Brian wrote, “Millions ARE oppressed by others pursuing greed…which I define as money-generating actions that harm, take advantage of, or hoodwink others.”

What does this statement really translate as to most people?

“Rich people are evil.  Poor people are just.  The rich became so by taking advantage of the poor.”

Now if that is your core, foundational belief about money, do you really think your subconscious mind will ever let you become successful?  Not a chance.  It will work to self-sabotage every time you near a breakthrough.

Do some rich people get greedy and try to take advantage others?  Absolutely.  But it is important to note that many poor people do this as well.  In fact, a lot more than rich people.

I will say that it was a lot harder to keep my moral compass when I was poor than when I became rich.  When you need money to pay the electric bill or the rent, it’s pretty easy to validate some things you may not otherwise.

One day I saw a headline in the Fort Lauderdale newspaper.  It read, “Millionaire Arrested for Murder”

Funny, I never saw a headline that read, “Poor Person Arrested for Murder”

Think about that.  Really think about that, because the insights it provides you could be what cause you to really identify any limiting beliefs you have about money.

Would you have had that same reaction I did when you saw that headline?  Well you can know the answer easier, because I used it for the title of this post.  You’re busted.

-RG

David asks, “If it is true value and not perceived value then why does it change in a Boom or a recession? If it were true value then surely it would never change? If someone builds 10 more hotels next door and they all go up for sale at the same time, the buyers will perceive them all to be worth less and will make an offer dependent on their perception of what it is worth to them. The first hotel is the same but the price will be reduced. Even a fake story in the local news about toxic waste on the site could drop the price.”

But that is the point EXACTLY…

Follow me here:  Let’s say two people are thinking about buying a hotel.  We’ll call them “Bones” and “Randy.”  :)

The guy we call “Bones” watches the news every night and sees the fake story about toxic waste.  This fits perfectly into his worldview that all big corporations are greedy entities that plunder the environment and he decides not to buy the hotel.

The guy we call “Randy” hears about the story, but checks it out and realizes it’s false.  He believes the hotel is still a great value for the money and buys it.  The area continues to develop, legalizes gambling five years later, and Randy sells his hotel to Donald Trump for a $20 million profit.

We track down the Bones guy and we find him drinking in a pub, commiserating about how the rich people conspire to take money from the pockets of the poor.  He’ll offer the hotel deal as proof.  But he actually had the same opportunity.  However his consciousness – his subconscious fundamental beliefs about money and other forms of prosperity – clouded his vision and caused him to miss the opportunity.

As James Allen tells us, the outer world of circumstance shapes itself to the inner world of thought.  It’s okay to be skeptical.  Everyone should do their due diligence before any large financial decision.  But never confuse cynicism with skepticism.  If you have a cynical view of the world, if you expect people to screw you and expect bad things to happen, that is exactly what you attract.

This happens because you see yourself as a victim, so your subconscious mind causes you to take actions that keep you in victimhood.  I did this for 30 years.

In my case, it was because I had such low self-esteem.  I didn’t like myself and the only thing that made me feel better was when I subconsciously put myself in situations where I could be the victim.  This made me feel noble and right.

So what about you?  Do you revel in victimhood because it makes you feel better?  Are you only happy when you’re unhappy?

In the follow up post Are You Sabotaging Your Prosperity?, the real Bones said, “Randy asked a question…I answered that question…And now I’m a broke, anti-prosperity communist?”

My experience of you Bones would cause me to answer, “No you’re not a broke anti-prosperity Communist.  You’d just be happier if you were.”  So please just swish that around a bit and see where it takes you.  Just see if you feel you have a worldview that may be causing you to miss out on some prosperity you should be getting.

As for the rest of you…

Before anyone gloats or thinks today’s post is “Randy gets even with Bones” day, it isn’t.  Bones asked some great questions and brought a lot of this discussion to light.  Give him credit for challenging me, having conviction, and not being afraid to go against the grain.   He is honestly trying to get his head around the issue and he has the courage to ask the tough questions that he hopes will get him there.

There were many other comments that reek of lack programming and prejudice about money and wealth.  And that’s exactly where we’ll pick up on the next post!

-RG

I’m very happy to see such a spirited discourse, but very worried about the core foundational beliefs on money some of you are exposing there.

I honestly don’t know where to begin here, there’s so much to cover.  I don’t know whether to write a 27-page blog post, do 27 days of follow up posts, make it my next book, or a video on the YouTube channel!  So I’ll probably do a little of all of the above.

As Shirley mentioned to me on Twitter, a lot of those comments stem from envy and jealousy of people with money.  And here’s the thing…

If you are jealous or resentful of people with money and wealth, you will absolutely sabotage your success without even knowing it.  Your subconscious mind will unconsciously direct you to sabotage behavior.  I know, because I did that for 30 years.  That’s a complex topic, so I will try and record a video on it this weekend, and post it in the week coming up.

In the meantime, let’s deal with some of the other issues raised.  Bones started the debate when he said, “Because money comes FROM other people, and health does not.  I understand that you believe money is inexhaustible, like kisses or health, but that just doesn’t quite square with reality.   Money is something you get from other people, and health is not”

In my view this is a false premise.  Or perhaps misguided.  Here’s why.

Yes you receive money from other people.  But there are two mitigating factor which are very important to the equation.

Number one is the fact that money is simply a meme (mind virus) created by man.  (If you’re not familiar with memes, see my last book.)  We like to label things to tell them apart so we call something a dollar bill and another thing a chair.  But at their core level, both are simply energy vibrations made of the same matter.  (Or probably more accurately, non-matter.)

So start with the premise that dollars, Euros, pounds and pesos are simply pieces of paper that governments say are worth a specified amount.  In fact, those pieces of paper are worthless because they are not backed by anything but government lies and propaganda.  They only have any value when we go along with the charade.

Now of course most of us choose to play the game, because it makes buying groceries, gasoline, and Nickelback albums easier.  But know that the only real value of any currency is what you are willing to trade it for.

If we take Bones’ question out to its logical extension, what it’s really saying is: “You only get money when you take it from others.”  Or probably more accurately: “Those evil, greedy rich people took the money by force from the noble, spiritual poor people.”

Bones said “I buy a book, and I give $10 for that – I understand that I perceive that I have traded fairly perceived value for perceived value, but my MONEY is decreased.”  But here’s the real question to ask…

Did your prosperity decrease?

If you spent $10 for a book such  “As a Man Thinketh” “The 7 Habit of Highly Effective People” or “the Science of Mind,” I would submit that your prosperity increased greatly.  Now not everyone makes good choices when they trade money.  But that is a result of their consciousness and where they’re at.

It is simply shocking how many people on a subconscious level believe that the only way to become wealthy is to rape, pillage and plunder.  But that is completely false, which leads us to the second thing.  Yes you can certainly get money by ripping people off.  That’s a short-term situation.  But to live a life of true prosperity, you have to operate by the principles of exchanging value for value.

So what do YOU believe at your core level?  Is there a belief in your subconscious mind that people who have more than you cheated the system to get it?  Do you feel like people have to sell their soul to become wealthy?

If you have either of those beliefs in your subconscious mind, it will certainly sabotage any efforts you make on the conscious realm to become wealthy.  So give that some serious thought and please share what you come up with below.  Next post we’ll pick up on some of the other issues raised in the comments.

In the meantime, here’s some homework.  Go to my Prosperity TV channel here: http://www.youtube.com/randygage Then scroll down on the right side and click the video “Is Prosperity Infinite?”

-RG

Someone says, “Just look at that George!  He has perfect health.   High energy, no diseases, and he hasn’t even had a sniffle in months.  Don’t you hate greedy people like that?  Poor Elizabeth has the flu, and George is hogging all the health!”

You’d never say that about health.  Or love.  Or happiness.  So why would you say it about money?

-RG

I wanted to make sure they understood it wasn’t a seminar or workshop they were attending.  It was an experience, with each element of the weekend meant to build on the other, to create the desired effect.

And the desired effect wasn’t simply for them to get a key point, or learn a million dollar tip.  Or even a few million dollar tips.  The weekend was meant to create one result…

The point when they finally realized they were a multi-millionaire.

I mean when they really “got it.”  Really understood that they were meant to be wealthy, were going to be wealthy, and are deserving of that wealth. Because once you get that, it happens naturally.

Really.

You can’t be treated for prosperity; you must be open to receiving it.  I hope you really understand that.

Prosperity is not about what job you have, or what business you do, what degree you have, where you live, or who you are married to.  It is a mindset.
Prosperity is not a collection of money and things anymore than poverty is the absence of money and things.  Both situations are a mindset.

You become a multi-millionaire in your mind.  And then you manifest on the physical realm.   You up for that?
-RG

Except me.

I was apoplectic!  If you would have told me that even one person who was attending my multi-millionaire mindset weekend hadn’t read all five of the books already, I would never have believed you.

I guess I expected that people in my coaching program would treat their mentor and coaching relationships that same way I do.

I remember going to at least three or four seminars where I heard a speaker and decided that they were the real deal in what they were speaking about.  In each case, I went to the back of the room, gave my credit card and asked them to send me everything they had.  In each case, the answer was similar.

It was something like, “We’ve got a lot of stuff!” Or, “Don’t you want to know how much it is?”  But the price didn’t concern me.  Because I knew that the information would add so much value to my life personally, or I could use that information to make millions of dollars.

As it should be to you.

Now in defense of my weekend participants, some of them felt that since they were coming to the States anyway, they would wait to pick up the books here, and save some of the onerous duties and shipping.  I understand.  But I don’t agree.

Those books came out two months before that event.  What you can earn in a couple months with what you learn from those books is so great that the cost of the books themselves, shipping, and any duty is simply inconsequential.

Of course it’s important that you use some discernment with the people you select to be your mentors and coaches.  But once you’ve selected one, you need to get everything you can from them.

If I was struggling and I knew a guy who went from a dishwasher to a multi-millionaire wrote some books on how he did it—I would order then the minute I heard about them, and pay for overnight shipping.

What about you?  How do you approach these situations?  Do you talk a good game but not really follow the advice of your mentors?  Or do you search out people that have done what you want to achieve, and then follow their advice?

-RG

P.S.  If YOU haven’t already read my Prosperity series, and want to get them, you’ll find there here: http://www.randygage.com/products/prosperityseries.html

All true forms of prosperity are a value-for-value exchange.  That means for BOTH parties.  I can’t even begin to tell you how many people want to take me to lunch, get advice from me, receive mentoring, have me join their Mastermind group, etc.   They approach me all the time.  Yet most talk endlessly about the help they want from me, offering nothing of value in return.

Once you are successful, you’re approached by many people holding out figurative battery jumpstart cables.  They want to clamp them on your body and suck all the energy from you.  That certainly doesn’t make you want to get hooked up.

So what about you?  What kind of energy do you send out to successful people you meet?  What kind of value do you bring to the relationship?  Are you the kind of person they would want in their inner circle?

Please think about this and share your thoughts below.  Then on the next post we’ll look at some cool places to meet positive people.

-RG

Now I respect her, and I know she believes that.  But I don’t believe that for a second…

Just like I don’t believe I am the same person that I was when I was struggling financially.  I became prosperous because I became a prosperous person.  And I think that is true for everyone.  If that weren’t the case, the Universe would be weak at its most critical juncture.

Broke people think differently than rich people, healthy people think differently than sick people do, and happy people think differently than unhappy people do.

Now do I believe that has the same CHARACTER as they did back when they were broke?  Probably they do.  And I believe it is their character that allowed and caused them to develop into the prosperous people they are today.

So what do you think?  Would you agree that your thought patterns have to dramatically change to manifest prosperity in your life?

-RG

Yes Rene, I can ABSOLUTELY tell you I would always be happier being wealthy.  I was poor for many years and while it taught me lessons and forced me to grow, I have no desire to go through that again.  And as I mentioned on Prosperity TV, money can’t buy happiness, but neither can poverty.

Yes there are many facets of prosperity that don’t involve money.  But even most of those are better with it.

Rainbows are free, as is the ocean and walks on the beach.  But if you have money you can be in an ocean front hotel room instead of staring at the dumpster behind Denny’s.

My condo in Miami Beach overlooks a marina, Biscayne Bay and has a view of the Miami skyline.  I could have saved $80,000 and bought on the other side and have a view of an animal hospital and supermarket.

Plus, there are so many things you can do with money that you can’t do without.  Some of the things money has done for me include:
•    Flying the Concorde;
•    A box at the Opera;
•    Season tickets for the Marlins;
•    Traveling all over the world with my softball teams;
•    Racing amazing sports cars;
•    Touring all the baseball stadiums;
•    Touring all the world’s greatest opera houses;
•    Being able to support my church and many charities;
•    Having an apartment on both sides of the world;
•    Getting great medical care, dental care, and holistic health care; and,
•    Literally thousands of other things that bring joy to my life.

What about you?  What has money allowed you to do?  How has it brought you joy?  What else would you do if you had more money?

Please share below, because the more in touch with this you are, the harder your subconscious mind will work to make it come about!

-RG

There were some great responses in the comments.  Rene thought I would earn about what he earns and wouldn’t care a hoot about it.  Carmen and many others felt if everyone in my inner circle earned what he did, I wouldn’t be where I am.  Eric suggested that other areas in my life might go un-inspired.

David correctly noted that Diego has inner peace and that is attractive to me regardless of his income.  But if he was a whiner or exhibited victim mentality the attraction would fade fast.

Here’s my take on the situation…

I certainly know that having Diego in my life is great for both of us.  He is a precious friend, and I know he helps me challenge and strengthen my own beliefs.  However, I’m not sold that it would be good to have all five of my closest friends at that level…

I’m afraid that I would have a much smaller vision, and not attempt the great things I deserve and are capable of.

Now let’s look at the other side…

I have another close friend who I’ll call “Andy.”  Andy came to the States not knowing the language, with $300 in his pocket.  Today he is worth millions.  Lots of them.  He has about eight different companies, one of which is a bank he started.  This bank now manages assets of more than $80 billion.  He has a beautiful, breathtaking home, wears gorgeous $10,000 suits, and lives with style.

While he is tremendously driven and very successful, he hasn’t done so at the expense of what is important to him.  Which in his case, is God, family, and contribution.

Andy and his family love to travel, so he takes 90 days of vacation, every year.  He flies his entire family around the world, First Class, so they can discover it together.  He is also a serious philanthropist, having created several foundations that have raised millions of dollars for those less fortunate.  Every time I am around him, I am grateful for the different perspective he gives me on this world, and how we fit into it.

Now what do you think would happen to my consciousness, my income, and my vision of what was possible, if my four other closest acquaintances were at the same place where Andy is at?

P.S. Did you watch the latest episode of Prosperity TV yet?  It’s on how to use the power of ideas to manifest prosperity in your life.  See it here: http://www.youtube.com/randygage

-RG