What happens when you don't ask for money?

It's a strange thing when you get talking to people about taking action in the community... or even in business for that matter. Almost immediately one of the first questions that comes up is... and I don't mean days or weeks later I mean almost immediately... Where can we get funding for this?

We are so conditioned by money that we believe the only way we can do anything is if we can get money to do it. So... basically what we are saying is this... we are only empowered to do things so long as there is enough money to pay for it. We are therefore hampered and completely dis-empowered because we have given all our power to start anything away to money. If we take this to the extreme...

• Unless money is available we might as well not start
• Those with money become the controllers of our ability to start anything
• Those with money can choose to give it to those who provide the greatest return (for them) on their "investment"
• With money comes the unspoken requirement of allegiance to those that provided it

Of course the requirement that we need money to start anything is a belief perpetrated most effectively by guess who? ... yep, those with money. These people need you to want their money. They create situations that are good for you if you take their money, and they are doing you a favour giving you the money. But to everyone who has ever borrowed money before (all of us probably have experience of this), who do you think gets the best deal? This applies to businesses, charities, community group funding, right through to buying a house with a mortgage.

What if we stopped asking for money?

What if instead of saying... where are we going to get the funding for this? ... we said... right how are we going to get this started without money? ... what tools have we got at our disposal that are zero cost? ... or, tools that are so little cost that those helping can just chip in a little bit each. Who can we ask to contribute some services? Who can we ask to contribute some time? ... who do we know that does what we need for a living in our community, and wouldn't mind helping out? 

What happens next?

Things start to happen... a project is formed and people begin to take action. Other people start to get excited and want to join in. People like to help. Before you know it there are 12-15 people... and momentum begins to build.

Local organisations start to want to collaborate... they see the energy... connections get made and we begin to realise that there are more people out there wanting to help... now they are being asked to contribute something they want to give... time, skills... connections... not being plagued for money again.

Suddenly we see community being knitted back together again. How did that happen? ... we took the focus off money and looked for alternatives to do things. 

We have been so conditioned by those who wield the money to believe this is the most important thing... IT ISN'T... we got sold a pup!!! ... and we believed them.... TAKE BACK YOUR POWER NOW!!

Watch the changes that happen when those with power (money) realise

Let us take a very simple example. A small community project starts to kick off. It is a great initiative that benefits the community. No idea (or rather I know exactly why) the local people in the council didn't start such an initiative... maybe they thought it would cost too much. Anyhow... let's say it gathers momentum and people in the community see it as a good thing and begin to back it.

Roll the clock forward... and how about those in power, what are they thinking? ... a handful of them begin to see that this is a good thing that the people in the community support... so they begin to back it. 

Those of course backing the community project, come along to meetings, engage with the community begin to develop meaningful deeper relationships and mutual respect and support is the outcome.

Now of course those not backing the community project have a choice. To join those involved in the project and be part of the community... or back away and further distance themselves from what the people actually are voting for.

No money requested... no enforced allegiance... no control

So when we don't ask for money... we free ourselves to do what it is we want. What works for us. We are not controlled and managed by those who 'enabled' the project. We begin to see Money was just a form of control... there is never enough money... and it is always given out in small enough quantities to stave off 'the end' but ensure allegiance and control. The charity sector is rife with it.

Of course in the example above what happens is that gradually there is a shift of power back to the people, the community. Those in power realise they will lose respect (and votes) if they don't support what the community wants. Those who thought that we 'the people' exist to provide those 'in charge' with power and position suddenly realising that they are there to serve, not self serve.

The world is full of such corruption where money is the tool used to buy allegiance, buy decisions, control people and manipulate the situation to benefit the few...

What is stopping us creating huge changes? A Belief that everything begins with money...

If we were to realise that the only thing that is stopping us is the belief that money is needed to get things done. If we spend our time not focused on how we are going to get the money, but rather how we can achieve what we want with as little money as possible then... then... we can bring about change just as fast as we want too...

Are you ready?? ... If it is going to be, it is up to WE!