This week I’ve read Chapter 4 of ‘Overcoming UnderEarning’ by Barbara Stanny.

Starting with this chapter Barbara goes through the 5 steps to make you a ‘doer’.

Step 1: Tell the Truth

“Telling the truth is a prerequisite for higher pay.”

There are 4 exercises* in this chapter.

Exercise 1: Pinpointing the Problems

In this exercise she has a Problem Indicator Checklist. It seems to be mostly points about how you handle your money. Now for me that isn’t the problem. I can take care of the money I have quite well. My problem is not being able to make more.

Exercise 2: Digging Down to the Roots

These have to do with how you feel about money and where you may have learned these responses. She also quotes in this section from Oliver Wendell Holmes “All limitations are self-imposed”. Now I don’t think this is literally true - there are just some things I wouldn’t be able to do due to size, age and other things. But, what I really would like to be able to do at this point in my life I’m pretty sure I am capable of doing.

Exercise 3: Replacing Beliefs

Here we are supposed to list everything we believe about ourselves and money and write a new belief to replace the old one. In my case I wouldn’t really know what to write here. I think my problem has more to do with my inability to be able to see myself as the type of person who could be earning that much money. As much as I want it, people who are really successful seem somehow different from me and I have doubts about if I can really do what they are doing.

Time for my favorite quote from this chapter:

“The truth is the only safe ground to stand on.”

– Elizabeth Cady Stanton

Next time - Chapter 5.

*the first exercise had 2 parts, I think that is how she counted 4 exercises