In this week’s blog, Financial Planner Amy Irvine, CFP®, MPAS®, EA, CCFC® explores a topic that many suffer with - using our peripheral vision to achieve our financial and wealth strategy goals. What are the barriers that many of us create? Are they real or perceived?
By: Amy Irvine, CFP®, MPAS®, EA, CCFC®
The other morning I was standing at the kitchen sink and I noticed two mosquitoes trapped between the screen and the window. I slowly cranked open the awning type window to help them escape. I was intrigued as I watched them. At first they both continued to try to exit “through” the glass, but then one of them realized the opening at the bottom, flew out and landed on the opposite side of the glass. The other one continued to struggle, banging repeatedly into the glass.
In my little mind, I could envision the one that escaped saying, “stop, look down.” I stood there for probably 2 - 3 minutes longer watching this activity, thinking, go get your friend, show her the secret. Coach her!
Isn’t it funny that no matter the species, we all have our panic defaults. We all sometimes forget to use our peripheral vision to look at the situation differently. We forget to step back and see what’s around us, what other solutions might exist? Have you ever found yourself trying to go “through the glass” time after time and ended up with the feeling of enormous stress? Feeling defeated because you couldn’t achieve what you could see others doing, but just couldn’t figure out how they did it?
I’ve been there too. It’s frustrating to say the least. Sometimes it about money, career, professional or personal relationships, kids, parents, or even health.
I often see this when we start working with a new client too. Let’s face it, people don’t wake up one day and say, “I think I should work with a financial planner.” Something is usually frustrating them and they’ve gotten to the point where they are on the inside of the glass and they see what everyone on “the other side” is doing, and just need someone to be that guide and show them what in their peripheral vision. I’ve found that they often need to change their mindset.
That is why I was thrilled when I was recently introduced to Holly Segur, who is going to be on the Wine and Dime podcast in two weeks; she is a mindset mentor. What does that mean? Holly focuses on three different mindsets, Money, Career and Personal. Of course when I heard money mindset, I just had to explore!
I was thrilled when I heard the questions she was asking people to think about. The idea of removing the barriers you’ve self-imposed and instead of continuing to go through the glass, go around it, or underneath it. Many of the questions are very similar to the same questions we ask clients when we first get to know them - what are your doubts, fears, barriers? Notice that these are all potential windows that we can’t seem to get through?
As a starting point to growing your wealth, take a deep breath, sit back for a few minutes and explore these three questions in a journey to discovering your money mindset:
If money wasn’t a barrier, what you you change in your life?
What is the barrier?
Is that barrier real or do you just need someone to show you the peripheral views?