In Life and in Business, You Get Out What You Put In

As I’ve been putting together my upcoming group about money and money mindsets (stay tuned for more news about this!), one of the thoughts that keeps occurring to me is that, especially in business, you get out of something what you put into it.

This isn’t just true when dealing with matters of money, of course, but also when we talk about our businesses, relationships and even our hobbies.

This idea should feel empowering! It means that if we really care about something, we have the power to put our all into bringing it to life and making it great.

Of course, this can feel scary too, because it means admitting that we really want something and that we’re not satisfied with how things are.

Also, it requires us to accept that things might not work out exactly how we hope they will. Simply putting more into a relationship doesn’t mean that there will be a happily ever after.

Tweet: If we really care about something, we have the power to put our all into bringing it to life and making it great.

What Does it Mean to Put in ‘More’?

Sometimes, “more” can mean more time or more attention. Sometimes it’s more money or more energy. Ultimately, all of this is about commitment. We don’t put energy or time or money into things we’re not committed to.

If you have a car that cost you $20,000 and a car that cost you $2,000, you’re probably going to take better care of the more expensive one, right?

The Emotional Challenge of Financial Investment

Sometimes, we see something we want and then we see the price tag and feel immediately challenged by what it’s going to cost.

We immediately think, “I don’t have the money for this.” More often than not, what we’re really feeling is a fear of commitment.

If you make the financial commitment to sign up for a business program, it likely means you’re making a commitment to really looking at your business, going into the dark corners and taking responsibility for everything.

It means doing things that aren’t comfortable. Like saying ‘no’ to people or maybe even firing someone.

When my clients are having a difficult time committing financially, I’ll often ask the following: if the price tag was attached to a medical procedure for someone you love, a procedure that could transform their lives, how would you react?

The easiest way to justify avoiding the hard work and feeling the discomfort that comes with it is to say, “I can’t afford to do this right now.”

Lean Into the Fear

Often, clients are either scared of what they’ll get out of this kind of process and/or they’re scared of what they’ll become because of it.

They think, “I don’t know if I’ll recognize myself at the end and I won’t know how to handle that.”

This is entirely about the future.

This kind of fear comes from looking down the road and thinking I don’t know if I can be that person I’ll need to be down there so I’d better stay here.  They’re forgetting that the steps between here and there will have them become the person down there.

It’s like standing on the ground looking at the second floor thinking, “I could never get there!” without considering that there’s a staircase right in front of you.

The second floor might look scary when you’re standing at the bottom of the staircase but you have to remember that each step puts you within reach of the next one.

Do you trust yourself enough to keep walking, to take the next steps?