A money ceiling is the top dollar amount that you think you/your product/your service is worth. If you get paid by the hour, is that number $20, $100, $10,000? If you charge a mark-up on raw materials or labor, is it 10%, 100%, 300%?

Whatever your beliefs about money are, I am certain of this: How you view money will determine your level of sales/business success. If you are feeling like your efforts are undervalued, or worse, you’re not making enough to sustain you/your family/your business, then it’s time to think differently about money so you can make what you need and want for yourself and those that you support.

The problem with money

Everyone likes having money because it is a vehicle to acquire things. We also need money to survive. The problem is that as we grew up, we were exposed to mixed messages about money, and the people and companies that have a lot of it. Do any of these statements sound familiar?

• Rich people are stingy penny-pinchers.
• Money is evil.
• Poverty is next to Godliness.
• He got rich off the backs of others.
• She inherited her money (and doesn’t deserve it because she didn’t earn it).
• Rich people are stuck up.
• Businesses make a profit at the expense of others (employees, customers).
• Corporations use tax loopholes to get away with paying less than their due.
• Filthy rich.

To sum up the underlying prejudice: Money is dirty. Wanting and having it makes us dirty by association. Therefore, we behave in ways that we hope will keep us from being mistaken for one of “those people”.

Let’s set the money-story straight

Money, itself, isn’t good or evil. In the Bible, Jesus speaks against the “love of money,” not money itself. The story about the rich young ruler (Matthew 19:16-23) was not a parable designed to tell everyone they had to give away all their possessions. It was, rather, about Jesus asking the young man to check his heart-attitude toward his wealth.  Ask yourself, do you serve money or does it serve you? Do you control your money, or does it control you? Do you allow money to sway your ethics or do you set boundaries around money that you will not cross?

Money is a means to an end and that end can be extraordinarily good. It makes it possible for us to provide for the people and charities we want to support. It not only buys necessities like food and shelter, it also buys education, entertainment, healthcare and various forms of life-enrichment. It helps those in need. It builds businesses that employ many so they can provide for people they care about. It changes infrastructure, it transforms circumstance, it invests in the future, it can change someone’s destiny. Money paves the way to do immeasurable good. Let’s tap into the good that money can do!

How you view money will determine your level of sales/business success.

Money-attitude traps to avoid

There are some common ways that negative scripting around money can hold us back from our full earning potential. These scripts are particularly damaging to those who make their living at sales.

You need to change your thinking if…

• You shy away from charging a fair profit because you don’t want it to look like you’re taking advantage of people. Instead, remind yourself (and when appropriate tell your prospects) you must charge a fair profit otherwise you won’t stay in business to help the people you’re serving now.
• You lower your price when someone asks you to “sharpen your pencil” because you’re afraid you’ll lose the sale if you don’t. Instead, explain that your price is already fair and you understand if they want to try to get a lower price somewhere else.
• You vary discount amounts based on your own assumptions of the prospect. Instead, explain that you don’t offer discounts because it is important to you that everyone pays the same price for the same goods.
• You push hard for a sale that isn’t in the best interest of the prospect because you really need the money. Instead, remind yourself that short-term gain often backfires in “buyer’s remorse” so best not to push. Rather look for an alternative that will be a win-win for both parties.
• You feel like you have to apologize to people for (or hide) the nice house/car/electronics you just bought. Instead, you celebrate your accomplishments with those you love and trust, those who encourage you to continue to grow and succeed.

The rest of the money-story

Changing our perception of money – raising our money ceiling – can open the door to higher earnings, new job opportunities, and greater business success immediately and going forward. It takes a willingness to examine how we think about money, evaluate the results we’re getting today, set new goals, and make changes that will allow us to receive the results that we desire. The change-journey is always easier with the help of like-minded individuals, so find a friend or hire a business coach to walk this new road with you.