Key Takeaways
- A money mindset refers to an entrepreneur’s attitude towards their finances.
- In order to create a new money mindset, investors need to be ready to reevaluate their existing financial beliefs.
- Changing your money mindset is as simple as practicing a few money mindset exercises, like tracking your spending or creating a budget.
Real estate investors will face many factors outside of their control: real estate markets, tenants, even unexpected maintenance issues. However, there is one thing they will always control that can influence each situation they encounter: mindset.
The right money mindset can serve as a guiding light for real estate investors throughout each decision they make. Read the following tips to learn how to develop a positive money mindset, and how it can impact your career.
What Is A Money Mindset?
A money mindset refers to an individual’s attitude towards their finances. An entrepreneur’s money mindset will influence the way they evaluate potential investment opportunities and make financial decisions. It is not uncommon for those new to investing to underestimate the power of a positive mindset.
However, your mindset is going to be the driving force behind any business decision. If you are intimidated by making big financial decisions, a negative money mindset could be holding you back from a successful deal. As a real estate investor, it is crucial to never underestimate the importance of the right money mindset.
[ Thinking about investing in real estate? Register to attend a FREE online real estate class and learn how to get started investing in real estate. ]
Positive Vs Negative Money Mindset
The significance of a money mindset lies in whether or not it is positive or negative. When it comes to mindset, positivity is key. Negative emotions or fears could prevent even the best entrepreneurs from achieving their goals. There are a few characteristics of a negative money mindset to look out for, including procrastination, fear and feeling out of place. Each of these feelings can lead to inaction or intimidation throughout one’s career as a real estate investor.
On the other hand, a positive money mindset is often characterized by the opposite feelings. Those with a positive money mindset actively seek new opportunities, are flexible, and always maintain an optimistic attitude. By learning to roll with the punches, entrepreneurs with a positive money mindset learn to make the most of any situation. Another key indicator of a positive money mindset is a willingness to ask for help. Many entrepreneurs struggling with a negative money mindset fail to see value in mentorship or outreach. In many instances, a positive vs negative money mindset could mean the difference in being able to overcome obstacles and realize success.
How To Develop A Successful Money Mindset
Developing a successful money mindset is similar to building an entrepreneurial mindset. Investors simply need to take the time to evaluate their existing attitudes, and reframe them to think more positively. If you are interested in learning how to change your mindset about money, the following steps can help:
- Analyze your existing money mindset.
- Forgive yourself for past financial mistakes.
- Develop positive money management habits.
- Optimize your budget and never stop improving.
Define Your Money Mindset
The first step to developing a new money mindset is to evaluate your current thoughts on finances. Ask yourself the following questions to get a better understanding of your current mindset:
- How do you value money?
- What were you taught about money?
- Are you good at saving money?
- Do you have any debt? If you do, what efforts are you using to pay it off?
- What are your future financial goals?
- How would you spend one million dollars right now and why?
Think about how you value money. Do you associate it with a service, product or time? The way you value money can impact how you generate wealth throughout your career. While there is no wrong answer, how you value money could determine the status of your existing mindset. Similarly, it is important to ask where each of your opinions come from. Look at what you learned about finances (and from who), and pinpoint where your current beliefs and habits stem from.
After you have a firm grasp on the origins of your existing money mindset, look at your spending habits. Are you a spender, saver, or a balance of both? Examine your financial habits and determine how you think of your existing income. Additionally, evaluate the status of your existing debts. If you have any debt, whether it is a mortgage or student loan, look at the ways it influences your decision making.
When it comes to defining your money mindset, another important factor to look at includes your goals for the future. Ask yourself; What does financial freedom mean to you? What goals are you trying to achieve through real estate investing? It is important to set up a clear framework for your financial future, as it can help guide you throughout your career. A bonus question to ask yourself is what you would do with $1 million, right now. Your answer will reveal more than you think about your existing money mindset.
Forgive Your Financial Mistakes
One of the most important things to remember when crafting a positive money-making mindset is that the past is the past. You cannot go back in time and change financial decisions you have made. Instead, you can make more educated decisions moving forward with the confidence that you do not repeat your mistakes.
Many aspiring entrepreneurs feel discouraged by low credit scores or a lot of debt. While these can be important financial factors, dwelling on your past decisions will not change anything. Instead, look at resources for overcoming your past decisions, like these tips for raising your credit score. Make an effort to forgive your past financial errors and direct your focus on improvement moving forward.
Create (And Maintain) Good Financial Habits
As you continue to define your money mindset, it is important to create positive spending and saving habits to ensure you reach your financial goals. Try and track your spending for a week (or a whole month) to get a good idea of your existing financial habits. Then, sit down and analyze the ways your habits could be improved upon. Look at where you spend the most money, how quickly you use your income, and how much you are investing and saving per month. Make note of any worrisome areas, and look for ways to revamp your habits. Check out our seven-day guide to creating positive financial habits for some tips that can help.
When it comes to maintaining your newfound financial habits, patience is key. You can’t reverse your spending overnight. What you can do is hold yourself accountable, and remember not to be hard on yourself for occasionally falling off the wagon. A great way to do this is by creating a budget. The right budget will help serve as an outline for your finances and can help you improve over a given period of time. By holding yourself accountable and creating a budget you can help ensure you maintain any positive financial habits.
Optimize Your Budget
It is crucial for entrepreneurs to never stop learning, and the same can be said about crafting a positive money mindset. As you create positive financial habits, continue to look for ways to optimize your spending. Evaluate your budget month to month, and make sure your outline remains relevant. Be critical of yourself and and search for areas where you could improve. Optimize your budget gradually, and ensure you stay on track maintaining a positive money mindset.
As you optimize your budget, it is also critical to remember not to compare yourself to others. It’s easy to fall into a negative money mindset if you try to emulate the success of others. Instead, when you look for ways to improve your finances, focus on finding resources, outlets and people who will be willing to help. Find a budget that works for you, and don’t be afraid to change things as you go along.
Summary
How you think about money will influence every aspect of your life, from your personal budget to your career decisions. That’s why it is crucial to identify the status of your existing money mindset. Through careful evaluation, investors can take control of their finances and develop a mindset that allows them to make positive business choices throughout their careers. Try following the steps outlined above and create a positive money mindset today.
Which step did you find most challenging? Share your journey in the comments below:
