Nothing evokes the mystical quite like the word mantra. Defined as a chant or repeated word, the concept is typically linked to the practice of meditation.
But for me, a mantra is so much more than a chant. It is a formula I use to make better decisions. And an intention I set that helps me focus on the things that matter most.
Do you have a mantra for your life? Your career? Or your money? If you find yourself stuck in any of these areas, a mantra may be just the thing to interrupt bad patterns and turn your situation around.
When it comes to matters of money, I wanted to hear from professionals around the country on the personal mantras that have helped them do just that. What I got goes beyond affirmations. These powerful mantras have helped those who practice them shift their focus, find balance, and reach massive financial and personal success. Trust me, they’ll help you too. Here are the ones they live by:
The No’s Are Free
“An old boss once told me, ‘no’s are free’,” says founder of Just Start Investing Kevin Panitch. “Which was a clever way of saying, it doesn’t hurt to ask.”
“It has helped me in a lot of ways in life, but especially around money. Whether it’s asking for a refund, a raise, an upgraded seat on a flight, or anything else– the worst anyone can say is no. And at the end of the day, it was free!”
Always Do The Math
“If people would do the math on investing, they would definitely make the effort to invest more,” says Personal Finance Coach Debbi King. When you do the math, you know exactly what you are spending and what you can have for the future.”
“When we look at everything from a monthly perspective, we don’t always realize what we are really paying for an item. Building wealth involves knowing where your money is going and saving and investing as much as you can.”
You Can Always Make More Money, But You Can’t Make More Time
“This is a reality check for me because it reminds me that I only have one life and I’ve got to make the most of it,” says James Poland of The Advisor Coach. “It allows me to focus on the decisions that are really important, and it helps me prioritize what I want to get done in my days, weeks, months, and years.”
“Today I will do what others won’t, so tomorrow I can accomplish what others can’t.”
“My money mantra is from Jerry Rice,” says Maria of Handful of Thoughts. “I’m not sure where I originally heard it but once I did, it just stuck with me.”
“As someone who is pursuing financial independence this mantra guides my money decisions. For me it means working hard and being smarter with my money now so that I don’t have to work as much or as hard later on. Since practicing this mantra I’ve been able to pay off my mortgage in less than 5 years and buy 9 rental properties in 4 years.”
Invest In Yourself
“You’re an asset and if you don’t invest in yourself, why should anyone else,” says DevelopHer founder Lauren Hasson.
“This mantra alone has enabled me to go from a zero in life– zero skills, zero network, zero job prospects barely making ends meet to the top of my field in just two short years.”
Start where you are, use what you have, do what you can.
“My mom shared it with me around 6 years ago when I moved overseas and started a new life and career in Chile,” says PR Manager Sierra Baldwin.
“Two years later I moved back to the states and again, it really helped me in that adventure as well. You can apply it to almost anything in life, but now that I work in the personal finance space, I can really see how it can be and should be applied to money.”
Building Wealth Isn’t About Saying No. It’s About Saying Yes.
This one is from yours truly. There’s nothing that makes me shake my head more than watching people nickle and dime their way through life. They may say no to a daily coffee but blow their money on one experience after the other. Or, they save all of their money with no real reason other than they heard they should.
Money is so personal. It is not about what anyone else is doing. It is only about what you want to say yes to in your life. Instead of saying no to a coffee, say yes to being debt free. Instead of saying no to a vacation, say yes to creating a freedom fund.
This money journey is yours, and you get to choose what you say yes to.
Recommendations on Building Wealth
One of the best ways to quickly build your savings is to use a high-interest savings account. Call this your “Freedom Fund” or your “Quit Your Job Fund”. Whatever you decide to call it, you’ll need it for emergencies, big purchases, or a way out of a situation you’re looking to change.
When it comes to a great place to park your money, options abound.
CIT Bank currently has one of the highest interest rates on the market at 2.20%. BBVA also has a high-interest savings account currently at 1.9%. Be sure to review all of your options and open one today (before these rates go away) so you can start your freedom fund now.
