BOOK SUMMARY 365 You Are a Badass at Making Money

BOOK SUMMARY 365

You Are a Badass at

Making Money

·         Summary written by: Alysha DeMarsh

I’m broke. And before you ask, no, I don’t have an avocado toast addiction. I have a giant student loan that needs to get paid off ASAP, but I also really enjoy eating food and leaving my apartment and living my life. Unfortunately, this involves me spending money on things other than my debt.

So, you can imagine how thrilled I was to hear that Jen Sincero was releasing a counterpart to You Are a Badass, one of my all-time favorite books, all about how you can use the power of your thoughts to get you the riches you desire. Thinking myself into richness? Sign me up!

As it turns out, there’s more to it than that. You Are a Badass at Making Money is a hilariously embarrassing, yet sadly relatable manifesto about learning to understand yourself—your bullshit, your motivation, your thought process—and leveraging it all to attract abundance.

The Golden Egg

Focus, have faith, and take action

"Vague aspirations lead to vague results; specific aspirations lead to kicking ass."- You Are a Badass at Making Money, page 101

Decide on your reason to get rich—the more specific, the better. Why? Because as exciting as it sounds, you’re probably not going to feel inspired by the idea of a suitcase full of money.

Start by listening to your heart. Really listen to it. What do you desire most that only money can provide? Get specific by answering these four questions:

1. Why do I want the money?

2. What will I use the money for?

3. What will I do to make the money?

4. When will I make it by?

Don’t place blame, and don’t make plans to manipulate other people to get what you want. The only things you can control are your thoughts and your actions, but they’re all you need when you’re placing an order with the universe.

Now, choose your thoughts and actions wisely. Make a concentrated effort to be happier. Surround yourself with positive, uplifting people who will support and encourage you. And for crying out loud, clear your desktop. Don’t let anything stand in your way that might make you pause, just for one second, and lose faith in your ability to take action.

As Sincero reminds us, “Worrying is praying for stuff you don’t want.”

Demand from yourself that you focus on raising your frequency, because the fastest way to fail is to convince yourself that you will. Make every possible effort to attract positive energy into your life, and whatever you do, don’t drift away from your heart’s desire. As long as you’re clear, confident, and at peace with your goal and the timeframe within which you will achieve it, riches will make their way to you.

Gem #1

Let go of any preconceptions you may have about money

"By embracing money and getting into the flow, you open yourself up to the abundance that is trying to reach you at this very moment."- You Are a Badass at Making Money, page 47

Do you think being rich will get in the way of your friendships and relationships? Do you think being rich is just for people who want to own big houses? Do you think money buys happiness, and that’s why you’re unhappy right now?

Your “truth” about money began to form when you were a small child observing how money affected the people around you. Your beliefs about money were learned by you over the course of your life, and now, unbeknownst to you, they are firmly held in your subconscious mind. Now, as a full grown adult, the way you perceive money is a habit… and probably a bad one.

Sincero defines rich as being “able to afford all the things and experiences required to fully experience your most authentic life.”

Your most authentic life may involve owning a mansion and a small private plane, or it may involve paying off your parents’ mortgage and donating a shit ton of money to charity. Your most authentic life may also be as simple as paying off your student debt so you can eat something that doesn’t come from a can. Your dreams, your desires, your wants, and your needs are all unique to you. Being rich is not a one-mansion-fits-all scenario—your definition of what it means to be rich is whatever you want it to be.

The point is, if you continue to envision richness as something that doesn’t appeal to you, you’ll never get rich. Period. If you’re scared of money, money will avoid you like the plague. So toss out your preconceptions and start envisioning the badass life full of the riches that you really want—that way, the money you want will know how to find you.

Gem #2

Investigate your BS… Then use it to scare the shit out of yourself

"What comes out of your mouth comes into your life."- You Are a Badass at Making Money, page 38

When you realize what limiting beliefs you have about money, consider how they got there in the first place. Start by paying attention to your language, and how you choose to talk about money in your day-to-day life. Odds are, you’re a little too familiar with the words “I can’t,” “I want,” “I wish,” or “I should.” What bullshit have you led yourself to believe about money, and how did it get in your head in the first place?

Give yourself a big, fat reality check. Look in the mirror and say to yourself what you think every time you check your bank balance at the end of the month. Replace your words with “I can,” “I have,” or “I’m grateful for.” Now… get ready to scare the shit out of yourself.

What is something you could do right now that would get you one step closer in the direction toward achieving your richest dreams, and more than a few steps away from your comfort zone of misery? Don’t give into the temptation to utter the words “I can’t”—just do. How does it feel?

“Hurl yourself into the fire,” suggests Sincero. “Run face-first toward your biggest fear. Take big, audacious action in the direction of your dreams and do not let the fact that you’re wetting your pants stop you.”

By taking one scary step towards your riches, not only are you finally turning your thoughts into actions, you’re also giving yourself the opportunity to experience whatever it is you’ve been avoiding all this time. Pay attention to what you’re thinking, how you’re feeling, and what comes up for you as you move forward with your decision to take action. Acknowledge it. Address it. Write it down. Then take a hard look ahead of you, and get over it.

Sincero’s approach to making money is a little unconventional. Due to her frequently mentioning the universe, you may even say it’s “woo-woo” or call her a tad eccentric. But her methods are also motivating, hilarious, and extremely relatable.

Maybe it’s the regular pace of mild swear words, the super actionable step-by-step activities at the end of each chapter, or the fact that she was able to address my greatest fear: being so broke I’d to give my cat at-home-surgery. Whatever it is, You Are a Badass at Making Money gave me a renewed sense of hope that maybe someday I will be richer than I am poorer. And if you lean toward the unconventional side like me, you too may find a renewed sense of hope in this book.