What Temperature is Your Thermostat Set To? Part 1

What Temperature is Your Thermostat Set To? Part 1 By Sue Courtney

You know how everyone likes the ambient room temperature set slightly differently? It is something I often come across in meetings and in families. When I was married I was always trying to sneak the thermostat up a bit, my husband preferred it lower (though I suspect this was more to do with cost than temperature). In meetings I often come across one person who needs the heating up full to feel comfortable sitting next to another who really needs the air conditioning on full. All very challenging.

But not as challenging as financial thermostat settings.

Are you aware of where your financial thermostat is set?

Are you aware where this originated?

 

Whose story are you perpetuating?

Are you aware of the impact this is having on your life and your success?

Most people will answer no to all of the above. Well, if you aren’t achieving the success you want and deserve, or find it difficult to hold on to money and success you need to know the answers –  I mean, you really need to know the answers!

I have been familiar with the concept of financial thermostats for some time and have had success with exercises that aim to raise them. However, this seldom lasts long if you aren’t aware of the origin of your present setting and how it impacts your level of financial success.

If you want things to change, read on.

Your lack of financial and career success is, in some measure, a result of where your financial thermostat is set. However, just turning the setting to ‘high’ isn’t the answer.

Imagine that you are sitting in a room that feels a little cold to you, so you turn up the thermostat and the room begins to heat up. Bliss. However, you failed to notice that all the windows are open and it is freezing outside.

 

·         Will the temperature rise as much as you would like?

·         Will the temperature stay as high as you would like in the face of the freezing cold air coming in from outside?

 

I think we can agree that it won’t. No matter how long you keep the thermostat turned up high, if the windows stay open the temperature will rise to your desired setting (with a struggle) but then gradually cool when the heating switches off. The only permanent way to ensure the room stays at the temperature you set is to close the windows!

And so it is with your finances and your career success. You may feel that you have your thermostat set at the temperature you want, but if your ‘windows are open’ – that is you are unconsciously living with beliefs that come from elsewhere and are not supporting you – you are unlikely to maintain your career and financial success long term.

So what are the beliefs holding you back from achieving your full potential?

You may be surprised – I was when I discovered my own truth about this.

I realised that I had spent my life living my mother’s ‘truth’ about money and wealth. But the most shocking part of this was that her beliefs had been formed during a family trauma when she was a small child – about 5 years old. I had spent my entire life living the results of an event that took place about thirty years before I was born and were obviously not relevant to me and my life – and never had been. This realisation was very powerful and I admit I did shed tears – of amazement and relief.

Now I know that my mother didn’t mean to affect my life and financial success in any way and would have been thrilled beyond measure if I had become one of the very rich people she claimed to despise. But, because of all I had been exposed to throughout my life I found myself ‘getting rid of’ any success and money that I didn’t feel I had worked hard for – and why? Because, in my subconscious mind, I didn’t want my mother to despise me for being rich. I also maintained a lifestyle that kept me more or less broke, so when I earned a lot of money my expenses grew to ensure it was all spent!

It took me many years to work this out and ‘close my window’. It all makes so much sense now – all the wasted extravagances, the unsuccessful ‘investments’ – all to ensure I stayed true to someone else’s beliefs. Now I can maintain any financial  temperature I choose, which feels so good.

Does any of this sound familiar?

Are you living the results of family beliefs around money and success? Were you brought up with the notion of ‘we are the workers’, ‘we aren’t management material’ or other negative beliefs around people who are successful in their career, life and finances?

Well, the good news is that it is possible to change this – to ‘close your windows’ – and turn your life around.

First you need to think the way successful people, who already have the career, lifestyle and financial success you desire.

In part 2, I will show you how.

Copyright © 2012, Sue Courtney – Success & Image Ltd. All rights reserved.