Money – is it a positive or a negative?

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Money – is it a positive or a negative?

How does money influence you?

When does money go from being a positive, to a negative force in our lives?

When it becomes an obsession, and it's one of the last things you think about before going to sleep, and the first thing you think of when you wake up.
If you judge the integrity and calibre of the people you meet by their bank account, their clothes, or the car they drive.
If you judge your self-worth by your bank account, your clothes, or the car you drive.
If your sense of self is seriously compromised when we either make a lot more money, or lose a lot of money.
If you are more concerned with money than you are with your health, your relationships, your engagement in new projects, or your enjoyment of a nice night out.
When it negatively impacts your most meaningful relationships.
When money becomes more important than principles.

I'm not for one minute suggesting that there is any problem with being seriously financially wealthy, if that's your goal.

However, I am saying that our views about money can sometimes get out of kilter and damage our emotional well-being and our relationships.

So... how do your views about money affect you?

About Louise Bedford Louise Bedford is a full-time private trader and author of several best-selling books. To pick up her ‘Trading Made Simple’ 5-part e-course, register on her website and she’ll send it to you straight away -
Visit https://tradinggame.com.au/

2 comments

scott 2015-01-25 19:07:42

So Louise, what advice can you offer if money has become a negative force in my life, as I can definitely relate to several bullet points in your article? I feel that my property investing has reached a reasonably successful point, but money has very ...Read full version

1 reply

Would you like to share your thoughts?

scott January 25, 2015

1 reply Reply

Louise January 26, 2015

Hi Scott,

You’ve made a powerful first step here – realising you’ve got some areas here that you’d like to improve shows that you’re ripe for change.

I would start by writing down your thoughts about how this has impacted your life. Don’t censor. Just write for half an hour continuously at least, and detail every thought you have about this. You might be surprised what might come out when you do this.
There is nothing wrong with being successful. What I’m advocating here is to be comfortable with having money and focusing on it being a tool for enriching your life and the lives of those around you for whom you care.

Considering that it is just a tool with which you can shape your life is probably one way of distancing your personal self away from money.

Also, as a thought experiment, try to imagine losing all your money and how you would make it back again. Being comfortable, at least in your mind, that you are not ‘attached’ to what you have now should allow you to live a life where you can focus on the important things (usually the stuff to do with people) and less on the material things.

Every month I produce a free newsletter on topics like this. You’re welcome to register for a copy by filling in your details at http://www.tradinggame.com.au.

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Money – is it a positive or a negative?

Would you like to share your thoughts?

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