The Four Planning Types: What Does Money Mean to You?

Something I often hear during calls with entrepreneurs is, “Monica, I don’t need or want to make a TON of money. I feel like there are other things that are more important to me, like family or adventures, so I don’t quite know what to focus on in my business. I don’t even know if being an entrepreneur is right for me.”

I meet so many different kinds of entrepreneurs, and I know that many of you would totally agree with this statement – that you’re not interested in money for the sake of money.

Maybe you have a day job or generational wealth, or you’re the kind of person who is happy living on just enough money. Maybe you’re someone who absolutely loves money, luxury, and really nice things.?

I want you to know that wherever you are on the scale of money desire is OK.

At the Big Comeback Event in December, I teach what I call the four different planning types, or four different ways that people think about their businesses.

As you’re thinking about what money means to you, I’d like for you to consider these four types.

The first planning type is the Nurturers. Nurturers are folks whose number one priority is taking care of their family – whether that’s children, elderly parents, or loved ones navigating illnesses or disabilities. Their number one value is being a really good caretaker – and they must plan their businesses around the hours they spend nurturing.?

A Nurturer’s business needs to support their role(s) as a caretaker. If you are a Nurturer, then the money that you’re bringing in most likely supports you either in taking care of your family or taking care of yourself.

The second type is the World-Changers. These folks are up to big things in the world. Maybe they want to create a foundation or create scholarships for young people in their field.?

If you’re a World-Changer, you want the money you make to fulfill your grand vision – to fund your nonprofit, your cause, your movement in the world.

The third category is my Adventurers. Adventurers are the kind of people who like to be off the grid. They don’t love structure. They value large amounts of time off – maybe to travel around Europe for a month or go on a two-month yoga retreat.?

Adventurers value travel and adventure experiences far more than they value shiny objects. If you’re an Adventurer, the money that you’re making needs to be enough to support your adventures and support you between adventures.?

And finally, the fourth category is the Empire-Builders. Empire-Builders want a bigger platform. Maybe they love the spotlight and want to be on stages and TV shows or write a bestselling novel. Maybe they want lots and lots of money because they like nice things. Maybe they’ve got a dash of World-Changer in them and want to affect thousands of people.

If you’re an Empire-Builder, you love money for its ability to help you build not just your business empire, but your personal empire – to expand your domain, accrue savings for yourself and future generations, and create a lasting legacy for your family.

Now that you’ve read about all four types, my guess is that you’re some combination of them. If that’s the case for you, break it down into percentages – maybe you’re 70% World-Changer and 30% Empire-Builder, or maybe you’re 20% Adventurer, 30% Nurturer, and 50% World-Changer.

This week, think about what parts of you align with each of these types. Ask yourself, what is your motivation for making money and what do you want to be able to do with that money?

Once you know what you want to put your money towards, you’ll find that you can have a much better relationship with the prospect of making more money.?

Whether you’re a Nurturer, a World-Changer, an Adventurer, an Empire-Builder, or some delightful combination of types, you’re going to need a plan to support you in your money-making endeavors.

I’d love to see you at my next free 90-minute masterclass: Make 2025 Your Year of Sales and Freedom. During this masterclass, I’ll teach you the annual planning process that creates $1M+ every year in my business.?

We made so much progress in our webinar this morning, and we’ll be back at it on November 18 from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. EST. Join us!