3 Money Hacks Rich Millennials Swear By That Totally Confuse Gen-Z
Discover the surprising financial tricks wealthy millennials use to build their fortunes.
Kaboompics.com | Pexels As a Millennial, I’ve learned so much in my pursuit of monetary success. A lot of that time was spent in deep frustration around money like many Gen-Zers feel. Yet, I figured out some hacks and found a few lesser-spoken-about ideas that helped me not be as confused about money — and will hopefully help younger generations, too.
Here are three money hacks rich Millennials swear by that confuse Gen-Z:
1. Money flows to energized people
Ask most people about their opinions on money, and they will tell us how getting money feels good. "I’ll be happy when I make an extra $10k per month," they say. Money absolutely can make us feel better. But In truth, it isn’t money showing up in your bank account that feels good. It’s your thinking that life is better with more money and more Instagram models that feels good.
Realizing this taught me another, far more important lesson about money. What if we flipped that around? What if money was more easily realized if we felt good first? When we’re relaxed, we perform better. That’s a fact. We become more resourceful and creative when we perform better and are positive and energized. Exactly the traits needed if we’re to provide value to the world and receive money as a reward.
Perception plays a significant role here, and we have control. We can choose to drop stressful thoughts. When we do, we’ll be lifted, and we’re far more likely to make money if our intention is there. The alternative is to stress about not having it, which makes us less likely to ever experience the good feelings we were hoping for in the first place.
"Figuring out how you experience stress is your first step to proper stress management," advised psychologist Judith Tutin, "What form does your stress response take? Is it that sick-to-your-stomach feeling, a pounding headache, or a desire to get in bed and pull up the covers, avoiding everything and everyone? When you've identified your stress response, don't ignore it! Notice it each time it occurs, acknowledging that something is stressing you out."
2. People who fear losing themselves will push money away
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Most of us grow up riding the watery adage that money will make us happy. Thinking this, wouldn’t it compute that losing money will make us unhappy? Absolutely. That’s how many of us subconsciously see things. That’s why most of us are terrified of both losing money and making it, according to a study in Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience. Because the more we make, the more money we will have that risks getting lost. Isn’t that crazy?
This also applies to the money-making process. We’re scared to make the sale and ask for money because if someone slaps us with a big NO, that will be felt as a loss, and we will be sad. So we avoid it. We avoid money-making because we fear losing ourselves. Why ourselves? Because we tie happiness to us, not situations. It’s personal. It’s about self-worth.
Lose money: lose self-worth. I don't like doing that. Well, forget it, and get back to reality, bud. Money has nothing to do with you. It’s not about worth or happiness. Money is a tool and nothing more. Lose money? Big whoop. More incentive to get out into the world, take some courage, have fun, and give everything you have to serve people.
3. Money flows to those who need it least but want it most
A curious thing happens when we attach ourselves to the outcomes of things. We depend on something working. Our entire physicality responds to this visceral requirement in us for money, and we tighten up. We’re in a sales call and — with a bead of sweat running down our cheek — act a little too interested in the sale. And when they say "I’ll think about it," you appear visibly upset.
Now the buyer is gone. We were needy, and needy is creepy. But this doesn’t mean those who do well to attract lots of money want money any less.
Oh, they want money all right, and lots of it. They just don’t need it from you. They aren’t attached to any one client, buyer, or customer saying yes. They are unattached and relaxed and, in many cases, have trained themselves to relax. They want your money — it would be great if you said yes, and they will connect with you so they can make a deal that serves both parties.
But they act cool when the money doesn’t exchange this time because the real value is in making new connections and closing more than they don’t. Perhaps you’ll buy down the road. And you likely will because they moved on as if they didn’t have a care in the world. Why? Because they had options.
Alex Mathers is a writer and coach who helps you build a money-making personal brand with your knowledge and skills while staying mentally resilient. He's the author of the Mastery Den newsletter, which helps people triple their productivity.