Have you heard the story about the fleas in a jar? A flea has the capacity to jump very high and very far. Left to its own devices, a flea has an unimaginable ability to jump considering its size. A little flea with no limits has all the choices in the world right at the end of their good, long jump; however, if you put a flea in a jar and add a lid, the flea will adjust their jump to avoid bonking that lid. Even after the lid is removed, the flea only jumps their modified jump. This is due to the fact the flea believes the lid is there.
Sometimes people are like little financial fleas. They seem to think there is a lid on their financial jar and they will only expand so far to earn. They have every potential in front of them for limitless earning but stop short of the perceived lid for fear of pain.
Let’s take a look at some common reasons people put a lid on their money-making capabilities:
They had a bad experience- The biggest reason someone has a lid on their income-earning potential is a bad experience. Whether they were burned when they trusted the wrong person or lost an investment trying to increase their business, a bad experience can petrify someone and keep them from taking further risks.
Imposter syndrome- The term “fake it ‘till you make it” can motivate some people but others simply can’t wrap their heads around acting “as if” until they truly believe they have the talent, education, or practical experience to be wealthy. Feeling inadequate and an imposter can keep people under a lid or their own making.
They are risk averse- All things come with a degree of risk. Some people are unafraid to take risk while others are unwilling or unable to take a very big leap. Being averse to risk challenges their psyche too much. While you can make wealth by simply saving and using interest and low-risk investments, true wealth comes from taking risks – losing sometimes and winning other times.
Having a lid on your money-making capabilities isn’t a horrible thing. Like the flea, you may associate risk with pain and no one wants to feel pain. Unlike the flea, you can overcome your thinking and undo the thoughts and behaviors that put the lid in your way. Get some education or talk to someone who can help you identify your lid and get it out of your way.
