How Values and Beliefs Shape Your Finances

Beliefs and values shape your finances whether you know it or not. If you think you’re bad with money, chances are you’re right. If you don’t value financial independence, you’ll spend extra money instead of saving it. If you want to think and grow rich, it is important to take a good look at your values and beliefs around money and clearly know who you want to become. This is how values and beliefs shape your finances.

Change doesn’t happen automatically. There are levels that, when understood, can result in change. This process, which was first introduced to me by Peter Shallard, CEO of Commit Action, involves looking at things on the five neurological levels.

Neurological Levels

1. Identity
2. Values & Beliefs
3. Capabilities
4. Behaviors
5. Environment

Identity

This is who you think you are. I am successful. I am wealthy. I am a business owner. It can also have negative connotations like I am not good enough. I am bad with money. I don’t deserve to make $100,000/yr. Once you step back and look at how you identify yourself, you can begin to unravel what’s needed to change. It starts with realizing your values and beliefs.

Values & Beliefs

I must admit that when first asked what my values are, I was unsure how to answer. For me, values were some abstract idea that had nothing to do with me and more to do with a Fortune 500 company. It wasn’t until I was looking at an old questionnaire I would ask clients that I started thinking about values differently. Here’s how it went:

In 30 seconds or less, tell me what are the 5 most important things in your life? <PAUSE AND ANSWER BEFORE MOVING ON>

My answer:

1. Family
2. Friends
3. Fun
4. Spiritual Development
5. Finances

One thing missing on my list that I noticed is Health. Now I work out 3 to 5 times a week and am constantly trying to get in better shape. But when I look at my list, health wasn’t important. If I wanted to add Health to my list, I need to change some behaviors around food. The problem is I don’t know how. I need to learn something new.

Capabilities

If I value health and it’s not reflected in my life, I need to change some behaviors. If I don’t know how to change, I need help. That’s where learning new things come in.

An example of this: a few years ago I told myself I wanted to be a better golfer. I’d pretty much sucked my whole life and had trouble breaking 90, sometimes 100. So like most people, at first I bought new equipment. That helped a little. But I still didn’t break 90. So I bought an e-course. For the first time, I’d broken 90 on a consistent basis. I later began taking lessons and broke 80 a few times until recently, when my focus turned to a different hobby and I no longer value golf as much.

My point is that if you value something and want to make a change, you may need to learn something new and apply it over and over.

Behavior

When you apply your new abilities over and over and change your behavior, you’ll begin to see change. But sometimes this isn’t easy if you are in a toxic environment.

Environment

If you are trying to lose weight, it’s probably not going to help if your partner starts cooking amazing 3-course meals every night. Likewise, if you want to become a millionaire, you’re not going to have much luck if your partner is a shop-a-holic. Your environment must be receptive to your new identity if you’re going to have a chance for change.

Takeaway

How you see yourself is a result of your beliefs. They can be limiting, or they can be unlimited. What you value is a reflection of your behaviors and environment. If you value something you don’t have right now, ask yourself

• What skills do I need to develop to make this happen?
• What habits do I need to change?
• Is my environment receptive to this thing I value?

For some of us, this is about becoming financially independent. When you do a deep dive into your values and beliefs around money, you’ll see how they shape your finances.

For more on the Neurological Levels check out Commit Action.