Investing vs Gambling…Is there a difference?

Written by Barbara Huson

Not long ago, a woman in one of my groups proudly announced that she‘d maxed out her 401(k) and had been buying stocks outside her retirement plan based on a friend’s advice.

She had a right to be proud. But when I asked if she was following a plan, she looked puzzled.

“How do you know whether or not your portfolio is properly diversified?” I asked her. “Or if you’re taking too much or too little risk?”

I spoke from experience. For years, I bought individual stocks and mutual funds, based on other’s suggestions. I had no plan.

Then, I hired financial advisor Eileen Michaels. Initially, I wanted her to manage my individual stock portfolio. She wouldn’t have it.

“You can’t invest like that, without a strategic plan,” she told me. “Keeping your investments fragmented is how you’re keeping yourself small.” She had me at ‘small.’

Planning, I learned, is what separates investing from gambling.

Picking stocks willy-nilly, trying to time the market or deferring investment decisions to another and turning your back…that’s gambling.

It’s risky in the worst possible sense.

Investing, on the other hand, is a means to an end. The whole point of investing is to ensure you achieve your goals and protect your future.

I highly recommend hiring a fee only financial planner. Unsure where to find one? I suggest Garrett Financial Planning https://garrettplanningnetwork.com, a world-wide network dedicated to offering professional planning at affordable prices.

Are you gambling with your future or investing in it? Let me know below.

Would you like to try out coaching with me? Join The Wealth Connection for six-months—Only $297 and get a 30- minute private coaching session with me! (The coaching alone is a $300 value.) Or take advantage of the twice monthly group coaching—only $47/month. JOIN TODAY!

Financial Success: A Parable

Written by Barbara Huson

There is an old fable about a wise King who pushed a big boulder into the middle of the busiest road in his kingdom. Everyone who walked by simply went around it. No one attempted to move it.

Then came a poor peasant, carrying a load of vegetables. He put down his load, walked over to the boulder and tried to push it aside. It wouldn’t budge. He strained and struggled until finally it moved. Slowly he pushed it to the side.

On the road where the boulder had been, he noticed a purse. He opened it up and saw it was filled with gold. There was a note tied to the purse: this is the reward to anyone who moves the boulder.

Moral: Every obstacle is an opportunity in disguise. The bigger the obstacle the greater the reward.

Here’s my question to you: What’s the boulder in your path? Share in the comments below.

Finding Pleasure in the Writing Process

Written by Barbara Huson

I remember sitting down to write my first book. I was so excited. Until I read what I wrote. It was awful. I tore up the pages in utter defeat.

This went on for months. I’d write. Read the draft. Rip it up in disgust. Walk away in despair. Eventually the book got written but oh, did I suffer. It was the same with each of my next 6 books.

Now, working on my 8th book, I swore I’d do it differently. And I did. Here’s how I made the process actually pleasurable.

1. Don’t wait until you’re inspired. William Faulkner said, “I only write when I am inspired. Fortunately, I am inspired at 9 o’clock every morning.” I’ve blocked time on my calendar for writing. And I’m at my computer, inspired or not. Of course, deadlines work wonders!

2. Kick perfectionism out the door. My new approach: Write shit, then clean it up. Awful first drafts don’t mean I’m an awful writer. It means I have to become a really good rewriter. As prolific writer, Nora Roberts says, “I can fix a bad page. I can’t fix a blank page.”

3. Hold tight to a grander vision. I’m approaching this book as if I’m supposed to write it and there’s one person out there who really needs to hear what only I can say. When my ego insists I’m a fraud and everyone’s about to find out, I just say “Thank you for sharing” and tune in to my Soul’s guidance

4. Make it a priority. Writing had to take precedence over the myriad of other items on my list. When the book became a priority, right up there with spending time with my kids, the momentum shifted and the writing took precedence. No struggle or effort necessary.

Is there something you know you should share with the world or, perhaps, that one person who desperately needs to read what you have to write? Tell me about it, here, then start writing!

Get the support you need to create the Wealth you desire in my virtual community of women supporting women, The Wealth Connection. Join the conversation today!

Leaving a Legacy

Written by Barbara Huson

Have you thought about the legacy you want to leave? Not just the business you want to build or the career you want to pursue. But how you want to be remembered after you’re gone?

Every one of us leaves a legacy—be it Greatness or Mediocrity. But surprisingly few reflect on what they want theirs to be. Yet it is an important point for us all to ponder.

Your legacy need not light up the sky. It need leave only the slightest footprint in the sand.

Whether you engage in small acts of kindness or a groundbreaking global initiative, the scope is irrelevant. All that matters is that you’ve touched another’s life.

Not clear about your legacy? Try this exercise. Close your eyes, take several deep breaths, and relax. Imagine that you are on your deathbed, at the end of a long and wonderful life.

As you lie there, ask yourself this question: What gives me the most satisfaction knowing this is what I’ll be remembered for?

Then ask yourself: What can I begin doing right now that will contribute to this legacy?

I’d love to hear the legacy you wish to leave and what you’re are doing about it. Leave a comment below.

How Does One Become Wealthy? Part 4

Written by Barbara Huson

I’d like to share a story that Sharon Salzberg, an author and meditation teacher, tells about a yoga retreat she attended.

“Every other student in our class,” she wrote, “was far more limber, easily flowing into pretzel-like poses. Almost worse, they all seemed to know the traditional Sanskrit name for each move.

One day as my teacher, John, was demonstrating a pose, he made an awkward-looking movement, then rebalanced. Coming out of it he asked, “What just happened?”

One by one, my classmates offered a Sanskrit name for that extra little twist.

Finally, John turned to me and repeated his question, “What just happened?”

I replied: “To be honest, I think you fell.”

“You’re right,” he said. “I fell. Then I started over. That’s good yoga.”

Those words, in a nutshell, sum up the “good yoga” of wealth creation.

“It’s about honoring your intention,” Sharon explained. ”If we fall, we don’t need self-recrimination or blame or anger—we need a reawakening of our intention and a willingness to recommit… once again.”

And that’s precisely how you will turn your intention into a reality. When you fall, go back to your intention, recommit, and take one tiny action step…again and again and again.

As Sharon points out, “Often we can achieve an even better result when we’re not afraid to appear less than perfectly polished. We learn and grow and are transformed not so much by what we do but by why and how we do it.”

I’d love to hear from you how the fear of not being perfect, or making a mistake, was getting in your way, but you overcame it. Share in the comments below.

Get the support you need to create the Wealth you desire in my virtual community of women supporting women, The Wealth Connection. Join the conversation today!

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.

1st Fill in the blank:

My intention is_________________.

You may have more than one, but for now, limit it to one. Be very specific. You can always add, change or modify later.

2nd Ask yourself this question:

Why do I want to create wealth? Why is it important to me? What will wealth allow me to do?

This is the Higher Work of Wealth. When you can tie creating wealth to your deepest desires, you’ll be far more likely to stay the course despite the obstacles. And there are always obstacles.

But if your desire is greater than your fear, success is inevitable.

Can you identify your deepest desires when it comes to creating wealth? Leave me a comment below.

Get the support you need to create the Wealth you desire in my virtual community of women supporting women, The Wealth Connection. Join the conversation today!

How Does One Become Wealthy? Part 1

Written by Barbara Huson

I’m often asked this question: I want to become wealthy, but how do I do it?

I am tempted to respond with a line from Hope for the Flowers by Trina Paulus:

“How does one become a butterfly?” she asked pensively.

“You must want to fly so much that you are willing to give up being a caterpillar.”

In other words, you must want to soar so much, that you’re willing to give up playing small and staying safe.

Because creating wealth is about far more than amassing riches. It’s about becoming the powerful woman you were born to be, soaring higher that you believed possible.

But you must want…really want…to soar. You may say “Oh Yes, I truly do,” but face it. Soaring is scary. If your fear is stronger than your longing, you won’t let yourself do it.

But if you’re willing to go for it, I go back to Hope for the Flowers.

“Yellow decided to risk for a butterfly.

For courage she hung right beside the other cocoons and began to spin her own.

‘Imagine, I didn’t even know I could do this. That’s some encouragement that I’m on the right track. If I have the stuff inside me to make a cocoon—maybe the stuff of butterflies is there too.”

Let me assure you, you have the power inside you to live an incredibly prosperous life. A good place to start is by finding others on the same path, learning from their examples, avoiding their mistakes. Before you know it, you’ll indeed realize that the stuff of wealth building is inside you too.

I’d love to invite you to join my online community, The Wealth Connection, where you can metaphorically, hang out with other “cocoons” as we transform into butterflies.

Do you really want to soar? What’s holding you back? Leave me a comment below.

Would you like to try out coaching with me? For a limited time join The Wealth Connection for six-months—Only $297 and get a 30- minute private coaching session with me! (The coaching alone is a $300 value.) JOIN TODAY!

What REALLY $cares Us About $uccess!

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 and discover that we are, indeed, “powerful beyond measure.” For many of us, that’s the very thing we’re trying to avoid.

When we claim our power, we raise the stakes. Power insists that we become responsible adults—the primary authority in our life— autonomous and accountable, too big to ignore. That’s precisely what’s so scary!

A woman afraid of her power is like an eagle afraid of its wings. We were born with power. It’s who we are, why we’re here, how we create our lives.

I am reminded of a story of a Zen monk who, when asked the secret of Buddha’s smile, replied, “It can only be that he smiles at himself for searching all those years for what he already possesses.”

We, too, may smile at ourselves when we finally figure it out. Financial success is really about reclaiming our power—power that lies dormant within—by realizing our potential, expressing our passion, owning our value, and being well compensated.

Have you conquered your fear of being a powerful woman? Share your story in the comments.

Looking for a supportive, active community where you can learn to take charge of your finances (and your life)? Check out my virtual community, The Wealth Connection. **Special Pricing Now Available—Only $47/month.** Learn More!

Does It Ever Get Easier?

Written by Barbara Huson

I’ve begun another journey. And I’m wondering: do the first steps ever get easier?

A few years ago, I birthed a new body of work: ReWIRE: Mind Training for Wealth + Well-Being, combining neuroscience with personal finance. Last week I finally finished the book proposal.

My agent is shopping it around. Even after writing 7 books, I have to say: beginnings are a bitch. Let me tell you why. Perhaps you can relate.

We rarely feel certain that we’re actually ready to begin. If anything, beginnings are a disturbing blend of excitement and fear, optimism and despair. (What if every publisher rejects me? What if I still need to learn more, be better prepared?)

And beginnings are scary. In order to start one thing, you have to let go of something else. For me, I’ve had to stop giving workshops and retreats in subjects I know and love to find the time for studying a brand new subject.

Beginnings are also frustrating. They are full of interruptions and false starts. I began working on my proposal last summer. But fear, resistance, and various distractions kept delaying my progress. I kept worrying I wasn’t doing it right, that I’d never finish.

Yet beginnings can’t be rushed. They must emerge. The key is to stay focused but surrender control, allowing one thing to lead to another. For example, I spent months trying to find just the right agent. I’d been spoiled by my old one—a razor sharp editor—who’d quit the biz. As I’m about to give up hope, I find out she’s back. And she whipped my proposal into shape, just as it needed.

Now I wait. Will my baby find a good home? Beginnings are mired in uncertainty. Then I read this on social media: “Be okay with not knowing for sure what might come next, but know that whatever it is, you’ll be ok.”

And I sigh with relief! It may never get easier. Yet I know, I’ll be fine, regardless of the results.

How do you handle the beginnings in your life? Join the conversation here.

It’s not too late to join me and an amazing group of women in the Spring 2019 session of my 5-month ReWIRE Mentorship Program. Click here to learn more!

No More Claw Marks

Written by Barbara Huson

There’s a story about an experienced mountain climber who trips, falls and is clinging to the side of a ledge.

“Help me, God,” she cries. Then she hears a voice:

“I’ll help you Sadie, but first must do one thing,”

“I’ll do anything,” she cries.

And the voice replies, “You gotta’ let go of the ledge.”

That’s what adversity continually calls us to do: Let go of what is holding us back. If you’re struggling with a seemingly insoluble problem, ask yourself, right now: What do I need to release? And see what comes up.

It may be something tangible, like a job, a relationship, a geographic location. Or it could be an attitude, belief or emotion, like anger, fear, or self-doubt.

I promise you one thing: it’ll probably be what you’re most afraid to give up.

Why is this important? Because letting go creates space for something new to enter.

What do you suspect you need to let go of? Share in the comments.

Wondering where to begin on Your Path to Prosperity? Take this short quiz to find out. Click here.

Success

Investing vs Gambling…Is there a difference?

Financial Success: A Parable

Finding Pleasure in the Writing Process

Leaving a Legacy

How Does One Become Wealthy? Part 4

How Does One Become Wealthy? Part 2

How Does One Become Wealthy? Part 1

What REALLY $cares Us About $uccess!

Does It Ever Get Easier?

No More Claw Marks

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