Wealth and Under Earning

I’m hearing a lot – through online seminars – about achieving what we’re worth financially and becoming wealthy. I know those people are genuine in wanting their listeners and clients to share in their wealth, and that they see wealth as more than money: it’s an all round wellness, including spiritual.

I won’t name people or I will feel I am attacking them, and I don’t wish to do that. But I am referring to a large group of American speakers and authors who offer assistance who have a common thread of the law of attraction.  

one lady whose work I have much enjoyed spoke of her “healthy 6 figure salary”. There is a paradox in that phrase for me.

The same group talk of under earning because we do not value ourselves to believe we can charge what we are worth. This is particularly true of self employed people, they say. Put your fees up. Negotiate a raise and benefits if you are working for someone else.

This is what the client sees:

Someone who over prices themselves; not one who has great self esteem but is closer to megalomaniac delusions. I knew of a therapist who charged double what the standard rate was and claimed he was worth it. It turned me away from him. He set such a high precedent for himself that I doubt he could match what my expectation would be of someone who charged that much.

I find myself feeling very socialist here. Many people’s jobs, which they maybe happy in, will never be six figures. Is there really enough money in the world for all of us to have that kind of salary?

Not all of us can or want to run or own business, which seems to be where much of there grow rich advocates suggest the money is, especially in financial or internet companies. I am a firm believer in supporting high street trade and having the possibility of direct personal contact. Other businesses suffer when too much is available online – just a trip to DVD shops this week showed that even the big chains are reducing their stock drastically  – I fear that the internet has far more to do with that than the supposed recession.

We need a society with cleaners, bank clerks, admin assistants, retailers, teachers, nurses… to name a few of the many roles. These jobs do not earn hundreds of thousands; even high end ones like lawyers and doctors do not earn millions. In fact, neither does our Prime Minister.