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Category Archives: Reinvention

The Power of Gratitude: Avoid the Scarcity Model

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“Be grateful.” We hear this phrase all the time in a community of fellow seekers. After all, we all want to grow our financial success, and we all want to achieve spiritual peace. However, in these quests, we can lose track of what we already have. Throughout all of life’s highs and lows, this motto reminds us of the power of gratitude. No matter where we are in life, there is always something to be grateful for.

How the Scarcity Model Diminishes the Power of Gratitude

It’s easy to be grateful when it doesn’t really require a ton of effort, like saying “please” or “thank you.” Even when big things are going really well for us, it’s easier to pause and appreciate what we have around us. However, what about when things aren’t going quite as planned?

Everyone’s been there. The mind starts focusing on what’s wrong, what we are lacking, and what is just too much for us to deal with. We tend to overthink, making it even more difficult to overcome obstacles in order to reach our goals. In some ways, this is a natural response. When it becomes a habit, though, it can become a problem. At this point, the pity party is simply a safe choice rather than the right choice.

The truth is, it takes much more courage to appreciate what we have, no matter how little it may seem at the time. It’s much easier to surrender to the scarcity model and let ourselves off the hook from taking action because we feel like something isn’t enough. Our egos will tell us that if we spend too much time being grateful for what we have, we won’t try to get more, and we’ll become stuck being “content” instead of happy.

Avoiding the Scarcity Model

The scarcity model tells us that there simply aren’t enough resources to meet everyone’s wants and needs. At the end of the day, you may feel like you’re the one getting shorthanded. This isn’t necessarily the case though. By practicing the power of gratitude, you can avoid falling into the scarcity model trap.

Learning to appreciate what you currently have doesn’t mean you’re tricking yourself into “settling.” Just because you’re buying an economy car now because it’s more practical doesn’t mean you won’t want a Ferrari three years from now when you’re rich. Choose to be grateful that you own reliable transportation — regardless of whether or not it is flashy. There are plenty of people in this world that don’t have that at all.

The proactive mind continuously hungers for more, like a squirrel hoarding nuts for winter. The scarcity model allows us to constantly overlook and discount what’s right in front of us. To fight this, we have to consistently remind ourselves to look for what’s right in our lives instead of searching for what’s wrong.

With enough practice, we’ll be more likely to remember to show our appreciation to the people who are closest to us: our family, friends, loved-ones, co-workers, and employees. We’ll even start considering and appreciating the everyday strangers in our lives. From teachers to postal workers, these people make our day-to-day better and enrich our larger communities. Let’s not forget to say “thank you” to the Universe for our many blessings.

How Gratitude Affects Your Finances

Everyone should be grateful for and properly manage whatever wealth you have now, even if you don’t think it’s much. If you’re not appreciating what you already have, that means you’re not maximizing what’s available to you right now. If you can’t do that, then why should the Universe believe you can handle more?

Exercise: Power of Gratitude

Now that you’ve listened to me, I want you to put these ideas into practice. Declare your gratitude to the millionaire mind community with these simple steps:

  • Step 1: Think about things to be grateful for. To help, you can ask yourself these questions:
    • Who and what have you not fully appreciated?
    • What are some of the things that you tend to take for granted?
  • Step 2: List the people and things in your life for which you are grateful.
  • Step 3: Show your appreciation to the people who mean the most to you for all that you have.

For Your Freedom,
the power of gratitude

Maybe even after incorporating gratitude, you feel unhappy. If so, I want you to ask yourself these questions: Do you have everything that you want in life? Success? Inner peace? Amazing health? Fabulous relationships? If not, join me on one of my upcoming web classes, “Don’t Believe A Thought You Think,” where you’ll learn exactly how to have all the success, inner peace, health, relationships, etc. that you want and deserve.

Click here to reserve your free seat today!

the power of gratitude

Share in the comments your thoughts on the power of gratitude and the scarcity model.

UP NEXT: How You Can Be Both Spiritually and Financially Really Rich

Dare To Be Different: Why “Staying Inside The Lines” Holds You Back

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Do you dare to be different in your life or do you tend to color inside the lines? It can be intimidating to embrace individuality, but it’s time to truly learn how to break free from social constraints.

Why You Should Dare To Be Different In Today’s Society

There’s a spirit in our culture that prides itself on individuality and “being you.” That sense of satisfaction that comes with doing something your way and finding success.


Yet, as much as we say we value individuality, how much do we really live by that? If you were to ask yourself these questions about individuality, what would your answers be?

  • How often are our decisions influenced by other people: family, friends, a mate, colleagues, neighbors?
  • How often have you wanted to do something but thought twice about it because you were afraid of what so-and-so might think?

When you go against the grain, you dare to be different and stand out, and it can be nerve-wracking. Why is that?

Living Inside the Lines

It starts, like many behaviors, with early conditioning—like staying “inside the lines” in art class. Structure can be good, but if we dared draw outside the lines, watch out! We’d be “corrected” until we developed the habit of staying within artificial boundaries given to us.

That’s just one of many examples of conditioning that ends up placing limits on our creative potential. Pressures could be cultural like being told to stay with your group, economical when we claim that rich people are why we’re poor … the list goes on and on. And most people end up living their lives “inside the lines” until it becomes comfortable, familiar and “appropriate”—even though it may not be appropriate for you!

In everyday life, anything or anyone that doesn’t fit the “norm” often pays the price of disapproval or scorn. It’s a strange paradox; it can pay when you dare to be different—think of somebody like Madonna, who clearly marches to her own beat—but don’t be too different or else you’re weird, or something’s wrong with you.

Going Beyond the Lines

Most people will do their best to fit into a recognizable and comfortable mold because security is addictive to the ego. As a matter of fact, it’s part of our evolution as people. Acceptance in a group meant survival and safety for our ancestors. And, in some ways, it still does.

However, at some point we’ve got to tell the ego that it’s okay to step into the unknown and dare to be different. Also, think of all the people throughout history that, if they hadn’t stepped “outside the lines,” we’d have never evolved as quickly as we did. We’d still think the world was flat, or that the universe revolves around us, or that “normal” people couldn’t do amazing things.


When you stop playing it safe, your spirit is free to grow, expand and create. Individual, family and social “rules” don’t apply.

It takes guts to dare to be different; to stand out from the crowd; to break free from the “clone drone” society and be a true individual.

So, when others criticize you for doing something “different” it’s usually because they’re scared. Inside, they’re secretly stoked that you broke free. They’re also just frustrated with themselves for lacking the courage to do the same. So, be their inspiration!

30-Day Exercise: Dare To Be Different

  1. Let go of worrying about what other people think of you.
  2. Do something unusual (just remember society does have laws!).
    • Whatever business you are in, figure out a way to do it, package it, or market it differently than everyone else.
    • “Zig” when the masses “zag.”
    • You will not only feel a renewed sense of spirit and energy but will also dramatically increase your income and wealth.

Are you up for it?  Let me know your thoughts and ideas on how you can mix it up, start coloring outside the lines, and dare to be different this month. What would you do differently? Can you find the courage? I want to hear from you!

This article has been updated for relevancy and accuracy. It’s original publish date was 01/15/10.

Who You Are: Purpose And Being Part 1

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It’s time to start reflecting on who you are, who you want to become and how that corresponds with what you value. The answers might not be as obvious as you think.

How Who You Are Is Reflected Through Your Values

“Of course I know who I am,” a lot of people will respond when asked if they know who they are. Then they’ll rattle off a list that includes their name, where they’re from, their occupation, their ethnicity; the list can go on and on. Yet, we are more than our title, heritage or role, right? So, maybe most of us aren’t answer that question right. Maybe you need to reflect more on who you are.

Most of us already have a pretty good idea about the sum experience of our lives:

  • What we’ve been taught
  • How we’ve come along so far
  • How we generally tend to operate

Maybe a better question than “Who are you” is, “Who do you want to be?”


You are always being who you are—whatever that is at the moment—but at the same time you’re also always becoming. It’s easy to say, “I am (fill in the blank),” and we can think this with complete conviction. However, just because someone says they are—for example—a good friend doesn’t necessarily make it so. But who wouldn’t want to become a better friend?

Current pressures and challenges can affect even those with greater awareness of themselves. Sometimes, how we respond to these challenges can surprise us, like showing great compassion and humanity to others in the face of unspeakable tragedy (think the outpouring of support for the Haiti tragedy), even though those same people might not otherwise appear on our radar at all.

Other times, we might be disappointed because we think of ourselves as open-minded, only to find out that we aren’t what we think we are all the time. Considering life’s uncertainties, there really is no way to be absolutely sure of how we will respond to what life gives us.

When it comes down to it, who you are really is:

  • What you value the most
  • How your value reflects in what you do
  • Where your energy and resources are directed on a regular basis

I’m not talking about the value of material things like cars, houses, or the latest gadgets. I mean what you value as in honesty, self-respect, respect for others, kindness—qualities that have no price because their impact can’t be measured.


So instead of thinking in terms of who you are, perhaps a more practical way of looking at the question is who do you want to become. We probably aren’t going to be exactly who we want to be in every moment of life. Anybody who’s experienced fear or anger can attest to that. Nobody wants to be fearful, but we’d all like to be courageous.

Who you want to be is really what makes you who you are now. When you’re striving for something, you’re acting—you’re doing. And what you do makes you more of who you will become later down the line. There is no distinction between the present and the future. It’s always happening now through your values and your actions, from building your sense of character to building a strong financial foundation.

Exercise: Who You Are and Who You Want To Become

Put yourself in the hot seat and ask the tough questions:

  • What qualities do you really want to enact no matter what the situation, no matter what goal you’re trying to reach? Compassion? Bravery? Simplicity? Faith? Good humor?

Whatever these qualities you admire or cherish the most, these are the principles that make you who you are, if you hold to them consistently. Share the qualities you want to enact most in the comments.

In Being and Purpose Part 2, we’ll look at taking the next step in being by exploring the notion of purpose.

This article has been updated for relevancy and accuracy. Its original publish date was 01/21/10.

What Is Your Purpose in Life: Purpose and Being Part 2

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What is your purpose in life? The big questions can be difficult to think about and hard to answer, but they’re essential to discovering our purpose and being.

Addressing The Big Questions: What Is Your Purpose In Life?

In my last blog, we took a look at the idea of being. We also discussed how who you are reflects in what you value the most, and how that influences your actions. If you value courage, everything you do will reflect that, from being honest even though it may be hard, to taking steps toward your financial freedom.

So, now you know what your principles are. They’re those qualities that will inform everything you do, taking you from where you are to wherever you want to be. Now, what’s next?


There’s nobody—and I mean nobody, ever—who hasn’t asked themselves the BIG question: What am I doing here? What’s my purpose?

Some schools of thought say—I believe, correctly—that we’re born into this life with a purpose, a reason for being. But considering that just about everything in nature has a specific purpose for existing, and we are part of nature, it’s not a stretch to accept that every individual has a specific purpose, as well.

A lot of people believe in purpose, but most have a hard time figuring out what that is for them. No doubt there have been a rare few individuals who have received or recognized within themselves a kind of unmistakable calling. Martin Luther King Jr. and Mother Teresa immediately come to mind.

But that’s usually not how it works for the rest of us. You can wait and wait for a sign that may or may not ever come. What would you rather do if you’re unsure of your purpose: let life pass by or choose your purpose yourself? The upside to these deeper questions is that we are the ones who get to decide how we are best suited to serve ourselves, others and life itself.


However random it may seem, though, finding our individual purpose is actually easier than one might think. We each have unique abilities, inherent talents and strengths. Also, different subjects and activities interest us and make us happy. We all have varying experiences and issues from which we’ve learned, and every one of us has a different way in which we can use these traits to serve and also feel fulfillment. It’s through these factors that we can all choose a purpose.

But that doesn’t mean we’re locked into any one way of how to go about living our purpose. For example, if your purpose is to teach, you may literally teach in a school, or become a writer and speaker. The vehicle isn’t as important as recognizing yourself as a teacher no matter what you do.

Once you have purpose, you will have two essential elements for a truly happy life—money and meaning! You’ll do more of what you’re good at, attracting people who have a need or want for your particular talents. In this way, you will become ‘rich’ in every sense of the word.

Exercise: Discover Your Individual Purpose

 

  1. List your unique abilities, talents, strengths, interests and passions.
  2. Choose an overall purpose for your life. For some people, it may take hours to think it through; for others it may take days or longer.
  3. Once you’ve honestly assessed yourself, clarify your purpose by writing it down.
  4. Choose an initial vehicle with which you can serve people that is in alignment with your purpose.

Begin living your life with meaning today. Share with me in the comments. What is your purpose?

This article has been updated for relevancy and accuracy. It’s original publish date was 01/29/10.

Personal Growth: How To Grow Bigger Than Your Problems

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Personal growth is only possible once you realize you are bigger than your problems. Learn how to tackle each obstacle one day at a time.

The Path To Personal Growth And Tackling Challenges

If you think having more money means you’ll have fewer problems, then think twice about wanting to be a millionaire. Problems and obstacles don’t stop, you just get a new set of them.

Wealth and poverty aren’t distinguishable when it comes to problems, or, as I like to think of them, challenges. There are times when challenges are considerate, significant, and maybe even scary, and there are other times when we’re really just making a mountain out of a molehill.

Whether it’s overcoming a mountain of debt or making tough investment choices, it could seem daunting to take on these decisions and commit to following through toward personal growth.

Really, though, we all need to thank our lucky stars for mountains that seem to be in our way. Why, because I’m a glutton for punishment? No, because personally it was the only way for me to find out for myself one of the most important ideas most millionaires share in common: you have to be bigger than any problem you can ever face.

In other words, you have to think big! That’s so easy to hear, and nod your head, and say, “Well, yeah, of course.” Understanding it, knowing it, and living it, though, are different.

The truth is few people “think” big and even fewer “play” big. Why? Because “big” often means big responsibilities, big hassles and big problems. They look at that “bigness” and shrink rather than considering the possibilities for personal growth. They’re smaller than their problems. They back away from challenges. Ironically, they back themselves into the biggest problem of all … being broke, or close to it.

 

The Secret To Personal Growth And Success: Grow Yourself Bigger Than Your Problems

Imagine a “Level 2” person looking at a “Level 5” problem. Does this problem appear to be big or small? From a Level 2 perspective, a Level 5 problem would seem HUGE. How would it look to, say, a “Level 8” person? The same problem would seem small. To a “Level 10” person? NO problem at all. It’s just an everyday occurrence, like brushing your teeth.

It’s not a special skill that separates rich from poor, but a simple yet profound understanding—if you’re breathing, you will always have situations that aren’t perfect. Therefore, the size of the problem is never the problem. It’s always the size of you and whether or not you want to commit to personal growth!


If you can handle bigger problems, you can handle:

  • More customers
  • Bigger business 
  • Greater responsibilities
  • More money
  • Greater wealth

Your income can only grow to the extent that you commit to your own personal growth!

Exercise: Grow Yourself Bigger

  1. Commit to growing yourself:
    • Do not avoid problems
    • Do not complain about problems
    • Don’t let them bother you.
    • Refer to them as “challenges” or “situations”
  2. Let go of the emotion and drama you create when you don’t get what you want.
  3. Learn to stay present and handle one situation at a time with an open mind and an open heart.
  4. Trust yourself and in the universe that everything will work out in the end.

I want to hear from you, so make sure you leave a comment and tell me your thoughts on personal growth so you can handle bigger problems.

This article has been updated for relevancy and accuracy. It’s original publish date was 02/06/10.