The “I” Word

Written by Barbara Huson

One thing I know for sure—Your financial foundation is only as strong as your personal integrity.

The word integrity comes from a Latin root, meaning wholeness or entirety. Integrity demands your words and deeds consistently reflect your deepest truths.

Or, as A Course in Miracles puts it, “There is nothing you say that contradicts what you think or do.”

Whenever you’re settling for less than you truly desire, working at a job you hate, making excuses, rationalizing, spending money you don’t have, not honoring your most cherished values and authentic truths, you’re out of integrity, giving away your power and sabotaging your success.

The Secret to $uccess No One Ever Talks About

Written by Barbara Huson

I was mystified. It was 1994. I’d begun researching my first book, Prince Charming Isn’t Coming, by interviewing women who worked in the financial industry—investment advisors, mortgage brokers, bankers, etc.

After all, I assumed, financial professionals were the perfect candidates to illustrate the book’s theme: how women went from being ignorant to smart about money.

Believe me, I never expected how many would tell me: “I do this for a living, but my own finances are a mess!”

How could that be?? Decades later I discovered the reason. In a word, Self-Efficacy, or rather the lack of it.

Self-efficacy—a psychological concept developed by the Stanford psychologist Albert Bandura—is the belief that I can do whatever I decide to do, trusting I’ll succeed no matter what.

It’s the difference between knowing what to do and actually doing it, between being highly competent and feeling truly confident.

How the Spiritual Factors into Financial Success

Written by Barbara Huson

Let’s talk about the Higher Work of Wealth—something I believe is missing when we talk about financial success.

The financial media focuses almost exclusively on the Outer Work of Wealth—learning the practical facts, like understanding the difference between a stock and a bond or how to diversify your retirement account.

Granted, we’re seeing more articles, even books exploring the Inner Work of Wealth—overcoming internal blocks, negative attitudes and limiting beliefs we have about Wealth.

But discussions of the Higher Work of Wealth are rare. Though it’s certainly a hot topic in my online community, The Wealth Connection. I believe for most women, the real motivation to create wealth–what keeps us going when resistance rears its ugly head—is not amassing more money.

Are You Playing Full Out?

Written by Barbara Huson

In work, as in life, there are only 2 games you can play.

I call the first game the Underearners Game or Not to Lose Game. The second game is the High Earners Game or To Win Game.

Underearners play the Not to Lose Game, which means focusing on playing it safe, looking good and staying comfortable, avoiding anything that could possibly be scary, awkward, embarrassing or (gasp!) lead to failure.

High Earners play the To Win Game by going as far as they can with all that they’ve got. And when they fall, they get back up and keep going. Which means, despite their fear, they keep playing full out.

Which one are you playing? (Be honest, now!)

5 Tips for Increasing Your Net-Worth

Written by Barbara Huson

Want to make more money? Well, I’ve got the secret. And I’ll bet it’s not what you think.

It sure wasn’t what I expected when I interviewed hundreds of high earners for my books; Secrets of Six-Figure Women and Overcoming Underearning®.

Very few of these highly successful women were driven by money, yet they still demanded to be well compensated because – and here’s the Big Secret – they felt they were worth it.

The good news is that it’s possible for all of us to build up our self worth. Here are some tips for pumping up your self-esteem along with your net worth:

How Does One Become Wealthy? — Part 3

Written by Barbara Huson

According to success guru, Jack Canfield, “Everything you want also wants you. But you have to take action to get it.”

I thought of that quote when a woman, in one of my groups, recently posted: “Even though I say I want to create wealth, I keep signing up for more courses that kept putting me deeper in debt.”

I hear this all the time. Taking endless classes feels like you’re taking action, but it’s actually an act of self-deception. So, I responded with a question: Why don’t you want wealth?

How Does One Become Wealthy? — Part 2

Written by Barbara Huson

Here’s the good news about creating wealth. Believing that you can do it, or not, is inconsequential. You just have to decide that’s what you want and be willing to do whatever comes next.

Powerful intentions produce sheer miracles. There’s a sort of magic inherent in a strong intention that will carry you through the toughest and scariest of times.

Here’s a 2-part exercise for creating a powerful intention.

National Women’s (semi)Equality Day

Written by Barbara Huson

Monday, August 26th we celebrated National Women’s Equality Day recognizing the passage of the 19th amendment in 1920 which gave women the right to vote.

Honestly, I know I should be celebrating this victory. But I’m having a hard time getting in the mood.

Hey, don’t get me wrong. I’m beyond grateful to those gutsy, courageous suffragettes.

But recently I listened to a Ted Talk by one of my favorite actresses, read a WSJ profile of an acclaimed microbiologist and coached a high-level executive…all of whom wearily spoke of their struggles with sexism.

Clearly full equality is far from won. The Equal Rights Amendment, proposed in 1923, has yet to be ratified. Face it, we can’t rely on the government to level the playing field for us.

If we want a seat at the table, it’s our job to take it. We can start by becoming the change we want to see in the world.

Call it a grassroots effort, a personal challenge. What if we each celebrate National Women’s Equality Day by taking on this challenge with the same ferocity and fortitude demonstrated by the suffragettes?

How? Here are a few simple suggestions. And, while they may be simple, they take tremendous courage and commitment.

Notice every time you devalue yourself or dismiss your strengths and STOP, immediately shifting your focus to the unique and valuable the gifts you have to offer.
Notice where you give your power away and strive to take it back by speaking up—asking for what you want, saying ‘no’ to what you don’t—in your home, your community, your workplace.
Notice when you feel scared, isolated or helpless and make yourself reach out for support, then offer to help and encourage others in this endeavor.

I truly believe, when enough women see themselves as worthy, capable, powerful individuals, there will be a notable transformation in the national landscape.

Perhaps then we’ll be celebrating National Equality Day for All.

Will you join me? Leave me a comment below.

Why Are We So Afraid of Power?

Written by Barbara Huson

What scares us most about financial success is not that we may fall short, but that we may actually take flight.

I see it in so many women. I saw it myself. We’re terrified to discover that we might be ‘powerful beyond measure.’ And for good reason.

When we claim our power, we raise the stakes. Power insists we become responsible adults, the primary authority in our life…autonomous, accountable, and as singer/songwriter Helen Reddy crooned, “too big to ignore.”

Leap Before You Look: The Secret to Playing Bigger

Written by Barbara Huson

You’re eager to play a bigger game. You’re smart, ambitious, with a solid plan in place. But, damn it, you can’t seem to make any headway.

Want to know what’s holding you back? Those devilish how-to’s, the belief that you must have it all figured out before you even begin.

Plotting every step in advance may feel safe, even smart. But it’ll blind you to all the unexpected opportunities that will inevitably appear.

I was stuck in this mindset most of my life…until I interviewed six-figure women.

Their stellar success followed a three-step strategy:

Set a goal.
Commit to reach it, without having a full-blown plan in place.
Pursue any coincidences that fall in your lap.

Step 2 is the game changer. Commitment acts like a magnet, attracting opportunities that often come disguised as coincidences. If you’re not seeing coincidences, it’s likely a sign that you’re not totally committed.

Success

The “I” Word

The Secret to $uccess No One Ever Talks About

How the Spiritual Factors into Financial Success

Are You Playing Full Out?

5 Tips for Increasing Your Net-Worth

How Does One Become Wealthy? — Part 3

How Does One Become Wealthy? — Part 2

National Women’s (semi)Equality Day

Why Are We So Afraid of Power?

Leap Before You Look: The Secret to Playing Bigger

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