Money Stories

What money story do you tell yourself?

We all have them

That little voice in our head that tells us about our relationship with money and finances.

I need more money, there’s never enough.

I’ll always be in debt so what’s the point in trying to pay any of it off.

I need $x in my bank account or else I’m failing.

I’ll be happy when I make $x this year.

I can’t trust anyone else with my money, least of all the stock market.

You may not even be aware of what money scripts are running through your head as it’s often something that we’ve carried with us all our lives. Usually, it’s picked up when we were young and based on how we saw those around us interact with their money.

If they ignored their finances, maybe you then became hypervigilant.

If they treated credit cards and loans as free money, you may have internalized that behaviour.

If they didn’t talk about finances, which is often the case, you may have no idea where to start.

A money script I’ve come across often is a mix between “there’s never enough” and “I’ll be happy when I’ve made *random number*”.

The people with this mentality often worked more days than they were home and, in exchange, made a really good annual salary.

There was more than enough already.

But there’s always this idea that we need more. That having more or making a certain value will then equate to happiness.

Usually, it doesn’t so then we’re chasing the next goal post and chasing the next value.

Next time you’re thinking about your financial situation and certain beliefs come to mind, try to question where they come from. Realize that the behaviour was adopted as a way to adapt to the world around you and embrace that it served you to a point. Ask yourself if it is still serving you and, if it isn’t, it may be time to question that story and write a new one.