What
appears to have gotten us into trouble, both individually and collectively, is
behaving unconsciously.
Success does not
require a great deal of money; what it requires is a belief in one’s inherent
worth and a willingness to make a conscious investment in itself.
Just as a
computer has an operating system, every family operates according to a set of
spoken and unspoken rules. I call this
the family operating system.
Your
family operating system effectively helps to program your beliefs, attitudes,
skills, anxieties, and expectations, both conscious and unconscious.
Today it
would take at least $7.6 million to have the purchasing power of $1 million in
1959.
Change requires
taking stock and recognizing our own creative responsibility. If we stay stuck
in old concepts and do not take action, we may seek vicarious fulfillment or
comforts.
We must
be willing to let go of the old judgments, opinions, and worn-out attitudes
that limit us.
When our
basic human needs for self-esteem and self-respect are not met, we give up
easily, blame others, strive for less, and often fail to achieve our goals.
Arrogance,
self-righteousness, manipulation, and boastfulness actually betray low
self-esteem, primarily in extroverts.
Such behaviors are futile attempts to compensate for a sense of
unworthiness.
People
who lack self-esteem avoid taking risks.
Creating
a life you value requires accepting the idea that you’re completely responsible
for yourself. Such a good life also
involves the realization that no one is going to come to your rescue – nor, in
general, should they.
There’s very little
that you cannot do or have after you accept that “If it’s to be, it’s up to
me.”
No matter what
situation or challenge we find ourselves facing, we can decide how to respond.
Approaching
our finances consciously – with an awareness of our circumstances, motivations,
and true aims – is a key. With this kind of consciousness, we assess what is
meaningful to us and what we must do in order to bring that meaning to
fruition.
Inertia can result
from over attachment to our comfort zone.
