What does that little voice in your head tell you about money?
Does it ever say things like, “I despise budgets,” “I’ve never been good with money,” “My ideal clients will never pay higher fees,” or “I’ll never earn what I want to”?
If so, you’ve engaged in an unhealthy habit called negative self-talk.
In short, negative self-talk is the inner dialogue that stops you from believing in yourself and your ability to reach your full potential. And when it revolves around money, you reinforce beliefs that have produced less-than-stellar financial results.
Here’s the thing:
Your beliefs drive your actions. So if you believe you’re not good with money, you’ll behave as if you’re not good with money. And—no surprise, you’ll experience “bad” money issues here.
This is what we call a self-fulfilling prophecy. Negative self-talk results in poor performance because we act as if it’s true.
On the other hand, positive self-talk can result in outstanding performance—and great results. If you tell yourself you are good with money, make good money decisions, and your ideal clients are willing to pay your premium rates, you’ll begin acting as if those things are true.
You’ll make wise money choices. You’ll seek to connect with clients willing to pay you, and your bank account balance will grow.
So, if you’ve experienced negative self-talk, how do you change the habit?
How to Replace Negative Self-Talk with Positive Self-Talk
First, you must notice and acknowledge your negative self-talk.
Every time you think or say something negative about yourself and your ability to earn more money, tick a mental checkbox.
Pay careful attention to the statements that come up most frequently. Think about where they come from. For example, if an ex-partner often complained about your spending habits, your “I’m terrible with money” self-talk likely comes from your time in that relationship.
Now, reframe the negative self-talk.
The next time you make a negative statement, think of five times you behaved oppositely. So if your negative comment is “I’m terrible with money,” think of five times you handled money well (when you chose to skip the coffeehouse and make your own, or when you paid off a credit card or saved for a big purchase). You might reframe your statement: “I used to be bad with money, but now I make smart choices to achieve my goals.”
Like negative self-talk creates results, so does positive self-talk.
Reframe your thinking, and you’ll recreate your results.
