It's been a while since I've written a business-based article here, so I thought I would mix it up for you all. Just as I am passionate about women's health and hormones, I am also very passionate about helping people make more money to live the lives they want and become financially free. And funny enough, the money you make has less to do with what you need to gain and more about what you need to let go of.
So let's dive in! You need to let go of these four things to make more money, along with some action steps if any of these items sound like you!
1. Forget What You Learned About Money as a Child
Most people do not learn solid finance skills from their parents. Some do, but that's not the norm. Most of you probably saw your parents save every penny, clip coupons, spend hours trying to find the cheapest option, etc. Why is this a problem? Because you cannot save your way to retirement or wealth anymore like our grandparents did, especially their parents.
You absolutely have to invest if you want to build wealth or retire with reasonable means to live. It is estimated that nearly 40% of Americans (who are currently middle class) will end up retiring below the poverty line. This is partially because they are trying to save their way there, which is impossible today with inflation. Very few of your parents probably invested outside of their work 401K, so in turn, you had no idea how to do it. Or maybe you didn't learn its value, so you never actually contributed to your retirement (like my mom didn't, which is another story.)
Or maybe you saw your parents use money poorly (overspending, living off credit cards, fighting with each other over what each other bought, etc.) So your relationship with money now is very fight or flight based. The more you make, the more you spend, driven by ego, etc.
You probably never learned how taxes work, so when you got your first job and taxes came out, you had no idea how little it would leave you. And because of that, the apartment you chose to live in is actually too expensive, and now you are broke all the time because you didn't know how to account for taxes properly. Is this ringing any bells? Yep, this is the majority of us, myself included.
Action Step:
Take the time to learn current money skills, strategies, and how to invest. A very simple starting point is to open a high-yield savings account. It will take you 15 minutes, and you can accrue over 4% in some cases. This is a far better option than traditional savings, where you get a penny a year. In a high yield, you can make hundreds a year. I use Ally, but any FDIC bank will do.
Also, I would consider opening a Roth IRA if you make less than $138K a year single or $218K jointly. Your contributions to a Roth are from income that has already been taxed. So when you are ready to pull it out, you get all of it, versus being taxed for all at the end when you are most likely falling within a higher tax bracket. Roth IRAs see an average 7-10% return yearly. Therefore, if you contribute $6,500 every year (that is $541/mo) for just ten years, that will be around $100K. Even if you leave it to sit and stop contributing, you will still earn $8K a year after that from literally doing nothing. Opening a Roth also only takes 15 minutes.
2. Stop Caring What Other People Think
I see new entrepreneurs get so scared of what their family and friends think they don't take action. Whether you are starting a business or a side hustle, people will judge you. Embrace it! It is only because you are doing something they are too chicken shit to do themselves. Caring what other people think so much that it prevents you from following your dreams is selfish and narcissistic. You care more about your image than creating something that will help people or bettering your financial situation, which also helps other people. Being broke when you have to means not being broke is selfish and lazy.
When you are taking action to make a positive change in your life, the people who don't support you or like it need to be removed. Eventually, those who thought your idea was stupid will ask you for advice—speaking from experience here. When I hear people say they are afraid to post on Instagram about their new business, it makes my eyes roll. This is the easiest time in the world's history to make money and market your business for FREE online. Get over yourself.
Action Step:
When you catch yourself experiencing resistance around a venture you are pursuing, ask yourself, "Is it because I care what people think about this?" If so, ask yourself, "How can I move through it?" For example, what is the worst thing that will happen if your aunt Suzy thinks your coaching business is dumb?
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3. Lose the Cheer Squad
This goes into what I just mentioned, but typically the higher you go in the corporate world or your business, the fewer cheerleaders you have in your life. What I mean is, as an employee (entry-level), you usually have a supervisor cheering you on, telling you a good job, and telling you your next move.
When you scale up the leadership ladder and most certainly run your own business, no one is there to tell you what you are doing is right or great. CEOs don't have cheerleaders. THEY have to be their own cheerleader. So if you need a cheer squad around you at all times, there is a good chance you will not make any more money than you are now.
Requiring people to cheer you on to keep you motivated screams you are searching for outside validation because you are not confident in your decision-making. This doesn't fly past a certain income level. Do you dream of making multiple six figures? Then start making your own decisions, develop ideas and execute them, and stop asking for permission.
Action Step:
When you aren't sure if you are making the right choice and simply are searching for some dopamine because that's really what validation is, set up your own reward system for accomplishing tasks and making decisions that don't involve people's validation. For example, cold plunges actually work great for this. Go into cold water (accomplish a challenging task) and breathe through it (self-regulation). When you exit, you'll give yourself a dopamine hit that you created. This practice can teach your body and mind that YOU create the reward, and good things come when you do hard things.
4. Let Go of Your Comfort Zone
Resilience is built outside of your comfort zone. If you stay comfortable, you will not even give yourself a chance to make more money. You must do the things you have never done to achieve the things you have never had. Making more money is usually hard! That is why most people don't. Building a business is hard. Being a corporate leader is hard. You have to sacrifice more than everyone else and take all the risks. You have to make really hard decisions. You have to show up with confidence even when you are terrified. You have to work 10-12 hour days for months on end. You have to learn tech and AI, or you will be left behind. You have to do shit you usually hate for a while. You might fail. You will cry. You might go bankrupt. It might take forever to get it off the ground. But this all takes resilience!
"Your comfort zone is where your dreams go to die." This was the first piece of advice Date Tate told me when I asked him about running a business. He said, "Get comfortable with being uncomfortable," and he was absolutely fucking right. I have been extremely uncomfortable since the day I left my full-time job to pursue my own thing. But man, I wouldn't have it any other way. Because when you are on a path to make more money, that's all it is. A general base level of uncertainty, anxiety, peaked awareness, and constant problem-solving is not comfy. And it never goes away. So if you are looking for comfort in the form of easy/fast/minimal pain….seeking more money will be extremely challenging for you.
Action Step:
Do hard things. Create challenges for yourself like cold plunges, waking up at 5 am every day, and working out first thing in the morning. Give yourself something to overcome or accomplish. If a task feels uncomfortable, do it. For example, sign up for a powerlifting meet or bodybuilding competition. Do shit that is really fucking hard, so when hard things do pop up, in comparison, they are a lot less daunting.
I hope this helps, Fam! If you enjoyed this article and would also enjoy listening to me rant about money and how to make more of it, you can check out my podcast, Be Your Own Daddy, on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
Header image credit: mouu007 © 123rf.com
Alycia Israel is a nationally qualified NPC figure and bikini competitor, and raw powerlifter. She has a master's degree in exercise physiology, is an NSCA-certified strength and conditioning specialist, and is an ISSN-certified sports nutritionist. As the former personal training coordinator at Ohio State University for seven years, she currently owns and operates Alycia's Barbell, an online training and nutrition business that helps clients lose fat for life or jump on the competitive bodybuilding stage. She can be contacted at alyciafit@gmail.com.
Thanks!