Situation · Money and survival
“I measure my worth by how much I earn”
What could be going on
Money status: Fits if you believe your value shows in what you earn and own. In Klontz's survey this went with lower net worth.
Contingent self-worth: Could be worth that rises and falls with results. Check whether a bad month changes how you see yourself.
Relative income: Check whether it's your pay that moves you, or your pay against other people's.
Money worship: Fits if you believe more money would fix how you feel about yourself.
Social comparison: Fits if you track others' salaries, homes and cars, and come out behind.
Marketing orientation (Fromm): Could be seeing yourself as a product with a price. Check how you feel when your price drops.
Questions to carry
- The last time I heard someone's salary, what did I feel in the next few seconds?
- If my income halved, what do I think I would be worth?
Also said as
- my self-worth is tied to my salary
- feel worthless when i earn less than my friends
- net worth equals self worth
- i judge myself by my income
- my husband feels like a failure because i earn more
- can't feel successful unless i'm earning more