habit | David M Masters

Transforming Self-Perception: The Path to Abundance Strategy

Developing an abundance mindset begins with reshaping how we perceive ourselves, identifying and dealing with money blocks, and creating new habits to replace limiting beliefs that do not support our best financial interests. By understanding and changing personal beliefs, individuals can pave the way for a life and business characterized by abundance.

The Self-Perception Exercise:

To initiate a shift toward an abundance mindset, start by creating a T-chart: one side detailing the ten best attributes from your point of view as a person and/or business person. On the other side, outline the ten best things about you as seen from the point of view of others. To get a more accurate accounting of how others might see you, seek input from close friends and family to compile a list of their perceptions. This exercise unveils the alignment or discrepancies between self-perception and who you are known as or external perception, offering valuable insights for personal growth.

Once you have completed this assignment, you will be able to increase your congruency by creating a map of attributes that you will need to focus on exemplifying in such a way as to be better perceived by others.

Like Oprah Winfrey:

Examining the experiences of successful individuals like Oprah Winfrey, who underwent transformative self-awareness journeys, underscores the importance of aligning personal beliefs with external perceptions. Winfrey’s commitment to self-reflection and authenticity contributed to her success, highlighting the impact of a positive self-view on achieving abundance. These examples emphasize the significance of self-awareness in the pursuit of an abundance mindset.

Identifying Money Mindset Blockages

Exploring the intricate landscape of your money mindset reveals many limiting beliefs that hinder your financial growth. Recognizing these money blocks is the first step towards dismantling them and fostering a mindset conducive to financial prosperity. Here are the 10 most prevalent mindset blocks surrounding money, providing insights, debunking myths, and offering strategies for overcoming these barriers.

1. “Money is the root of all evil“: Debunking the myth that money is inherently evil, this mindset often stems from misconceptions. In reality, money serves as a neutral medium of exchange. Its impact depends on the individual wielding it. Acknowledging this can empower individuals to utilize money positively and effect meaningful change.
2. “I can’t afford it“: The notion of financial constraint often serves as an excuse, limiting creative problem-solving. This mindset hinders the exploration of alternatives and inhibits the pursuit of valuable investments, such as coaching or courses.
3. “It’s selfish to want more money“: Contrary to this belief, having financial stability enables individuals to make a more significant impact on their communities. By challenging this mindset, one can unlock the potential to contribute to causes that matter and extend assistance to those in need.
4. “I’m not good with money“: Perceiving oneself as incapable of financial management is a disempowering narrative. Financial literacy can be acquired like any other skill, and dispelling this myth opens the door to acquiring new skills for effective money management.
5. “My family has never been rich“: Breaking free from the narrative that family history dictates financial success is essential. Numerous stories of individuals rising from poverty to wealth emphasize the potential for personal agency in financial matters.
6. “It is selfish to want money“: This mindset challenges the idea that financial success and selflessness are mutually exclusive. Having more resources can amplify one’s capacity to contribute to causes that align with their values, benefiting both personal and communal well-being.
7. “I can either make money or do what I love, not both“: This dichotomy neglects the symbiotic relationship between passion and financial success. By aligning one’s passion with solving problems and providing valuable services, one can bridge the gap between personal fulfillment and financial gain.
8. “Money is there to spend“: While spending itself is not inherently negative, prioritizing spending over saving and investing poses challenges. Balancing enjoyment and financial responsibility is crucial for long-term prosperity.
9. “You have to work really hard to get money“: While effort is required, the belief that earning money demands unbearable hardship is a limiting mindset. Embracing strategies to solve problems efficiently and scale efforts can lead to financial success without undue strain.
10. “Money is not that important“: Acknowledging the importance of financial stability does not diminish life’s other priorities. Recognizing money’s role in making life more manageable fosters a proactive approach to financial control.

By unraveling these most common money mindset blocks, individuals can pave the way for a more empowered and prosperous financial journey. Challenging these limiting beliefs opens the door to financial growth, enabling individuals to take control of their economic well-being and contribute positively to the world around them.

While each person has accumulated a lifetime of limiting beliefs and money mindset blocks, most people will find three or more of these top 10 in their psyches. This is an excellent place to start.

Addressing Specific Mindset Issues:

Identifying and addressing specific mindset issues, such as a reluctance to invest in one’s business due to fear or pessimism, is crucial. Drawing on examples of successful entrepreneurs who shifted their mindset around investing, like Warren Buffett, highlights the transformative impact of embracing optimism and intelligent business decisions. Changing one habit or mindset issue at a time can lead to significant positive outcomes.

Transforming self-perception is a foundational step toward living a life of abundance in both personal and business domains. The exercise provides a roadmap for individuals seeking to align their beliefs with positive external perceptions. By understanding the role of habits and committing to gradual change, individuals can break free from limiting beliefs and embrace life and business characterized by abundance.

Data-driven Insights on Habit Formation:

Research in psychology, such as studies conducted by Dr. Maxwell Maltz, reveals that habits play a pivotal role in shaping our beliefs and behaviors. The exercise of identifying and reshaping self-perceptions aligns with the principles of habit change. By acknowledging negative thought patterns and working to transform them, individuals can pave the way for lasting change and a mindset of abundance.

The 21 to 30-Day Habit Formation Window:

Studies suggest that creating a new habit takes approximately 21 to 30 days. Focusing on one aspect at a time, such as overcoming a scarcity mindset related to time constraints, enables individuals to instill positive habits gradually. By consistently chipping away at negative thought patterns, the path to success becomes more apparent, as demonstrated by individuals who have successfully transitioned from scarcity to abundance thinking.

These three techniques, evaluating and adjusting how we are perceived in the world, identifying and dealing with money blocks, and creating new habits to replace limiting beliefs that do not support your best financial interests, you can change your financial journey from one drought with challenges to one of financial abundance.

References:

Winfrey, O. (2021). Biography.
Maltz, M. (1960). Psycho-Cybernetics. Prentice Hall.
Buffett, W. (2023). Biography

Changing Bad Habits into Good Ones

So, you’ve got some bad habits, who doesn’t? Sure, you could just quit cold turkey that works one out of ten times, or you could try changing bad habits into good ones which is much more effective and long-lasting.

Changing bad habits into good ones will help to keep you from backsliding into old behavior patterns which link you to those destructive activities that are not helping you to become the better person you want to be.

Old or bad habits can throw a wrench in your intention to step fully into your new and improved life and can keep you anchored in the old life of your past.

There are many methods of letting go of those activities and actions which connect you to the “old you” which can take a lot of research, delving into your past to find the root cause of what triggers the behavior, which is part of the deep inner work which you will probably want to do at some point.

Even so, if there is a habit you’d like to let go of in the meantime, you could just consider changing a bad habit into a good one.

Before you start changing your bad habit into a good one, review the habit you’d like to change out. Ask yourself why you want to stop doing this thing (whatever it is) and make a list of all the reasons you can come up with.

The more reasons you can come up with, about how this bad habit affects your life, and the lives of those around you, the better.

Now, you can’t just look at the downside, because you wouldn’t be doing this thing if you didn’t receive some benefit from it. So, next up, make a list of the why you like to participate in this habit. What do you get out of it?

Make a list of all the benefits you receive for yourself every time you do it.

Maybe it makes you feel better, or maybe you have just done it for so long its pure automatic response, with little benefit, but it would seem weird not to do it.

Here’s the tricky part but it’s also the most fun. Imagine yourself about to engage in your bad habit. What could you do instead in that moment? What, when you are triggered to do that thing, which you’d rather not do, could you do instead that would be far better for you and/or others?

Try not to limit yourself to just one thing, come up with as many as you can, then pick the best one.

Establish yourself as not having that old habit anymore by using your voice, first to yourself in the mirror, then out loud to others. Like, “I don’t smoke anymore.” This is the statement for the new you, “I don’t smoke.” (Replace “smoke” with whatever the bad habit is.)

Take time to see yourself in your mind’s eye as this new person who does this. See how it affects your life and those around you. Using your imagination, visualize all the positive benefits that come from your engaging in the new, good habit.

You don’t have to say what you’ve chosen to do instead of your old habit, show it by example. The next time you feel like participating in that old habit, do the new thing. Use the very same trigger to do something good for yourself or others.

Instead of doing whatever it is, give someone a compliment, eat a healthy snack, fix your hair, call a friend, do a good deed for someone else, look into a pocket mirror and tell yourself how much you love yourself, write something positive in your journal, grab the nearest book and randomly open it reading the first paragraph that piques your interest, make a paper airplane then write something encouraging on it and throw it out the window. Whatever it is, do that thing.

This is part of your new identity. Instead of doing that old thing, now you do this new thing that is more in-line with your goals and helping to make the world a better place.

As you get accustomed to doing better things by changing bad habits into good ones, you don’t have to do just the one replacement, you can just pick from a variety of good things to do instead.

There is no judgment here for you, and there must be none there for you. If you falter and fall back into your old habit do not beat yourself up. You are not a bad person, you are not broken, there is nothing wrong with you.

Love yourself.

Jot it down on your calendar. Tomorrow is another day. Make it through that day, no matter what. While changing bad habits into good ones can lead to lasting instantaneous change, sometimes it takes time. If so, there is nothing wrong with that.

If you’ve been jotting your progress on your calendar, you will notice the number of days of the new habit being exercised growing between the old one showing up. Before you know it, the old habit will be long gone. Just keep going and growing.

This is growth and change, and only you could have accomplished such a feat.

Overcoming Addictive Behaviors

As you grow and expand into a more evolved version of your formal self, there is a compulsion to separate the new you from the old you and the trappings which have enslaved you, because nothing satisfies more than overcoming addictive behaviors and being the master of your own life.

Now, compulsory thoughts, actions and habits are appearing to feel more like addictions than enjoyable activities or pastimes, and you’re intrigued with the idea of moving forward in search of freedom from anything that might enslave or imprison you.

There’s little else I love as much as seeing one of my clients and friends overcoming the rituals or habits that held them back from their enlightened independence, and to tell the truth, I am excited that you have decided to let go of a particular addiction that you have in mind, right now.

You’ve thought about it. You have it in mind. You may have even voiced your thoughts or concern about growing beyond this to your friends and family. That’s a good move, because it raises the accountability factor, putting a little added pressure to your commitment to successfully putting this habit or activity behind you. Hopefully, your family and friends will support you in this evolutionary process, and this can have an amazing impact on your success.

You may have to make adjustments to your lifestyle to avoid exposure to the triggers which initiate the addictive response. You are more likely to resist temptation by taking the precaution of eliminating the circumstances (persons, places, things) which creates the compulsory desire to engage in the thought pattern or activity you’d rather walk away from.

For instance, if you are more at risk for falling off the wagon by attending a party, don’t go to the party, at least at first. The same goes for any other setting or environment that might cause you to lose your resolve or falter.

If you are facing with a long-time addiction, one that have become more and more powerful over time and you are having difficulty with letting it go, it might be a good idea to enlist the aid of a coach or counselor to partner with for your progressive personal growth on this leg of your life’s journey. Seek out someone who has the skills and tools necessary to help you achieve your goals.

Depending on your condition, you may seek out a support group where others who are successfully in the process of overcoming similar challenges in their lives, or an intensive rehabilitation program might be considered to be appropriate. Regardless of the methodology, the goal is to put you in control of your body and brain’s will, not the other way around.

You would not engage in activities and behaviors which control us and could be harmful to yourself, or others, if you did not derive some benefit from it. In many cases, if you find yourself in a stressful situation, a particular activity may offer a sense of relief or more calm state by engaging in it.

Find new ways to put yourself in a peaceful state besides engaging in an addictive behavior. You may be surprised about how much more emotional control you can exercise by living a healthier lifestyle including positive activities, such as aerobic activities, walking, jogging, working out and yoga. Living a more active life and eating a healthier diet can give you the hormonal advantage to beat any addiction.

Adopting a positive attitude and approach to living will empower you with the courage to enable you to face and overcome any addictive behavior which might challenge you.

Remember, it’s all about control; your control over anything that controls you, which is not healthy or beneficial.

Once you have garnered control of yourself, and have control over the mechanisms that formerly controlled you, you can begin to let go of the control to continue an even greater expansion.

Congratulations to my friend, Tony, who has recently found freedom from his addictions. He, and others like him, are an inspiration to others facing what may appear to be insurmountable odds.

God bless you in your overcomings.