AT A CONFERENCE I met a woman who had grown up in Russia. As
we spoke about wealth and poverty, she quoted a Russian folk
phrase that, translated to English, means "I'm not
rich enough to be poor."
When
I asked her about the meaning, she explained, "When you buy
cheap things, cut corners, or do anything with an intention
less than full quality, you think you are saving money. But
in the long run, such an act will cost you more. Cheap things
break and you have to repair or replace them. Business or personal
relationships that represent compromise cost you more peace,
joy, and money in the long run than if you had claimed excellence.
Acts based on poverty thinking only create more poverty conditions.
So you are not rich enough to be poor - you cannot afford what
living from a poverty mentality will ultimately cost you."
Consider what in your current life represents a wealth mentality
and what represents a poverty mentality - not just money, but
business, friendships, family, and relationships. If you were
to proceed from a sense of wealth rather than scarcity, what
would you be doing differently?
I met another fellow who owned a plumbing company. He opened
up the phone book and showed me a large ad his company had taken
out in the yellow pages. At the bottom of the ad, after listing
all the services his company offered, bold letters invited:
Ask us why our prices are higher. So I asked him, "Why
are your prices higher?"
"Our
prices are higher because we use the best quality materials
we can find," he replied. "Our repairmen are trained to be fast,
efficient, and courteous. We guarantee our work, and if there
is any problem with the job we have done, we will come back
and fix it until you are satisfied. That's why our prices are
higher."
Well, that was enough to sell me. I remembered when I had purchased
services or materials just to get a good deal, and I later wished
I had gone for quality rather than economy.
Your presentation of yourself or your business speaks for the
level of quality to which you are committed. After several years
of presenting my Mastery Training in Hawaii, we experienced
a lull in attendance. People were not signing up in the numbers
they had been, and I wondered what it would take to build the
attendance again. Taking the lead from other businesses I had
observed, I lowered the prices. When the program's brochure
was reprinted, I had a banner inserted at the bottom of the
page that listed the tuition: "New lower prices."
When I showed the brochure to a business consultant, his feedback
was, "I like almost everything about the brochure; you present
the program in a very attractive light. The only thing I don't
like is this banner, "New lower prices." I think it cheapens
what you are offering. The program is a class act. Don't demean
it by using advertising tricks that lesser companies use. If
you have a quality program, let it stand on its own merit. You
should charge commensurate to the value of the service you are
rendering."
His
comment rang true. I realized I had undervalued how much help
the program was delivering, and it was truly worth the price
originally stated. I reprinted the brochure with the original
prices, and quickly the programs filled again - even increased
in attendance. People do not mind paying for goods or services
that they find truly helpful. Rather than playing price games,
make your offering as valuable as possible and the money piece
will take care of itself.
If you are considering or entering a new phase of your work,
this would be a perfect time to commit to excellence, to doing
everything in a classy way and not cutting corners. One way
to affirm your wealth and deservingness is to make a meaningful
investment in your chosen livelihood. What item or tool of trade
would make your life or work easier or more fun or efficient?
As I have been writing over the years, the computer industry,
as you know, has hurtled at lighting speed with new hardware,
software, and peripherals. Every three years or so, some new
model or gadget comes along that would make my work more efficient
or fun. I have usually wondered if it was worth spending the
money on this new equipment. Then, as I pondered, I would get
around thinking, "Hey, man, this is the tool of your trade."
If you were a carpenter, you would get the best hammer; if a
pilot, you would want the safest and most efficient aircraft;
if you were a painter, you would find the finest oils colors.
So why skimp on the key vehicle of your profession and service?
Then I would spring for the equipment, move to the next level
in my work, and be glad I did.
Certainly
life is not about money; many wonderful things do not cost much,
or are free. Indeed the best things in life have nothing to
do with money. But money can be a powerful vehicle to practice
and demonstrate intention, belief, and moving energy. You are
not rich enough to be poor. You are rich enough to be rich.
