Note: This is email #3 in a series I’m doing all about common “money blocks” that hold people back from making more money
Most people get uncomfortable when they start making more money than the people around them.
For example…
I remember my first few years as an entrepreneur, I was scraping by on like $30k a year.
I knew I could make more, but things just weren’t clicking for me.
However by my 3rd year, I took a big leap in income.
I went from $30k to $115k that year.
Which was awesome.
But that jump in income also made me uncomfortable.
I specifically remember being at my Aunt’s house for Christmas and somehow it got out that I made 6-figures that year.
One of my Uncle’s made a comment saying “I don’t know how he does that, all he does is sit on a computer”.
Another one was asking if I could “send some money their way”.
I remember feeling really ashamed of making that much money.
I felt like I was “outshining” the people around me.
And this was especially true when it came to my parents.
Cause that $115k I made that year was more money than my parents had ever made, combined!
I’m pretty sure they made like $60k a year back then.
So I had a lot of guilt about making more money than them.
And at the time, I wasn’t emotionally smart enough to handle it.
So I let it get to me.
But here’s the thing…
I’ve learned over the years that all the feelings my family had about my success actually had nothing to do with me…
It was all about THEM.
It was about the shame they felt about money.
And the guilt they felt in regards to making “too much” money.
It really wasn’t about me.
Cause they felt the same way about other people who were successful as well.
So even though I felt it was about me at the time…
It really wasn’t.
Most of the people in my family simply weren’t comfortable with success.
So in order to make themselves feel better…
They’d put me down…
Or make rude comments…
Again, that was all about THEM.
It had nothing to do with me.
And one more thing I’ll add here…
I can tell you from experience having been both broke and rich…
People are going to criticize you and talk shit no matter if you’re making $30k a year or $3 million a year.
It’s true.
They’ll make comments.
They’ll try to pull you down.
You can’t shield yourself from this by simply making less money.
They’re gonna make comments one way or the other.
So you might as well be successful.
You might as well make the kind of money that you want to make.
And have the life you want to live.
Make sense?
I hope so.
Don’t ever let someone else’s opinion of your success or your lifestyle determine how much money you make.
That decision is up to YOU.
Hope this was helpful for you.
Enjoy your Thursday,
– Justin
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