This is a funny story that shows just how much your parents beliefs about money are ingrained in you.
A few months ago, HBO released an Alanis Morissette documentary that I really wanted to watch.
Only problem was, I didn’t have HBO.
I had Netflix, Amazon Prime, Disney and Showtime…
But I didn’t have HBO.
So I couldn’t watch it.
And it’s not like I can’t afford HBO.
It’s $14 a month.
I can afford another $14 charge on my card each month.
So knowing that I could afford it…
Yet I still wouldn’t buy it…
I started to think about WHY that was happening.
I kept asking myself…
“Seriously, why do I not have HBO?”
I love a bunch of the shows that are on HBO like The Sopranos and Entourage.
So why am I not a subscriber?
Well the more I thought about it, the more it became apparent that this was some old programming from when I was a kid.
I remember very vividly wanting HBO when I was a kid and being told things like…
“That’s a waste of money”
or…
“We can’t afford that”
And these beliefs were further compounded by the fact that the only person I knew that had HBO when I was growing up was my friend Shawn (who’s family was rich).
Shawn’s dad was an emergency room doctor.
And they lived in a big $300k house with a hot tub.
So because of this…
It got ingrained in my head that “HBO is for rich people”.
It wasn’t for normal people.
It was a luxury.
And what’s funny is that even though this all happened when I was like 12 years old…
25 years later, those same beliefs about HBO were still rattling around in my head.
I didn’t want to “waste money” on it.
And part of me thought it wasn’t for me…
It was for those other rich people.
Which is hilarious when you look at it logically.
It makes no sense.
I can have a $100,000 Range Rover, but I can’t buy HBO for $14 a month!
But that just shows how powerful your childhood beliefs are when it comes to money.
Those beliefs still influence every decision you make…
How you spend your money…
How much money you’re comfortable earning…
All that is related to the money beliefs that were ingrained in you as a kid.
So my advice?
Get in touch with your money beliefs.
Are there any that are holding you back?
Are there any keeping you from the life you want?
My guess is probably.
So it’s worth digging in and seeing what kind of old programming you got going on that’s not serving you today.
That’s my 2 cents.
Enjoy your Wednesday,
– Justin
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