The Money Gorilla: What What Does a Gorilla Have to Do with Making Money for Women in Business?

What does a Gorilla have to do with making money for women in business? There’s an experiment that shows a videotape* of six college students on a basketball court. Three are wearing white shirts, three dark shirts. The instructor asks them to randomly pass a ball amongst themselves and asks the audience to count only the number of passes between the white-shirted students in one minute. About halfway through the process a woman in a gorilla suit slowly walks through the students, who ignore her. The gorilla turns and faces the camera and pounds her chest. Then she leaves the circle.

You’d think the gorilla would catch the attention of the audience, right? BUT 60% of the audience DOES NOT see the gorilla!!!!**

Well, just like on the basketball court, the Gorilla can be there with your money but you don't see it because you're focused on other things. If you can't SEE the Gorilla your money blind spots may be getting in the way of making enough money or keeping the money you make.

What are some of the top money blind spots for women?  A big gorilla I notice is women avoiding rather than paying enough attention to their money in conscious and proactive ways.

Whatever is uncomfortable is human nature to avoid – but to be successful we can’t afford to not pay attention.

Here’s a quick Numbers Check List you can use to stay AWARE of the Gorilla. Because until we're on top of our numbers, it's hard to manifest more money.

Net Profit – monthly and annual - how do you track and stay aware?

Monthly & Annual Expenses - "It's not just the money we make - but the money we keep." Robert Kiyosaki.

DEBT: Add up all the credit card balances for a – take a breath – TOTAL.  Knowledge keeps the Gorilla visible!!

Debt payment plan – How much each month will pay off balances by when? Take ACTION.

Cushion Savings Account – Automatic Deduction each month builds savings faster than you'd think!!

Retirement Savings Account – Start with something small - something is better than nothing. $25.00 a month for 20 years is better than waiting until you’re in your 50s to get started.

Want to know your Money Type? The Money Types are a fun, unique way to discover your Money Strengths & Challenges by taking The Money Quiz.

 Resources: *There’s a great YouTube clip called The Monkey Business Illusion produced by Daniel Simon **Using Your Brain to Win in Today’s Hyper-Paced World  by Holly G Givens)

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Certified Money & Business Coach, Professional Speaker & author, Lynn Telford-Sahl, writes the weekly PowerUP Your Money blog for women in sales and small business. If you’re ready to PowerUP your Money, your Business & your JOY get your FREE Strategy Session with Lynn at www.joywithmoney.com 209 492-8745

Financial Enlightenment: Creating Fulfillment with Your Money

"Never use money to measure wealth," is painted on the beautiful sign my sister Lane has in her yard. Lane is a talented, but "starving" artist who is in touch with her soul and with nature - whether bugs or animals and she allows her spirit to express delightfully in her jewelry and paintings. For the most part, she enjoys her life, limited means though she has.

Contrast Lane's world view with the person who works just to "make a living" or as author Vicki Robin of Your Money or Your Life says, "make a dying." I see the appeal of my sisters lifestyle. How many people end up in jobs or careers that they hate, but can't/won't admit it and do something different because the money is good. 

How do we measure wealth if not by money? Think about what wealth really means to you and how do we bring a more soulful relationship to our money? Originally money was a place holder or method of exchange that replaced bartering. Now as Deborah Price, author of Money Magic states, "we have given money such power that it permeates every part of our existence."

It's time to redefine what money means to us. We get so driven by making a living, or success that we lose sight of what's most important. I see this shift happening when for example, a friend lets go of overcommitments and focuses on her family and health instead. We need a new understanding of money that wakes us up to our deeper nature and connects us with our spiritual self. We need to respect money, but not make it our God because it's not money that's our problem but how we have defined it. Long ago we created this idea of money, but we have forgotten that. It's time to take our power back and create a new definition that utilizes our heart as well as our head. As we "deepen our relationship with our soul and bring it to bear on our relationship with money" we will experience the inner and outer abundance that is true wealth.