2 seemingly innocuous words could be holding you back from getting rich

When it comes to getting rich, your choice of words matters more than you may think .

As success coach and author Jen Sincero writes in her new book, "You Are a Badass at Making Money," "If you're broke or not where you want to be financially, you can be sure that your language could use an upgrade."

Two seemingly innocuous words are particularly limiting, Sincero says: "I know."

"Nothing slams the door on further investigation and radical action faster than, 'Yeah, I know it's important to be aware of my thoughts. No need to explain — next topic!'" she writes.

"They're very sneaky words because we tend to think we're rather impressive for knowing things, when in reality, no matter how much we 'know,' there are always more sides to the story, giant leaps of faith, and an infinite number of questions that could massively expand our awareness."

While average people shut themselves off from new ideas and perspectives by using the words "I know," the wealthiest, most successful people continually seek improvement, no matter how much they earn or achieve. They never fall into the trap of thinking they know everything, similar to the way they never feel like they've "made it."

"Walk into a wealthy person's home and one of the first things you'll see is an extensive library of books they've used to educate themselves on how to become more successful," self-made millionaire Steve Siebold writes in "How Rich People Think." "Their commitment to lifelong learning is one of the primary reasons they own most of the wealth in the world."

As Sincero puts it, if you want to get rich, "it's critical to stay wide-eyed and wondering."

Don't miss: If you want to get rich, you first have to give yourself permission

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