Let’s talk about the M. Word: 💰Money💰

Although most of my posts are connected to spirituality, love and intuition, I am practical to the bone.

I refuse to talk or engage in conversation over mere ideas. Unless it is an experiential fact – it’s just an opinion.

And I don’t care about anyone’s opinions, including mine. They are good for nothing.

What you or I think about X and Y is only useful in mutual philosophical masturbation.

Beliefs plague the world – every religion has one and thinks theirs is the right one.

Truth on the other side requires no debates. Requires no belief.

If you put your hand inside a fire it burns. You don’t need to believe in fire or in pain. It just IS.

To actually know something is to have experienced it.

The roots of the word ‘know’ mean “to experience, live through” and it’s backed all the way to the year 1200 to refer to “have sexual intercourse with”.

In simple terms: To become one with something else – experientially.

This is why I will only listen to people who have lived through what they now talk and teach.

And you should too 

😉

Stop taking advice on money from broke people, stop taking advice on risk-taking from cubicle workers, stop taking advice on relationships from your toxicly attached friends…

and my biggest pet peeve: stop taking spiritual advice from people whose inner life is hell and chaos.

Now back to the M word.

Life only works if you do.

But work doesn’t have to be hard, strenuous and awful.
Work dignifies.
Work is your contribution to the world.

And your bank account a direct reflection of both the value you create (give) for others and your ability to receive.

Money is not evil, dirty or a problem unless you are.

Money will not make you happy either, it will just magnify what is already there (hence the prevalent depression, loneliness and depravations among very rich people).

But if you’re a good person, money is amazing! It will amplify your choices. It will exponentiate your capacity to serve. It will scale your contribution.

But you have to get clear on what value you provide to the world.

And if you don’t find that you provide much, that’s okay too.
But don’t lie to yourself.

Educate, learn, find mentors who have been there, make something of yourself and seek to be valuable before you seek to have things of value.

But do not pretend that the world owes you anything material just for being.

Specially if you’re not doing your share.

Want money?

Create value.

Yet it gets a bit trickier…

I often receive messages saying “Nico! I’m constantly creating value and my bank account is empty “
🥵
Or “What about nurses, teachers, etc…”

Value alone is not enough.

We all know that person who will bend over backwards for their boss, company and community and is not fairly compensated for the value they bring.

Perhaps you are that person!

And you know why they often don’t receive what they want economically?

Because they don’t ask for it.

Simple.

I recently outsourced a simple, tedious job to someone. He spent over 3 days of focused work to finish it.

I asked him what he thought was a fair compensation for his work.

He said $25.

I paid him $25.

A family member messaged me this morning and straight up said “could you gift me $100? There’s a few things I need..”

So I gave this person $100
🙂
Because she asked.

Years ago I was frustrated about not making money from the art I was creating even though I shared so much of it online with deep captions and all, so I got on a call with a coach.

He asked “Do people know that you’re an artist that sells art?”

I hesitated and replied “I think so…”

He boldly interrupted and said No. They don’t. Otherwise it’d be a firm yes. Go and do whatever you need so it’s obvious.

I followed his advice and hours later I had sold $600 worth of art prints online.

Most people fear asking for money.
Most people are scared of receiving money.
Specially when they serve generously.

But let me tell you this! When you undercharge or give away your value for free, you instantly rob the other person from the opportunity to invest in themselves.

You rob them of the opportunity to commit.

YOU are not serving anyone – including yourself – when you don’t charge accordingly to the value you give.
✨
Giving and receiving are two sides of the same coin! (as the wise Jesse Elder once shared)

Want more money?
Get comfortable asking for it and receiving it.
👊🏼💥

Alright so we have talked so far about how money is a reflection of the value that we create in the world, and we realized that value alone is not enough.

We have to become comfortable asking for it AND receiving it – just as much as we enjoy providing value.

Now, I’ll share the key that will help you go from just making a living to living abundantly (where money stops being something you even consider when making decisions).

This one helped me earn in one day what I used to in over a month.

The secret? Relevance.

Let me explain
🤓
As I was looking for an airbnb to stay in Romania I found this beautiful new listing. It didn’t have any reviews but it said it was newly renovated, seemed spacious, central and extremely well priced.

So I booked it!

Upon arrival I understood that the owner used to have a previous listing that got negative reviews so he deleted it and spent a lot of money renovating the space – so he could charge more and people would now leave good reviews

Seems like a good strategy.. right?

As I walked in I instantly got it:
the windows faced the main highway and even when closed there wasn’t proper sound insulation.
😩
You could hear every single car drive by as if you were standing in the road.
💥
I’m not exaggerating.

Not what I expected when looking for a peaceful, quiet place to rest at night.

The owner had spent so much, left a bottle of wine, a nespresso machine, Bluetooth locks, artistic decor and so much more!

So much attention and money put into the ALL the wrong places.

I would’ve preferred a place half as fancy and twice as quiet.

Needless to say, he won’t be making much money – because his offer lacks relevance.

Meaning that he is selling what he thinks his clients want, not what THEY actually need.

If you’re creating value, asking for money and you feel comfortable receiving it but nobody is paying you
, most likely your offer is not relevant.

You’re trying to sell what YOU want to sell – not what people actually need.

The proof is in the pudding!

The moment you place your attention in serving others in the way THEY want and need to be served is the moment your bank account starts to skyrocket 💸

Be relevant.
Ask.
Receive.💰

And take a deep look at your own finances and figure out in which of these three pillars you could use a boost:

Are you not creating value at all?
Train and learn – make yourself useful and then try again.
Or if you haven’t, start taking risks and putting your stuff out there.

Are you uncomfortable charging for your work?
Raise your prices today. Do it as an experiment for the next month and see if the market adjusts or if demand drops.
You’ll be surprised!

Are you creating value and charging for it but nobody is paying?
Reconsider your offer. See if you are giving what YOU want to receive instead of that which YOUR CLIENT needs. In the way, presentation, timing and quality he/she needs.

That’s all!

And remember…

Money is not evil unless you are