financial fears and scarcity rule your decisions and emotions? Do you use money as a great tool, or does money keep you worried and up at night, and drive you crazy? Does the desire to have more money drive your schedule and your decisions, or do you drive your decisions and just use money as a great helper?

I believe money is a wonderful servant that can facilitate many great projects and results. It can also be a terrible task master that can dominate your business and life. And the choice is yours….regardless of your current financial condition.

If you want to master your money, then you must strip it of its emotional domination over your thoughts and feelings. Money is merely a tool. It’s not oxygen. You won’t die without it. You are not desperate to have it. It will not make you happy (unless you believe that fairy tale). Money is just a way for us to exchange value with others. It is definitely a means to an end, and useless when it is not flowing.

Money cannot create security. Your thoughts about money create your security (or lack thereof). There are people who have lots of money (whatever that number is) who are very insecure, and there are those who have very little, and are secure and content.

Money is a scoreboard that measures your commercial value in the market you serve. If you bring great value to the market, your income will generally increase. If you believe you have a great product or service, but people are unwilling to pay money for it, you are likely in delusion and denial.

Here’s how to rule and master your money. Strip money of its emotional power over you. Put it in its place (in your thinking) and see it for what it is…a tool that helps you do projects. See it as your servant. Start telling it where to go. In practical terms, begin ruling money today by setting aside a percentage of your revenue in a savings account. Identify and debunk your money fears. Organize the use of your money by creating a budget. Take an honest look at the value that you bring to the marketplace (or in your job) and figure out how to increase your value by increasing service. Finally, see your financial situation as a math PUZZLE to solve, not a financial PROBLEM to fret over.

Putting money in its place is liberating and logical. It’s a tool, not the boss.