There are so many people who use financial gain as their only reason for personal motivation. Others use it as an excuse to not open up emotionally and allow TRUE happiness through their door. Some use money as a competitive sport; they only recognize their self-worth based upon the dollar amount in their piggy bank.

For whatever reason, some people refuse to acknowledge that the monetary influence could be the main reason they’re not getting what they want in other areas in their lives. The guides and I are going to share some scenarios and give a bit of advice in regards to how money can influence decision making, change a person or keep someone from driving on a nicely paved road to happiness.

Personal Motivation
A lot of people have goals and if you don’t, you should. Personal goals such as career choice, romantic future, children, vacations, retirement, physical fitness, ridding unwise habits, spiritual growth, friendships and of course, financial comfort. All of these COMBINED are healthy motivational tools, but if your ONLY motivation is financial status, the others will be left behind cold in a musty alley.

Do you honestly think God wants you to JUST have abundance in financial matters? No way! Those who ARE very satisfied with their financial status usually complain that the other areas in their lives are empty and not even close to being fulfilled. Spread your motivational energy to those other areas as well. Use your God-given INTUITION. Like earning a healthy living, we still have to work just as hard on those other aspects of life.

Nice Guys Always Finish Last
Absolutely not. Keep in mind that IF your only motivation in life is to reach a level of financial power over others, that shows bad intent and most likely, you’ll pay a heavy price emotionally. Not only that, but you created karmic imbalance and have to come back, yet again to clean the mess you’ve caused in the next lifetime. That’s the case with my father.

Money was his driving force in his last lifetime we spent together and money is what tore us apart AGAIN in this lifetime. He was supposed to be a humanitarian and he chose to be anything but that. My father chose to leave his family on Christmas day, after my mother spent a long time financially supporting the family because his business failed. As soon as he got a job paying over 100K, he left us without hesitation. He re-married a horrible woman with a trust fund. A few years later he was diagnosed with Thyroid cancer, lost his high-paying job, his marriage fell apart and now he’s miserable. What goes around, comes back around for sure. Funny, he used to tell me that ALL the time. Sometimes we may not see karma biting someone on the butt in this lifetime.

You Don't Have To Settle
We’re never saying settle for second best, but we’re not imploring you to be self-absorbed and SUPER picky about your money or love life. Being OPEN to ALL the possibilities will get you everywhere, not just 1 or 2 doors. It’s ok to stick with a certain "type" of man/woman, but it’s quite another to completely limit based upon money, looks etc.

For example: If you’re attracted to men who have dark hair, brown eyes, are at least 5’11" and are athletic, but they can ONLY make $150,000 or more per year, that’s a major limitation. Especially if you won’t even bother to look at a guy with that exact description, who makes $80 or $90,000 per year.

It’s ok to NOT want to completely financially support another person while in a relationship. Believe me, I’ve done that too often myself, but what would be so wrong with a man who makes $45,000 and is going to medical school to be a doctor? Who says that is settling when they are well on their way to becoming exactly what you’re looking for?

If you’re one of these people, please ask yourself WHY someone’s financial status is the deciding factor in regards to starting a relationship or even just dating them. There are wonderful people all over the place. Just because someone has money does NOT mean they have a good heart and pure intent. Maybe, just maybe if you open your doors and unlock the others you will have a more fulfilling love life. Think about it.

Competition and Obsession
Those who are in constant competition with other people regarding financial status. Are you trying to say that if you make more money than anyone else does at your job, you’re the "cream of the crop"? Do you think that the ONLY way you will receive notoriety in life is to be vindictive and hurt other people JUST so that you are #1? If so, stop right now!

Chances are, the people you’re "competing" with aren’t even on the same wavelength as you. They probably don’t even view this as a competition; they’re just doing their job. Do you honestly think that your co-workers are giving you the respect you’re seeking or think you deserve? Absolutely not. Most likely, they’re talking about you behind your back in a negative manner. They’re probably just wishing you’d relax, do your own thing and leave them alone.

If your whole world revolves around how much you make and being #1, you’re probably obsessed and need clinical help. Take a look around you. How many TRUE friends do you have? How much respect are you REALLY getting? How successful are you in the other, equally important aspects of your life? It’s time to analyze the root of this problem.

When I was growing up I never got the encouragement, peace, understanding and notoriety I yearned for at home. I ALWAYS had to be first chair clarinet, the most indispensable soccer player and the best jazz dancer around. I wasn’t vindictive; however, I never did receive the adoration from others. As soon as I realized that being the "best" wasn’t going to get me anywhere, I changed my way of thinking. I just kept clear focus on my goals and ACCEPTED what came to me. If I wasn’t satisfied, I found ways to change it but I did it for MYSELF and nobody else. I don’t do things just to gain recognition from other people. I do it for the greater good of humanity.

I'm Broke, Now What?
I’ve been there, believe me. I know how hard it can be when you work your butt off and still, you’re in the hole. If you are in this position, it’s IMPERATIVE that you constantly keep a positive outlook. If you don’t, you’ll just attract more negative events. It’s been a very long road of being the broke ass, but I changed that. I never sat and complained without doing something about it. I worked some crappy jobs, sometimes kept more than one to be able to pay my bills. I followed my intuition, God and Spirit. I kept my faith in tact. Don’t be afraid that nobody will love you if you’re aren’t financially stable all the time or extremely wealthy. Wealth comes in many different forms and BELIEVE that there is someone out there that will love you regardless of your financial status.

I’m not rich by any means and some people would look at me and think that I’m not successful. I beg to differ. I may not be a multi-millionaire, but I feel I am successful because I’m riding the path I chose. I’m doing what I’m supposed to and I’m content with what I have materialistically. Sure I have dreams and goals, but I’m not dreaming of millions of dollars and being "the best". I’m dreaming of being able to live a comfortable lifestyle, doing what I love and serving God. I’ve already achieved a lot of that, but like I said, I still have other things I’d like to accomplish...and I will because I have FAITH.

Afraid To Love Because I Have Money
This is a tough one. There are a lot of people who are VERY financially secure and have more money than they know what to do with. This brings upon major insecurity. The following are questions these people constantly have to ask:

Does he/she love me for who I really am ?
Are they with me for my money?
Does he/she want to be with me because of my status?
Are they just using my hook-ups to further promote themselves?
Can I TRUST him or her? Are they just like everyone else or are they genuine?
How do I know they’re right for me when I’ve been screwed so many times before?

Money buys material things and physical security, not love or true happiness. Those who carry prominent status tend to be reserved, less trusting, and lonely, which can lead to depression. Always having to watch their back for those that are out to exploit them and use them. They have good reason to be reluctant in choosing their friends, co-workers and romantic mates. I wish we had amazing advice for those in this position, however, all we can offer are simple suggestions:

Utilize your intuition
When meeting a new prospect for love or friendship, tap into your GUT instincts and alleviate your fear and insecurity. If all you can hear is your fear screaming in your ears, then your intuition will not be able to break through with truth.

Take a chance, take the time
I understand that it’s difficult, but keep in mind that it’s just as hard for someone who’s broke to attain true love as it is for someone of prominent stature. Nobody is exempt from the "Law of Attraction" and/or "Trial and Error". Everything in life is Trial and Error. The whole point is to try it. If you don’t like it, send it packing and learn from the experience. You may be surprised when you actually LISTEN to your intuition CORRECTLY, what type of people you will attract and how HAPPY you can be with them in your life.

For example: You meet this woman and you feel a connection. You enjoy her company and would like to get to know her better. Then your insecurity kicks in with all the questions we stated above. The next thing you know, you’re getting closer to her emotionally and get scared. Instead of taking a chance that she was good for you and had pure intent, you run as fast as you can; leaving her in the dark yelling, "but I really do love you!" Some time after you ran away, you begin the should’ve, could’ve, would have‘s and wanted to‘s...but didn‘t. Then you start thinking about it again, but hold back because it’s been "too long".

How do you REALLY KNOW it’s been too long unless you take the time to find out? Have you done the research to find out if she was who she proclaimed to be? If you have and are satisfied with the information, why not try again? Yes, you will be taking the chance that she’s held a grudge, but maybe she hasn’t. Maybe, just MAYBE she’s more understanding than you originally thought. Has it every occurred to you that she may be in the SAME position? Give it a shot, you may start to feel lucky again.

Dust yourself off and try again
If you have found yourself giving and receiving nothing in return, it’s time to do things differently. If you try something once and it goes sour, don’t let that be the end all, be all. Try again but this time, have more FAITH. Remember, your thoughts, words and actions have more power than you know. If you keep saying, "It’ll never happen for me", it won’t. Did you stop trying when you wanted to reach your financial goals or career status? HELL NO! Then why stop trying to pursue true love and personal abundance?

HOW MUCH ARE YOU WORTH?
- God created each and every one of us for a reason. We’re like the Mastercard commercial:

Video game: $50
Leather Jacket: $250
Private investigation report: $500
Our lives in the physical world: PRICELESS

You can’t put a price tag on your soul. It’s not yours to begin with; it belongs to our Mother-Father God. The same goes for our physical bodies. The knowledge and creativity we bring to planet Earth is priceless. We all have a reason for being and it’s our job to find out what it is so that we may stay on the path to completion. Don’t let money influence how you view yourself or the life you’re leading. Don’t allow financial notoriety be your only means of existence because you’ll end up traveling a short and miserable road to nowhere. Don’t let your fear and insecurities dictate your thought process and path to true happiness.

We are worth every ounce of energy God put into creating our souls. The minute you start drifting away from that fact is the minute you place your foot on the Red-Brick Road, instead of the Yellow-Brick Road.