In a struggling economy it’s all too easy to focus exclusively on finances.
The old adage says, “if all you have is a hammer, then everything looks like a nail”—clearly a problem of narrow focus.
Money issues create a narrow focus. At that point every looks like it hinges on money. If you expand the scope things change drastically. If you had to pick one:
- Going bankrupt or losing a child. Which would you pick?
- If you have a choice between great common sense or a full bank account, which would be more important?
- You have to pick one…a sense of purpose or your bills paid?
Interesting how, given that perspective, money isn’t the most important thing. The problem is that when you’re broke you only focus on money and you only look for money solutions.
Since our focus is narrowed by money, we’ll use a money metaphor to move through the exercises in this course—our “Five Capitals” will be five bank accounts. If you’re not depositing in your bank account everyday you can still deposit in your other accounts. Let’s take a quick look…
RELATIONSHIP CAPITAL
“3:00am is a bad time to make friends.”
Harvey McKay – Swim with The Sharks
In other words, don’t wait until you’re desperate to build relationships. Desperation repels relationships. you should daily be making those deposits. In your every action you should be building quality relationships.
When was the last time you…
- Sent a text message to check on a business connection without asking for anything
- Responded to a message a stranger (maybe even an annoying stranger) sent at a bad time
- Reached out to five connections on LinkedIn and offered to get together for coffee
- Made a positive post in a FB Group
- Took 15 minutes to view your social media profiles/posts as someone else and asked yourself how you would be perceived – as a problem or a solution
- Focused on developing a pleasing personality
Practice these daily and your relationship capital account will be full.
EMOTIONAL CAPITAL
Your emotional capital is vital when your funds are low. Please pay careful attention to this! You cannot neglect the value of emotional balance right now.
The first step in clearing negativity from your mind is to really pay attention to your thoughts. Whenever the words can’t, shouldn’t, wouldn’t, won’t, not, or never enter your mind, concentrate on what you’re thinking and turn it around to eliminate the negative wording.
You think: I really shouldn’t be doing this. The moment you hear yourself think shouldn’t, stop right there and change direction. In this scenario, you might instead think I really should be doing this.
Try to do this every time a negative thought creeps in. The more often you banish negative ideas from your mind, the easier positive thinking will become. You’ll be more relaxed and receptive to positive solutions.
INTELLECTUAL CAPITAL
The more you know about what you’re doing, the easier it will be to accomplish. This may seem self-explanatory, but many people don’t realize that you can always find out more information. It only takes a few minutes to look up something on the internet, consult a reference book, or call up someone you know has experience with the issue you’re facing.
You can not reach your destination if you can not find the path. Look at knowledge as the pruning shears of your mental garden, clearing the way for enthusiasm to grow and spread. AmCon is committed to providing you Intellectual Capital.
SPIRITUAL CAPITAL
John Whitmore, the pioneer of the executive coaching industry, believed that stress is a symptom of lack of meaning and purpose, therefore coaching must not simply seek efficiency or attainment of goals, but draw out people’s highest values so that the work they do can be a way to express themselves fully.
This drawing out of “people’s highest values” is living life with purpose. You must have congruence between the things that you do to make money and the purpose you believe you have for existing.
Discovering your purpose is beyond the scope of this study, but it’s essential you find yours. Napoleon Hill referred to it as Your Definite Chief Aim. Brian Tracy called it your Flight Plan. Whatever tag you hang on it is comes from the core of your spiritual being.
You will lack an essential component of prosperity if you neglect to make deposits into the your Spiritual Capital account. What frequently happens when your Financial Capital runs low is you stop making deposit in your other accounts. You need them all!
FINANCIAL CAPITAL
A positive emotional outlook, with great relationships, sustained by a deep and abiding sense of purpose, enriched by an active mind will not stay broke for long. Deplete the other accounts and you’re in trouble.
Daily deposits in each account is will pay huge dividends in any economy.