Episode 180: Sarah Von Bargen on the Prosperity Gospel

We’ve all seen the messages plastered all over social media and in our inbox about how we can make more money. But what happens when that message is simply unrealistic — or actually wrong? In this episode, guest Sarah Von Bargen talks about the prosperity gospel, redefining success, finding happiness, and avoiding the trap of a “fancy” life.

Now, I think you all know that, around here, I’m all about you making more money, as I personally see way too many business owners suffering when they don’t need to. But here’s what I don’t always talk about. While I lead with a message about making more money, it’s a bit of a trojan horse as many of the factors around making more in your business are about empowering you as a boss and about you figuring out what will work for you, taking control of your schedule and, most of all, getting what you really want — not just money — out of your business.

So much of the money talk in the online business world and western culture is problematic, so when I saw Sarah Von Bargen tackling this on Instagram, I knew I wanted to have her on the show. We cover a lot of ground in this interview, but I know you’ll walk away with at least one or two nuggets for your business and your life.

Here’s What We Discussed:

1. Sarah talked about her business and how she makes money.
2. What the prosperity gospel is.
3. How the prosperity gospel gets tied up success in business and what we as business owners need to be aware of.
4. How she helps people make more money in a way that doesn’t play into prosperity gospel thinking.
5. Sarah shared ways to live a full life without spending massive amounts of money.

Sarah’s Bio:

Sarah is a speaker, writer, and educator who helps people spend their time, money, and energy on purpose.

Three Lessons from Sarah:

1. Money mindset is a thing, but we need to acknowledge the privilege around it, and we can’t just assume that everyone is starting where we are. There are a lot of factors that impact our ability to make money, and the idea that we can all make more money the same way is flawed.
2. Find ways to define success outside of money. Being successful shouldn’t be dependent on your bank account or business revenue. Sarah shared how she’s defined success and how that plays into her life choices.
3. We talked about the idea of shopping for your real life, not your fancy life, and I think that fits well with spending in our businesses. We make business “investments” for the future, but we need to think if we really need those things or not. I know I’ve made some terrible investments in my business thinking that was what I needed to get to the next level or that it was simply the way things were done.

Links for the Show:

• Sarah’s blog 
• Sarah on Instagram 
• Bank Boost Book 
• Make it Stick Habit School