Financial gurus have shamed us for far too long. The number of times they tell us to control our expenses and stop buying lattes is mind-numbing. Will these frivolous little expenses really add up over time to be millions of dollars and ruin our wealth-building journey?
As we have mentioned before, your morning latte is NOT the problem. Expenses are just one piece of your financial picture, and they are nowhere close to the most crucial part: your income.
Now we ask this question: How can you increase your income?
1. Get rid of the “victim” mentality.
My parents are divorced. My father was in jail for a portion of my childhood. There was substance abuse in my household growing up. There were times when I relied on government assistance to eat a meal. Some might say the odds were stacked against me, yet I am the founder of an Inc. 5000 Fastest Growing Company In America.
If you live in the United States, you can do something about your income. There are few situations leaving you 100% trapped. If you believe you’re a victim, you should stop reading this blog. This limiting belief is the first thing holding you back from increasing your income.
Understand and know that no matter who you are, where you came from, or what situation you’re in, you can increase your income. You are only two steps away from making more money.
2. View your work correctly.
Work is not a punishment or an entrapment. We were created to work
Genesis 1:28 says:
“God blessed them; and God said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over every living thing that moves on the earth.’”
It is impossible to “subdue” or “rule over” something without effort–without work. Work is one of the reasons we exist!
Work is an unbelievable blessing and when done right, it’s praiseworthy. The right kind of work makes a positive impact on someone else.
For more in this topic, I strongly recommend the book Business For The Glory Of God By Wayne Grudem.
3. Serve others with selflessness.
One fundamental thing that exists in every company (whether it be a company you own or one you work for) is this: they serve people.
The best way to serve someone is to do it selflessly. To genuinely put others’ needs ahead of your own. To give of yourself and serve to positively impact someone’s life through the product or service your company provides.
Your work matters. Sure it provides an income, but it’s also an opportunity to live life with a purpose. To do something God created you for, to be a contributing member of our society and to provide solutions for someone’s needs.
Find a need and fill it. When you fill it, do so with a servant’s heart.
Practical things you can do right now:
1. Be an awesome employee.
Look for needs at your current place of work and create solutions or put in the effort to fill them. Showing up to work each day with this attitude and effort will earn you a raise.
If you are having trouble finding needs at your current place of employment, consider taking the Business made Simple online courses at https://www.businessmadesimple.com/. This is an online school that can help you become a more valuable professional by mastering several key parts of business. As a result, your income can increase.
2. Start a business.
What needs do you see in your community or in our society? Starting a business to fill these needs is not only wonderful praiseworthy work, it can earn you more income.
If you think you can’t start a business, go back to step one. It is a lot easier than you think, and almost anyone can do it!
3. Fill needs through opportunities that already exist.
There is no greater time in the world to have a side hustle or earn extra income than now. You can drive people to and fro with your car as an Uber or Lyft driver. You can complete jobs within your community. In fact, finding them is easy with websites like TaskRabbit. You can pick up items from Goodwill, spruce them up, and sell them on Facebook Marketplace or eBay.
There is an abundance of communities existing where countless needs are being filled every day. You simply need to insert yourself.
Buy your latte. There is no shame for that tasty indulgence. You deserve it! Especially after you have worked hard to serve others.
