The Top 5 Ways People Mess Up Their Money (And how to avoid or bust out of them!)

[Jenifer Madson]

I am frequently asked what the reasons are for people's struggles with money, so I'm going to outline what I think are the top 5.

Number One:
They pretend to feel better about the subject than they actually do.
Our tendency is to mask our financial pain with humor, pretending that our concerns aren't that important. This comes from being more worried about how we will be perceived than whether we are getting the financial information we need, and when it comes to money, that façade will definitely sabotage your success.

Anthony Robbins, the great personal-development guru, has said that one of the tricks to finding answers in our lives is to see things as they are. Not better or worse than they are; just how they are. That way, you can spend your energy more wisely, addressing the right situation.

Take A Minute:
Are you pretending to feel better about money than you do?

Make A Minute:
Identify an area of financial concern that you have made light of, but really need help with. Commit to taking one step - today - that will move you closer to success in that area. Share the details of your situation in a way that accurately reflects what was happening for you before, what you are doing to change it, and what it is like now.

Don't give in to the temptation to make light of what matters to you, because people will only take your goals as seriously as you do.

(Number Two will be posted next week).