I saw a comment someone made on our Facebook page recently, and it really made me think. It’s actually a pretty common and pretty loaded thought. What I mean by loaded is there is a very destructive mindset that is attached to this certain belief. But most people don’t realize that.

So today I want to expose this mindset to you. Because you probably know someone in your immediate family or circle of friends who have this mindest. Heck, it may even be you.

The question I asked on Facebook was, "What is your biggest challenge with money?" There were hundreds of answers to this, but there was one that really stood out to me… One gentleman said, "If I could find a money tree with $10,000 on it, I wouldn’t feel trapped anymore."

The reason this comment was so interesting is because it’s such a good word picture of how most people feel. "If only I made more money, I wouldn’t be in the trouble I’m in," or "I wouldn’t be so far in debt if I made more money." Maybe even, "If my boss would give me a raise, we would be so much better off financially." Sound familiar?

Think about it…

Think back to your very first job. Was it babysitting, mowing lawns, delivering newspapers, walking the neighbor’s dogs, shoveling snow? Think about how much money you made doing that. A couple bucks an hour, maybe?

Are you making more money today than you did when you first entered the workforce? You bet! But are you further in debt today than you were then? There’s the proof.

So you tell me – is making more money really the answer? Will that actually solve your money problems?

The truth is, if you have poor habits when it comes to handling your money, it is absolutely detrimental for you to make more money.

I know debt can feel like it’s sucking the life out of you. I know financial struggle can feel like it’s never going to end. I know you may feel like you’re drowning, and the idea of having more money is a life preserver.

But here are the cold, hard facts: If you are spending everything you make now, when you make, say, $2,000 a month, you will still spend everything you make when you are making $5,000 a month or $20,000 a month.

Back when I went from being homeless to becoming a millionaire within 2 years, my lifestyle grew right along with my income. I spent money as fast as I made it.

I went from traveling coach on an airplane to flying 1st class. I went from eating at McDonalds to eating at 5-star restaurants. I went from shopping at JC Penney’s and Ross to Nordstrom and Saks 5th Avenue. I moved out of my small apartment and into a $250,000 condo filled with expensive furniture. I spent everything I made. And why? Because I had the money.

Why are you spending everything you make, whether it’s at Denny’s or a 5-star restaurant? Why are you buying more groceries each week when you still have food in your pantry? Why are you out shopping when you have a closet full of clothes? Because you have the money.

It wouldn’t matter if you had an extra $10,000 a month… How you spend your money now is how you would spend it then. Your spending habits will continue, just on a larger scale… UNLESS you change your habits.

The bottom line is your money – your paycheck, the money you have right this very moment – is supposed to reproduce itself.

I want you to think of your money as a seed. When you plant a seed, it grows and produces fruit. Your money is supposed to grow as well. It’s not supposed to be just a paycheck that you get each week or each month, just to spend it all.

Your monthly income is supposed to grow something, just like a seed. But most people live paycheck to paycheck, which means they are eating all of their seed. If you eat all your seed, you have nothing to plant and grow.

So now that we have dug down to the root of this issue, you see that making more money will not cause your money troubles to disappear. It will only cause you to spend more money.

In order to change that reality, you must change your financial habits.

That’s why it’s so important to know exactly where every penny is going. This week I want you to track your spending. I want you to pay close attention to where your money is going.

Don’t focus on wishing you had more money so that you could pay off your debt, save for retirement, send your kids to college, or make investments. Focus on being faithful with the money you have right now. Focus on growth! You will be amazed what will happen…

This mindset is a lot more common than you may think. Like I said earlier, you probably know someone who believes making money is the answer to their financial problems. So today, let’s do our part in helping our families, co-workers, and communities. Please share this email, and post it on your social media sites as well.

You can also tell me your thoughts about today’s Daily Fix! I’d love to know if you’ve ever dealt with these issues, and if today’s message helped you at all.

Have a great Monday! Until next time, God bless you!

In great faith,

P.S. In case you missed it earlier, here’s where you can learn to annihilate your debt WITHOUT increasing your income.