"10 Traits of Underearners" an excerpt from the book OVERCOMING UNDEREARNING: Overcome Your Money Fears and Earn What You Deserve by Barbara Stanny Published by Collins. Posted here with permission.

INTRODUCTION

In "Overcoming Underearning, " financial guru Barbara Stanny helps readers change their relationship with money and realize that underearning is often self-inflicted. Stanny's expertise lies in helping women gain financial independence, but the lessons learned in "Overcoming Underearning" apply to both genders.

Stanny, the leading authority on women and money, is a motivational speaker, educator, former journalist, and career counselor. She is the author of two previous books, "Prince Charming Isn't Coming: How Women Get Smart About Money" and "Secrets of Six-Figure Women."

In "Overcoming Underearning, " she shows readers how to: stop undervaluing themselves and underestimating their worth, control self-sabotage, quit living paycheck to paycheck, and become financially empowered. More than just a collection of tips to increase material wealth, the book acts as both a journal and a workbook, incorporating Stanny's belief that changing one's perspective about money takes both "Inner Work" and "Outer Work." The dozens of self-evaluation tools throughout the book give it a personalized edge.

The excerpt is entitled "10 Traits of Underearners," and is an eye-opening description of people who earn less than their potential despite their need or desire to do otherwise.

EXCERPT

"10 Traits of Underearners" by Barbara Stanny
All underearners, without question, share one common trait: a high tolerance for low pay. This is a sure sign of underearning. Yet even that description doesn't tell the whole story. "Low pay" is a relative term. You can make six figures and still be an underearner. Conversely, you can earn far less and not fit that category.

Don't let the term fool you. Underearners can be hard to spot.
What does it mean to be an underearner? To start with, it has little to do with the amount of money you make. It has everything to do with your attitude.

Underearning is rarely a conscious choice. It never leads to a saner or more satisfying life. It always involves self-denial -- not only of money, but time, freedom, impact, and joy; denial of your value, your power, your needs, and your options.

TEN TRAITS OF UNDEREARNERS

1. Underearners talk as if they're trapped.

Underearners feel stuck, as if they have no control over their lives or their time. And they truly believe it. They justify, defend, or rationalize their situations with an array of excuses that block out their options with emotional blinders. They can't see past where they stand. And when they do, they don't like what they see.

I vividly remember a teacher in one workshop becoming almost combative. "I can't leave what I do. I'm raising a daughter. I'm not trained for anything else. I'm not going back to college to type someone's memos. I don't want to have to struggle, start at square one, and work all the time."
"You're painting an awfully dismal picture," I told her. But what got her attention were the two former teachers who had transferred their skills into fulfilling careers. One works for an educational consulting firm; the other is a technical writer.

2. Underearners give their power away.

No wonder underearners feel trapped. They're constantly projecting...

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