Written by: Maria Gavriel, Guest Writer
The first lesson was that regardless of what information or tool I learned if I didn’t have the right mindset around success, I couldn’t really implement nor make the information useful.
I knew odds were against me as a new business owner and did not want to be another statistic and be one of the 80% of businesses that fail.
After many challenges and way too much frustration, I eventually hired a coach, joined a mastermind with an incredible group of people that were up to big things, and surrounded myself with the systems, environment and inner work that would help me bring my passion to life and also make it successful.
I reached 6 figures in less than a year, and it’s been an extraordinary ride that I am grateful for every single morning of my life.
I can go into practical ways to double your income and grow your business all day long, but the truth is that the real gold starts with the inner game first. All the tips, strategies and systems are simply put on the wayside because our psychology and unconscious limiting beliefs begin to get in the way of our own success.
And so, starting with mastering your mentality first, will actually create the kind of financial freedom and time abundance that will lead you to enjoy the fruits of your labor.
I had to learn these on my own when I first started my coaching business, but all the breakdowns (and being solution oriented), led me to many breakthroughs that I get to pay forward to my clients today.
And thanks to all the years of coaching sessions, and to the thousands of women that I’ve been honored to share my courses and information with… our combined journeys have helped me discover these 5 powerful money mindset tips to scaling a successful, heart-driven business.
Starting with…
Life Values
Purpose
Time Freedom
Limiting Beliefs
Inner Game
It all begins with your Life Values. It is truly the most important first step to starting and scaling a successful business simply because it is what keeps you on track and aligned every step of the way.
Without knowing what your values are, or living a value-based life, chances are you will begin neglecting what matters most to you simply because you’ve got a lot going on in life and when you’re ready to grow your business.
I can’t even begin to tell you how often an entrepreneur, CEO or business owner comes to our very first call feeling like their business is no longer in line with their life’s values. They’re no longer living the lifestyle they were hoping their business would create (usually they’re working long hours, weekends, and even sneaking away for a call and work during their family vacation – I know I did that). Some feel guilty for missing out on a family event, or a game, or a play, or they are simply exhausted.
Somewhere along the way, their business is no longer creating a life they love, and instead, it’s taken control of their life and schedule which leads to no longer feeling as excited as when the business first began.
A few great questions to always ask are:
“If I can do anything I want today, what would it be?”
“What’s most important in my life right now?”
If your business is in line with your life values, then you’re on the right path to it being fulfilling and something you look forward to every day. And if you’re waking up to an upbeat and excited mindset for work, your chances of bringing your best and being successful dramatically increase for you.
Values are not goals and they are not your purpose. They are the base in which we run our lives, however.
Something that can often get confused with having an aligned business… is having a purposeful one.
Have you ever met someone who seems to have a business that is doing well, and may even be supporting their family values, health values, lifestyle, and yet doesn’t seem fulfilled? Or they feel like they’re not being of service or they say they have a need to do more in their community?
That is usually a sign that they haven’t connected with their purpose. Now I’m not saying that every company or business has to be purposeful.
What I am saying is that most driven people that have a business, at some point connect with a deeper sense for meaning, impact and service. And from what I have seen, if there is a lack of purpose in someone’s life, that will eventually impact their business – they will either leave it to do something meaningful, or perhaps start to feel less motivated, or maybe even resentful.
I’ve even had clients wonder at some point if they are doing what they are meant to do, and willing to drop a business that they’ve invested years and lots of time and money in just to feel that deeper sense of purpose and make an impact. That can be devastating to a business and the business owner.
Instead, I’ve found that discovering your purpose and integrating it into your life and/or business is way more sustainable and creates a passionate drive to succeed like nothing else.
Like my client Megan, who began donating a percentage to a female charity that pulled on her heart…or like Felicia, that partnered up with an organization to build water wells throughout the world.
Another client of mine, found her purpose to help moms organize their homes and live in an optimal environment for their mental health and physical well being.
The truth is that you can always generate more money but you cannot generate more time. And if you have generated financial abundance, then it’s time to enjoy it, and create memories with those you love!
The options are actually endless once you’ve discovered your purpose (and I personally believe that we have more than one as we continue to grow).
Honoring that purpose will generate the kind of fuel and success in your business in ways you’ve never imagined.
I’ve had people tell me that they wake up every day on fire to help and serve and their Why for success is even bigger than their business or product.
It’s an exhilarating way to work.
Once you’ve got those 2 lined up, it’s super important to make sure you do not get depleted. Most people that are driven business owners, hardly ever think about is creating time freedom.
Time scarcity, depletion, burn-out and overwhelm have become the biggest problem by far. No matter how much your heart guides you and your passion may drive you, success is proven to often lead to exhaustion (followed by guilt, resentment and health issues).
And functioning in that state, eventually impacts productivity, relationships and businesses.
Last year, in the US alone, millions of women left their careers and their businesses due to burn-out according to the Dept. of Labor & Statistics.
And in the last few years, over 1,000 studies have been conducted that have proven how stress, burn out and exhaustion leads to chronic illness and death.
It’s literally killing people.
That is a real problem that knocks on everyone’s door and if they’re not prepared, the consequences can be painful in more ways than one.
If I had a dime for every client that came to our first call in tears because they love what they do so much, and yet they feel like it’s time to throw in the towel and let it go because of their health, or their family suffering from them being too busy – and it is heartbreaking.
What I’ve seen and experienced over and over again is that time abundance is a mindset and a skill set that is absolutely necessary for every business (and in everyone’s life). Success comes with many sacrifices if you don’t know how to create time freedom.
And when we feel like we have to choose between our business and our loved ones…our loved ones will come first (and if they don’t, it will come with a very painful cost).
This is an area that has brought so much suffering that many never spoke about or were taken seriously.
I believe there is an awareness now that’s helping us realize that nothing in the world is worth the sacrifice of our health, our emotional and mental well-being and even missing out on enjoying ilfe with our loved ones.
After all, one of the main reasons for success is to experience life and to enjoy it on our terms – and if we are caught up with all the moving parts of a business, then we are missing the mark.
So imagine what life would be like if you have automated or outsourced a lot of the “to-do”s that you don’t really need to be doing?
Or how would it feel to have an amazing team grow your business for you, while you focus on your zone of genius; or doing what you love to do most?
What is one thing you can give away and have someone else do (perhaps they can even do it better than you? Like social media, accounting, invoicing, etc).
Moving on from there, another big player in money mindset is our Limiting Beliefs or belief system. Do you believe you can generate the wealth you’re envisioning?
Are you putting out thoughts that support your wealth goals or are you shooting it down with a conscious or unconscious belief?
Limiting beliefs often shared during a Clarity Call with a client may run so deep that they go unnoticed. For example, Jessica was both relieved and frustrated when she realized that she was sabotaging her own success because she was worried that it would cost her, her freedom. She felt that she would get so busy that she would repeat history by burning out, and so she was playing small with her business.
The reason why she was relieved when we uncovered this was because she can finally do the work to heal what was standing in the way of her success.
Working on yourself will help you attract what you're putting out – without shooting it down by an unconscious program.
Most of our belief systems run unconsciously and bringing them up to the surface, and into our conscious awareness is the first step to overcoming them.
It’s important to clear up any scarcity thoughts and make smart financial moves in order to scale up. If you don’t know what that is, ask..get help or invest with someone that has done well.
Even more, beneficially may be to do the deeper work to clear them from standing in the way of your success.
Which leads us to our final mindset tool…Inner Game.
Once we are aware of what’s slowing us down or standing in the way of business growth, we know exactly where our work lies.
And doing the inner work, is where we can finally move freely toward our goals. Utilizing tools like NLP, Coaching, and various modalities are a sure path to a successful, heart-centered, purposeful business that actually gives you the time freedom to enjoy life and work on your terms.
At the end of the day, this is a mindset article which is truly the best way to begin generating the kind of wealth that is sustainable, and heart-driven. The kind of financial freedom that will not burn you out, or cost you what matters most to you.
And do it in a more effortless way instead of constantly feeling like your “chasing” your goals…and having an endless “to-do” list around all that is needed when it comes to being successful.
If you could integrate any one of these 5 mindsets, you are already on your way to shifting your money mindset and becoming more savvy, stronger, resilient and abundant around money (even when times become uncertain or unpredictable in the economy and in your personal life).
I always say that at the end of the day if you can start your day feeling fulfilled and go to bed at peace and happy, then whatever you’re doing, it is worth it.
If you’re ending or starting your day feeling depleted, stressed, overworked, and your income hasn’t grown consistently, then life will eventually feel like an unpredictable storm you’re constantly trying to navigate.
Your stability and experience of life depend on what you do and don’t do around money (and time).
I will leave you with the invitation to be grateful for everything that comes through for you as you embark on the path to your success.
It will all fit perfectly (whether it is painful, awesome, boring and everything in between). It will serve you, and it will serve the people in your life.
You’ve taken an amazing step towards your success, and perhaps even something you love. And I believe it’s for a reason way bigger than you.
Keep going, receive all the lessons along the way, get support, learn, grow and pay it forward in the best way you can.
Take one small step today towards your success and money mindset, and remember to also be grateful. You never know who you may inspire, and what kind of a difference you can make by doing what you do, living purposefully and successfully. For more info follow me on LinkedIn and visit my website!
Maria Gavriel, Brainz Magazine Guest Writer
Maria Gavriel is a Business & Life Strategist, TEDx Speaker, Award-Winning Author, 2-time Entrepreneur, NLP Practitioner, and the voice behind www.MariaGavriel.com.
She has been empowering purpose-driven women to create fulfilling, prosperous, passionate lives doing what they love…and has been featured on TEDx, FOX, CBS, NBC, NPR, Arianna Huffington's Thrive, YahooNews!, Magazines, as well as Global Leadership Conferences and Women’s Summits sharing how to achieve your ultimate vision, and create massive success without it costing what matters most in life.
Maria enjoys helping women break down the barriers that have restricted their ability to create the conditions for their best and highest self to emerge, and experience the life they were meant for.
She infuses business with internal work so that women can live their best life both at home & in business. After launching multiple businesses, she’s taught her business blueprint to effectively create sustainable heart-driven prosperity, watching her clients grow their dream to 6 figures in just one year.
For more info and supportive tools, you’ll find her at www.MariaGavriel.com and you can follow for daily stories and lifestyle tips on LInkedIn.
