Breaking Benjamins

He that is of the opinion money will do everything may well be suspected of doing everything for money. 
- Benjamin Franklin

Often I hear language that makes this profession entirely about the money. We as a society mostly revolve around the having, obtaining, acquiring and making of money. Yet one does not evaluate the cause and effect of making money. I ask people “Why do you serve?” “Because it’s good money” is usually the answer and often times they are even bewildered at such a question. It was even my answer for many years when I first got in the game. Now as I see it, I have one of the greatest jobs; to hang out with people while I bring them food. It’s pretty simple when I leave money out of the equation.

Money isn’t the cause, money is the effect. Ask yourself ‘what is the cause of making money?’ And more specifically, what is YOUR cause? The flow of money is determined by the energy behind it. Money IS energy and big money follows big energy. One only earns the amount of money in accordance to their energy. There in lies the the matter of choice; you choose the cause or the effect. Have you ever noticed how you are not at all thrilled by your server if they aren’t putting any energy into their job? Why be here at all? There’s a perfectly suiting position waiting for that person working customer service calls in a call center. You get out what you put in, or (the old saying) you reap what you sow. So find the cause... and the effect is up to you, the server.

Letting money be the cause that creates the effect contributes to feelings of loss, jealousy, greed, worry and fear. Feeling like the world owes you is letting money be the cause. It’s amazing how powerful it is. Have you noticed that people who hate money are usually people who don’t have much of it? Or can never get control of it? It’s tied to being the root of all evil. When statements like this are said, the focus is on the money being the cause (root) creating the effect (evil). Money is a great thing in abundance and substantial to society. Think of how many people, organizations and societies are blessed, not by the money itself, but what it can do for communities. There’s always enough of it to go around.

Physically, money is just strips of special paper and ink made valuable only by the society in which we live. Our conditioning is the only thing that gives it it’s worth. How much is foreign money worth to you? It’s the same thing, isn’t it? Let go of the mental conditioning that focuses our minds to know how much it’s worth and focus on how much YOU the individual service provider are worth. I configure how much I’m worth in a dollar amount per hour of contribution I put in. When I set my time to value ratio, I can see the results of what I’m sowing and configure ways where I reap more value by being honest about the results. In fact, I never count my tips as I receive them. To me, this is a relative way of staying attached to money. Letting go and letting it come has been the best result. I can always feel how much I made by the end of the night and I’m never far off if not over.

Letting go of the expectations and simply focusing on connecting with people puts one in the flow of money. Expectations are what keeps the brain stuck on whether it’s good or bad money. Well, it’s just money. People always ask “Did you make money?”  “Did you make good money?” I say “Yes, I always make money.” It’s true! Even if I made $30, I still made money, and oh baby was it good! That’s $30+ from before I started. It’s exactly what I deserved at that moment in time due to the the circumstances. If you’re making ‘good’ money and having a good night, which is the cause and which is the effect? You want to ask yourself which comes first when you get in the flow. When money is the cause and not the effect, it becomes a consuming focus of energy and we forget why we are here in the first place; to give great service!

What is ‘good’ money? Vs ‘bad’? Is it possible to make bad money? Is it cursed if it’s bad? Is it blessed if it’s good? In that case, all money earned is good. I’ve never looked at a paycheck and said “Hey, this is bad money!” If I felt that way, that puts me in the effect of feeling that I’m owed. (going back to before) Any money received is good money. It’s a blessing to even receive money at all. This is why it’s called “gratuity.” It’s a form of gratitude for receiving great service. It’s a give and receive relationship and it’s not just on a restaurant level; it’s not just on a workforce level; it’s a larger universal scale. Think big, act big, receive big. It’s the game of life! What a prosperous moment to know that. Because we only get what we deserve and it shows in our value of service. If you feel, not just good, but great about yourself, the effect is people will feel great about you too. It’s a the cycle, the flow, the zone, the game, and you’re in it!