how to shift your money mindset from priestcraft to success

Today we are going to be discussing something I believe is a widespread concern in the Latter-day Saint, entrepreneur community. Especially online and especially with women.

We, as women, have this deep need to give and to serve. It is part of our culture. In addition, we don’t pay our clergy or Bishop or Young Women’s President. These people do not get paid, so it can be very difficult for us to feel comfortable being paid online as we try to spread light and goodness. Today I am going to address this concern with you using the book of Nephi.

An example of priestcraft

Is it okay to be earning money while you spread goodness and light online? Well, let’s look at 2 Nephi 26:29. 

“He (God) commandeth that there shall be no priestcrafts; for, behold, priestcrafts are that men preach and set themselves up for a light unto the world, that they may get gain and praise of the world; but they seek not the welfare of Zion.”

This, to me, is exactly what Lucifer did in the preexistence. He wanted to “help,” right? He wanted to make sure we all returned to Heavenly Father, and that seemed to be a very good thing, but it’s the motives of his heart. They were in the wrong place. He wanted to do that so he could set himself up as a light unto the world, so that he could get the gain and the praise of the world. He was not actually seeking the welfare of God’s children.

Consider your motives

I would invite you to ask, why are you doing what you do? What is your true deep motive and why? Is it the money that you earn? Is that what’s going to get you up in the morning and get you going so that you can become rich? Or is it the people that you help, and those people include your family?

If you are in a financial situation right now where you need money for your family, I don’t believe that is poor motivation. But ask yourself, what is it that drives you? What is it that makes you get up and get going and push forward through the hard stuff in this business? Is it because you want to be rich and you want the acclaim and the attention of the world, or is it because you want it to help?

how you use money matters

Here’s something that has really helped me with this concept. That is the truth – money magnifies. Money is not inherently evil. But it does magnify our true character. It gives a mean person more opportunities to be mean, and it gives a kind person more opportunities to be kind.

I want you to really think about that for a minute. What will money magnify in you as you earn more money with your business? What is it going to magnify? Because if it is going to magnify goodness and charity and kindness and generosity then I believe God is 100% behind you in earning money in your business.

I do not believe that priestcraft equals getting paid for bringing people unto God. In fact, our own Apostles receive a stipend. Did you know that? They do. And yet I listen to those men through General Conference or through a book, that I paid money for, and I read their words and I know they have my best interest at heart.

I learned this also on my mission. I served in Atlanta, Georgia and I met so many preachers, from so many different religions, who loved their people with their entire hearts. They loved their congregations and their followings, and they were earning income, and I do not believe they were practicing priestcraft.

In fact, I believe there are people inside our church who are not being paid, who may be practicing priestcraft because they fulfill their callings with the motive of getting the gain and praise of the world.

What matters to you in your business?

Do vanity metrics matter? Vanity metrics are things like the number of followers that you have on Facebook or Instagram. Is it the number of likes you get on a certain post? Is it the number of comments? Are those things that are driving you in your business? Are these vanity metrics – not just the money – but how many people know about you and how many people like you, is that what drives you and gets you up in the morning? Or is it the true, deep, impact you’re having on those lives, the life of real people?

You can have a deep impact on one person or 20,000, but if you are focused so much on the numbers that you forget about the people, I think you’re treading that line of priestcraft. It is extremely hard to find this balance. I struggle. I really do. It is hard. Let me tell you a story. 

Back when we were all asked to stay home because of Covid19 and people became concerned about the economy and people were losing their jobs, I was thinking, how do I secure our family’s financial future? What can I do? And I thought, “well, I can just go back to web design. I’m not earning a whole lot of money in this business of teaching people how to be content marketers yet.” But I was earning money designing websites and I know there’s a need. I have seen so many people requesting help designing their websites so that they can get up and online very quickly.

So I had the thought, “why don’t I just scrap it and go back to web design and our family will be better off financially?” I prayed about it and I realized I didn’t start this business because I wanted to become rich. I started this business because I felt prompted to do so, so that I could help you. And if I left that, I was not being true to myself and what I knew was right. And so I stayed and I launched The Good Start Game Plan instead, which is an e-Course that helps you build a firm foundation for an online business that will be successful.

3 Ways to determine if your money mindset is in the right place

So I have three checks for you today.

1. Check number one is to pray about your business. Pray about big decisions and small ones. Involve God in your business, and I believe you will be able to stay on the right side of the line when it comes to priestcraft.
2. Number two, think of the faces. before I sit down to record a podcast episode or to write a blog post or even social media posts, sometimes I will literally close my eyes and think of your faces, real faces. People I’ve met in person. Just your profile pictures. And I will remind myself that you are real people who actually need help. And that helps me to keep the right perspective and be able to put, serving you above earning money.
3. Number three is to give back. I have committed in my business, and the amount may be different for you, but I have committed to giving back 20% of my profits in addition to tithing in any way God wants me to that month. This helps me to realize when I do earn money, great, it is going to bless my family, but you know what? It’s going to bless someone else’s family too.

Those three checks: pray about your business, think of the faces, and give back will help you stay on the right side of priestcraft without sacrificing your income. It is important that you earn income from your business. Your income will allow you to impact more people, to serve more people, to give more. Remember that money magnifies. Just make sure it’s magnifying the right things in you.

Coming Up

I know you have lots of places to spend your time and when you spend it with me, I am grateful. I want you to join us. I really, really do. I have free gifts for you. I have things that will help you in your business, worksheets and printables. But, there are other women in this group that need you and they need your support and they want to offer their support and help to you. We need each other’s faith, fortitude, confidence and feedback. I cannot wait to see you inside The Goodness Squad.

If you are not yet subscribed to the podcast, please do so because in the next episode we are going to be talking about how to get people to say yes to you more often. Whether that is somebody signing up for your emails, somebody joining your Facebook group or somebody purchasing your product. I am going to show you how to get them. I’m going to give you one simple tip that will help you hear “yes” more often.