I’ve lost count of the luminaries that have gone into rehab. These days, hip and fashionable politicians, entertainers, and celebrities enter rehab after committing a public faux pas (while under the influence or otherwise).
I’m guessing “rehab” is a substance abuse or addictive behavior program supervised by a qualified therapist and administered by guards that restrict access to the substance or activity in question. In some cases, I’m convinced that “rehab” also includes a surgical procedure to remove one’s foot from one’s mouth.
Whenever I read yet another of these news items, I imagine the rehab program I would run. I would call it “Money Rehab.” I would design it for people who commit a faux pas with money.
While not committed in the public eye, these misdeeds and misstatements are even more damaging to one’s financial well-being. At least, a celebrity’s public shenanigans have PR value.
Mere mortals like you and I commit a money faux pas without fanfare or public outcry.
For example, we sigh and say things like "Another day; Another dollar, money doesn’t grow on trees, I can’t afford it, money is the root of all evil."
Or we do things like charge something we don’t need and can’t afford, save for a “rainy day” and therefore insure that it will arrive, avoid opening bills because the experience is unpleasant, or cringe when we have to deal with money because it’s “filthy lucre.”
As you might imagine, I could find plenty of prospects for my rehab center (celebrity and otherwise). However, I have no plans for such a center at the moment.
Nevertheless, if you recognize yourself in the previously mentioned points or can imagine ones like them, let me offer you the next best thing to real rehab. Here is my “Do-It-Yourself” Money Rehab Program. Although I admit that I haven’t used this on movie stars yet, it works well even if you are still waiting for your 15 minutes of fame.
It consists of three questions that encourage you to assume a new point of view about money by asking “Is it possible?”
Suppose you make a statement that you have long assumed is a truism about money such as the ones listed above or act unwisely with money.
Ask:
Is it possible that ___________ (fill in with your money truism, attitude, or action) is in error and limits my financial well-being?
Is it possible to assume a new and more success-empowering point of view about ___________ (fill in with your money truism, attitude, or action) that enhances rather than limits my financial well-being?
Is it possible to recall this new point of view, try it out, and see what happens the next time that ___________ (fill in with your money truism, attitude, or action) occurs to me?
See what happens when you let your mind play with these three questions. Call them to mind when you catch yourself short-circuiting your financial well-being. You will make more money and spend the money you have with greater wisdom.
Who knows? You might end up a real celebrity and commit a real faux pas! Of course, then you might end up in a real rehab program.
Tony Papajohn coaches excellence and specializes in money. If you are a real estate investor, financial trader, entrepreneur, or want money to treat you like its new best friend, check out Tony’s free e-courses at http://www.WelcomeMoreMoney.com .
