The common mistake so many of us make is to over focus on the money when we want more of it! The problem with obsessing over the financials is that we then lose touch with the magic of making money.

Interestingly, money magic happens when we focus on creating value for others. We make more money with greater ease when we put love into what we do, when we solve problems for people and when we pay attention to what we are doing in the here and now.

However it is very difficult to be present for others when we view them as potential dollars. That over focus on the cash gets in the way.

The money magic secret is to handle the money after you deliver value. In sport we are familiar with the mantra "keep your eye on the ball!" Why is that? Because if you give 100% on the field and give attention to the ball the score will take care of itself. Watching the scoreboard will not improve your score but watching the ball will.

In terms of making money this means we need a game plan with financials that work before we step onto the field. Then, once we start playing the money game we need to pay attention to giving - give attention to who you are dealing with, act with love and give solutions to problems.

When you act from a place of giving people will notice your sincere concern for their welfare and that is when the money takes care of itself. The law of reciprocity kicks in - they want to give back to you. They gladly buy if you have what they want and they willingly refer others to you.

What can you do now to activate your money making magic?

1. Focus on solving problems

Ask yourself: who can you help who will pay for your expertise?

The world we live in has more problems than we can ever solve in one life time and this represents a huge opportunity. Solve problems for people who will eagerly pay for a solution and you can write your own pay check.

As life becomes more complex - be thankful! More complexity and a faster pace of life creates new problems. And many of these new problems require specialist skills to solve them. More good news for you!

Why? Because specialist skills are expensive to hire. Specialists in all walks of life are among the highest income earners even if the professions are relatively new e.g. voice recognition software engineers, plastic surgeons, satellite radio technical troubleshooters.

2. Whoever pays the bill deserves 100% of your attention

Focus on the person with the money - obsess over defining what they want and commit to delivering on your promises. When you get this right the money will follow.

When you do this congruently you will stand out from the crowd - many know they could do this but few do so. Your ability to listen, to care about the interests of the other person and to deliver the goods as agreed will ensure you make a positive impression on everyone you deal with.

3. Recognize what money really is

Money measures your results. It does not equate to your value but rather to the value you contribute and your ability to communicate that value.

This is great news! You can always improve your skills and contribute more value i.e. you can always boost your income.

As you earn more do track the results but never forget that money is a consequence of your problem-solving skills. If you want more money you need to solve more problems - just make sure to provide solutions others are willing to pay for.