Ep #100: Million-Dollar Numbers: How to Track Without Comparison

Hey coach, what if last month's low income wasn't a setback at all, but actually the exact opening that you need in order to step into your next level? I'm Kendall, and in this episode of The Money Coach School Podcast, we're talking about how to stop punishing yourself with your numbers and how to start making $1,000,000 decisions that are really anchored in your future vision, not in last month's revenue.

We're going to unpack the subtle ways high-achieving women can end up using income tracking as a quiet form of self-punishment and how to stop doing that, of course. We're going to talk about why forward is the only direction your numbers should face and how to create a feminine, clean relationship with your money data so it fuels growth, not guilt. And of course, I've included specific coaching questions to support you. It's all here for you in this episode of The Money Coach School Podcast. Let's dive in.

Welcome to The Money Coach School Podcast. To really excel at coaching women, you have to be skilled, confident, and even fearless at money coaching. If you're passionate about women holding genuine money power and love supporting women entrepreneurs, then this is the show for you. Now, here's your host, money feminist Kendall SummerHawk.

Hello, my powerful, soulful, money-minded woman, and welcome back to The Money Coach School Podcast. This is the place to be for coaches and consultants who are ready to build real financial power without sacrificing your values or identity.

Now, today we're talking about a very specific habit that's costing women thousands, both emotionally and financially. And as we dive in, it may not sound positive at first, but stay with me because I promise it will end up being the breakthrough you've been looking for in your relationship with money in your business.

The specific habit I'm talking about is punishing yourself with your numbers. And here's what that looks like. You look at a slow month and immediately question your offers. You have a launch that doesn't beat your last one, and you spiral into shame. You compare this year to last year, and the conclusion is always, I'm behind, I should be farther along.

Here's what it sounds like: I used to make more. I'm behind this month. That launch was way better than this one. It feels like shame, it looks like second-guessing, and it creates nothing but contraction. So if you've been shrinking your decisions to match last month's or last year's revenue instead of expanding into what's next, this episode, it's your rewire.

All right, so first is the hidden habit of what I call numbers self-punishment. So for so many high-achieving women, numbers become a form of internal disciplining. Well, I should be making more. I used to do better. This isn't where I thought I'd be. Now, I hear this from women all of the time. So if this is you, I get you. Don't worry about it. You're in good company. We're going to do something about this here today in this episode. And even if you don't say those words out loud, the feeling is there. 

And you know what I'm talking about when you track your numbers but feel worse from doing so? Or you avoid looking at your money because it makes you feel behind? Or you hit a low month and then, you do something not dramatic at all, haha, and you question your entire business or even question what you're doing in your business. And there's that sinking feeling of not enough. Or maybe it's not a terrible feeling. Maybe it's just, gosh, this is just less than last time. And that comparison hits you like a quiet little smackdown.

This is what I call the spreadsheet smackdown. And I know that sounds harsh and not my usual style, but that's really what it is. And it happens when numbers stop being just neutral data and start becoming emotional self-judgment. It's sneaky because you think you're being responsible by checking your numbers. And listen, I am all for numbers tracking. But what you're actually doing is measuring your worth, your growth, and your safety based on what happened in the past. None of this is strategic. It's emotionally punitive. It's disguised as being data-driven, but it's really not.

But here's the truth, and I want you to write this down. Looking backwards at your numbers isn't helping you lead, move forward, because your business doesn't live in the past. So the lesson learned here in this first piece is, your past numbers don't get to decide your future. They just don't. You're not going to give them that power anymore. And they definitely don't get to dictate how you feel about yourself today.

All right, second, why forward is the only direction. So most coaches think income should look like a staircase: up, up, up, up, up. But in real business, income flows. It flows like a river. It moves with your seasons, with your decisions, with your capacity, with your alignment. And that's why anchoring or really rooting into what used to be will almost always make you feel like you're failing, even when you're in the middle of a powerful pivot.

So here's the shift. You need to stop letting your past performance dictate your present confidence. And I know that isn't easy, but I'm going to give you some coaching questions here in just a moment that will help you. You need to let go of what was and start making $1,000,000 decisions based on where you are going.

Your job is not to repeat what was. Your job is to create what's next. Really take that in. Let me say it again. Your job is not to repeat what was. Your job is to create what's next. When you anchor into a number from the past, whether it's a $10,000 month or a $100,000 launch, whatever it is, you're making that the metric of safety instead of what actually creates growth, which is your next $1,000,000 decision. That's where your growth comes from.

I've done a series of episodes on the $1,000,000 ecosystem, as I call it, and I would love it if you would check those out. We'll list them in the show notes here, but off the top of my head, it is episodes 74, which is about developing your $1,000,000 self-concept. Episode 77, why every coach needs a $1,000,000 goal, even if you're at ground zero. Episode 78, six ways to nurture your capacity to make a million. Episode 88, $1,000,000 coaching sessions. So give those all a lesson. We'll link to them in the show notes, and they're going to really start to help imprint upon you in your subconscious, in your heart, mind, and soul, the whole $1,000,000 ecosystem. And this can be a game changer for you.

All right, so let's go back to why forward is the only direction. Your numbers are following you. They're not leading you. They're following you. When you decide from your current income, you stay at that level. You can't do that. When you decide from your identity and next vision, your $1,000,000 self, you expand.

So let me say that again a little differently because it really matters. Your past numbers are not the boss. Your $1,000,000 version of you is.

So something I tell my Secret Energy of Money Mastermind clients frequently is that the money that you're making today is a reflection of the $1,000,000 decision that you made 60 days, 90 days ago. So for example, just this past week in one of our Secret Energy of Money Mastermind sessions, one of my clients reported that she's on her fifth month in a row of being in overflow. And what that means for her is there's money in her primary business account, more than enough to pay all her bills. Money is being added to her savings safety net account. Her debt is getting paid down, and she's not adding more to it. And five months in a row, she's experienced this. But I can tell you, it's from the $1,000,000 decisions she made seven and eight months ago. And I know because I coached her.

Now, fast forward to today with you, and if you're making $1,000,000 decisions today, you're going to see those start to really take hold in the next two to three months.

All right, thirdly, create a feminine, clean relationship with your numbers. Now, again, I'm not telling you to ignore your income or to stop tracking. Absolutely not. I've been tracking my income to the penny, to the day for over 20 years. I've never, ever missed a day. I've never missed a month. But there's a massive difference between tracking to lead and tracking to shame. And here's how you'll know the difference. Tracking to lead feels neutral and clean and clear. It gives you next steps. Tracking with shame, yeah, makes you question yourself. It freezes your decision-making. It makes you shrink to fit.

So how do you shift? Number one, you stop making your numbers mean something about your self-worth. Number two, you stop comparing this month to your best month ever. Number three, you start asking this question, what is this number telling me about what's working and what is it telling me about what wants to evolve? It's a two-part question. Let me say it again. It's so good. What is this number telling me about what's working, and what is it telling me about what wants to evolve?

And number four, you take action from where you're headed, not from where you've been. Your numbers, it's just data. That's all. They are not an identity, and they are not a punishment. They are not a moral grade on your value. This is how you stay in your power. This is what it means to lead with money instead of chasing it.

So to wrap up here, I have three coaching questions for you, besides the ones I the one I just gave you. So here we go. Number one, what number from your past are you still measuring yourself against? Okay? So really identify that and then stop doing it. Number two, if you released every story about what you used to make, what decisions would feel clear and exciting right now? Ah, I love that question so much. And number three, if you only made decisions from your $1,000,000 self, your future self, what would change? Be specific here. What would change?

You know, your income is a reflection. It's not a measuring stick. Start making money decisions that are aligned, forward-facing, and identity-driven, your $1,000,000 self. Because that's how you build sustainable overflow without the emotional heaviness. And just know this, you are allowed to look at your numbers without making them mean anything about who you are. You are allowed to want more without shaming yourself for where you've been. And you are allowed to lead with clean money energy, with a bold vision, your $1,000,000 vision, and no spreadsheet smackdowns allowed anymore.

Now I have one more awesome resource for you. Check out my workshop titled Overflow. It's free. You'll find it at KendallSummerHawk.com/workshop. And I will put the link for it in the show notes as well. I go into detail in that workshop about what are your $1,000,000 decisions. I introduce you to $1,000,000 emotions, which are so pivotal for us women entrepreneurs. And I give you very specific ways that you can step into experiencing overflow in your business starting right now. So again, that’s KendallSummerHawk.com/workshop. Go get that. It's available for you right now.

All right, to close out here, remember, money coaching changes lives, starting with yours. All right, thank you so much, and I will see you in next week's episode.

Thank you so much for tuning into this week's episode of The Money Coach School Podcast. If you enjoyed this podcast, make sure you follow so you never miss an episode. Also, I would so love and appreciate if you would leave a 5-star review. Your review supports women just like you in discovering all of the juicy tips and insights I’m sharing here on how to coach women on money.

And if you want to learn how to excel at coaching women on money, definitely go to KendallSummerHawk.com and check out the wealth of money coach trainings that we have for you. Thanks so much for being part of this money coaching movement and for tuning into the show every week.