You Don’t Rise to Your Income Goals, You Rise to Your Money Identity
by Lesley Thomas
What if your income wasn’t actually a reflection of your ambition, skill, or effort, but a reflection of something far more invisible?
Not your business model. Not your marketing strategy. But your money identity.
You can have the clearest plan, the best pricing structure, the most ambitious revenue goal stuck to your whiteboard. But if there’s a part of you that still believes
- You’re not good with money.
- You’re not allowed to charge more.
- Success comes with guilt.
- Or wealth is for other people
Then no strategy in the world will get you where you want to go.
Because we don’t rise to the level of our income goals, we rise to the level of our money identity.
What is your money identity?
Your money identity is the internal belief system that dictates how you think, feel and behave around money.
It’s the story you’ve unconsciously written over time, through childhood experiences, cultural messages, family conditioning and society’sl expectations.
It answers questions like
- What am I allowed to earn?
- How much is “too much”?
- What does it mean about me if I succeed, or if I don’t?
This identity isn’t something you see in your bank account. But it’s what determines how you show up with money every single day.
It influences the decisions you make, the opportunities you ignore, the actions you delay and the limits you unconsciously set.
How your identity shapes your results
Most people assume their income is limited by time, ability, or market demand.
But the deeper truth is this, your income is often limited by how safe you feel being someone who earns that much.
When you hold a money identity shaped by scarcity, guilt, fear, or shame, you’ll subconsciously find ways to stay within the emotional range of what feels familiar.
That might look like
- Delaying price increases because you’re afraid of judgment
- Avoiding looking at your finances because it triggers shame
- Over-giving in your business or work and undercharging for your value
- Sabotaging success when things start to flow, because it feels unsafe to expand
It’s not a mindset problem, it’s an identity mismatch.
Why strategy alone isn’t enough
You can download all the lead magnets. Read every book. Listen to a load of podcasts.
But if your money identity is stuck in old stories of not-enoughness or fear, you’ll struggle to implement what you know, or you’ll find yourself undoing progress the moment it begins.
Many women are brilliant at helping others but uncomfortable receiving. They’ve achieved on paper, but deep down, still feel undeserving. They crave financial freedom, yet carry guilt for wanting more than “enough.”
This creates a cycle where you gather more knowledge but don’t feel more empowered,
Because what needs to change isn’t just what you do, it’s who you believe you are in relationship to money.
Who do you need to become?
Instead of asking, “What do I need to earn?”, ask, who do I need to become to feel safe, worthy, and empowered around money?
This shift reframes the process entirely.
The real work is not in pushing harder, It’s in removing the layers that told you, you couldn’t have more. It’s in reconnecting with a deeper sense of self-worth, and anchoring into your values, boundaries and clarity.
The version of you who holds more money isn’t some far-off fantasy. She’s already within you,
But she’s likely buried under years of conditioning that said:
- Don’t be too much
- Don’t outshine others
- Be grateful for what you have
- Stay small to stay safe
Practical ways to begin shifting your money identity
This is not an overnight fix. But small, conscious actions can start to open the door.
Here are five ways to begin
- Notice your language around money
Start with your words. Are you constantly saying, “I can’t afford that,” or “I’m terrible with money”? Replace those with more neutral or empowering statements like, “I’m working towards that,” or “I’m learning how to manage money better.” - Reflect on inherited beliefs
Ask yourself, what did I learn about money growing up? Was it associated with stress, control, power, danger, or love? Gaining awareness of these beliefs helps loosen their grip. - Practice feeling safe with more
Most people think money will bring peace, but if your body is wired to feel stressed around it, you’ll resist or spend it quickly. Sit quietly, imagine receiving more, and notice what emotions come up. Stay with them, gently. - Celebrate every financial decision that aligns with your values
Whether that’s setting a new boundary, raising your rates, or finally opening your bank statement, celebrate it. Confidence builds through consistency. - Anchor your future self
Visualise the version of you who already feels confident and calm with money. What does she say, do, feel, and believe? Let her be your internal guide when doubt shows up.
You’re not broken, you’re becoming
If this resonates, know this, you’re not behind. You’re not failing. You’re simply evolving.
The fact is, your current income is not a reflection of your potential, it’s a reflection of your current money identity.
And that identity is not fixed. It can be reshaped. It can be healed. It can be rebuilt into something far more aligned with who you really are, and what you’re capable of.
Not through more force. But through greater self-trust, emotional clarity and identity integration.
Because when your inner world changes, your outer results follow.
Always.
Lesley Thomas is the founder of The Money Confidence Academy and host of the Let’s Talk Money and More podcast.
For more information visit, www.themoneyconfidenceacdemy.com, to find out more about Lesley, her coaching and resources. Or connect with her on LinkedIn
Tune into the ‘Let’s Talk Money and more’ podcast, to hear from Lesley and her guests, talking everything money, mindset and financial growth.
