Money isn't about the numbers on a screen. It’s about the headspace. You’ve probably seen the bright yellow cover of Jen Sincero’s book sitting on a shelf and wondered if it’s just another collection of "manifesting" clichés or if there’s actually some meat on the bone. Honestly? It's a bit of both, but the core premise hits on something most financial advisors miss entirely: the psychological block that keeps people broke despite having the skills to be rich.
Success is a mindset. Boring, right? We’ve heard it a thousand times. But when you realize that you are a badass at making money the moment you stop treating wealth like a scarce resource, things get weird. In a good way.
People often stay stuck in "survival mode" because they’ve been conditioned to think that wanting money is greedy or that earning it has to be a grueling, soul-crushing grind. That's a lie. Real wealth—the kind that lets you sleep at night—comes from a mix of radical self-belief and very specific, non-negotiable actions.
The Mental Shift That Changes Your Bank Account
Most people approach their finances from a place of "lack." They look at their bank account and see what isn’t there. They focus on the bills, the debt, the things they can't afford. Sincero argues, and many high-performers agree, that focus is a magnet. If you focus on being broke, you stay broke.
It sounds woo-woo. It kind of is. But let’s look at the logic. When you’re stressed about money, your brain is in a high-cortisol state. You aren't creative. You aren't spotting opportunities. You’re just trying to survive the next thirty days. To break out, you have to adopt the persona of someone who is already successful.
This isn't just about positive thinking; it’s about "acting as if." Think about how a wealthy person handles a business meeting versus how someone desperate for a paycheck handles it. The wealthy person isn't afraid to say "no." They aren't afraid to ask for what they're worth. They have "abundance" energy.
Why Your Upbringing is Sabotaging Your Income
We all have "money stories." Maybe your parents always said, "We can't afford that," or "Money doesn't grow on trees." Those phrases aren't just annoying; they're programming. They create a subconscious ceiling. You might be working sixty hours a week, but if your internal thermostat is set to "struggling middle class," you will find a way to blow every windfall you get.
Breaking this requires a deep dive into your own BS. You have to identify the specific lies you believe about wealth. Some people think rich people are inherently evil. If you think that, your subconscious will never let you become rich because you don't want to be a "bad" person. It's a self-sabotage loop.
Turning "Badassery" Into Tangible Revenue
Believing you’re a badass is step one. Step two is actually doing the work. But not the "busy work" that feels like progress while yielding nothing.
One of the most effective strategies for increasing income is the "Value Exchange" model. Money is simply an exchange of value. If you want more money, you have to provide more value to more people. Or, you provide an insane amount of value to a few very wealthy people.
Look at the creator economy. Someone like MrBeast (Jimmy Donaldson) didn't get rich by "manifesting" views. He obsessed over the psychology of why people click. He provided entertainment value on a scale that was previously unthinkable for a single individual. He understood that you are a badass at making money when you solve a specific problem for a specific audience.
The Power of Decision
Most people "want" to be rich. They don't decide to be rich. There’s a massive difference. A wish is passive; a decision is active. When you decide, you burn the ships. You stop having a "Plan B."
Think about the story of Sylvester Stallone selling his dog because he couldn't afford to feed it while trying to get Rocky made. He didn't want a "job." He decided he was an actor and a screenwriter. That level of commitment is terrifying to most people, which is exactly why most people stay in the middle of the pack.
You don't necessarily have to sell your dog, but you do have to stop treating your dreams like a hobby.
The Logistics of Wealth (Beyond the Mindset)
Let's get practical for a second. Even if you have the mindset of a lion, you can't build a kingdom if you're leaking cash into high-interest debt or depreciating assets.
- Audit your circle. Jim Rohn famously said you’re the average of the five people you spend the most time with. If your friends constantly complain about being broke and "the man" keeping them down, guess what? You’ll keep complaining too.
- Invest in yourself first. This isn't just a Dave Ramsey quote. It’s a reality. If you spend $1,000 on a course that teaches you a skill worth $10,000, that’s a 900% return. You won't find that in the S&P 500.
- Automate the boring stuff. Badasses don't spend three hours a week manually moving money between accounts. Set up your systems so that wealth-building happens while you're asleep.
Dealing With the "Fear of Greatness"
It's a real thing. People are often more afraid of success than they are of failure. Failure is familiar. We know how to handle being "just okay." Success brings new problems: higher taxes, people asking for handouts, the pressure to maintain your status.
To truly embrace the idea that you are a badass at making money, you have to become comfortable with being "too much" for some people. You will lose friends. People will call you "different." They might even call you greedy. That's the price of admission.
Actionable Steps to Claim Your Badass Status
Don't just read this and go back to scrolling. If you want to change your financial reality, you have to disrupt your current patterns immediately.
- Identify your top three money "limiting beliefs." Write them down. Seriously. Get a pen. Write things like "I'm not good with numbers" or "I have to work hard to earn money." Then, write the opposite. "I am a financial genius" or "Money comes to me easily and frequently." It feels silly. Do it anyway.
- The "24-Hour Revenue" Challenge. Find one thing in your house you don't use and sell it on Facebook Marketplace or eBay today. Not tomorrow. Today. This proves to your brain that you can create money out of thin air through the exchange of value.
- Upgrade your environment. You don't need to buy a mansion. Just go sit in a high-end hotel lobby and buy a $10 coffee. Observe how the people there talk, move, and interact. Get used to the "vibration" of wealth.
- Forgive your past financial mistakes. Stop beating yourself up over that bad investment or the credit card debt from your twenties. That version of you didn't have the tools you have now. Let it go so you can move forward.
- Commit to one high-income skill. Stop trying to "side hustle" with five different things. Pick one: sales, coding, copywriting, digital marketing, or whatever aligns with your talents. Become the best in the world at it.
Wealth is a choice that you make every single morning. It starts with the radical, slightly uncomfortable belief that you are worthy of it. You aren't just "trying" to make it. You are already there; the reality just hasn't caught up to your mindset yet. Keep pushing, keep investing in your brain, and stop apologizing for wanting more.
