Your Money Story
Two plus two equals four, but that doesn't mean it's the right answer.
When others make choices we wouldn't, they’re irresponsible or foolish. But our own decisions? We lean on context.
Others’ mistakes are character flaws, while ours are products of circumstance.
In other words, we outsource blame while importing credit.
Financial choices result from more than numbers. Humans are not cold, calculating machines rationally analyzing algorithms. Our memories, traumas, values, and cultural background shape everything we do with money.
When you understand someone's story, the irrational becomes clear, and your confusion is clarified.
Money stories often start with moments of loss or shame.
Someone pays off their mortgage instead of investing. For someone who watched their parents lose their home during the 2008 crisis, the peace of mind of owning their home outright is worth more than a larger investment account.
Who am I to tell them they’re wrong?
A friend leases new cars instead of driving paid-off used ones. Wasteful, you might think, until you hear about her dad's old car breaking down during school drop-off. The loud boom that echoed across the parking lot, the pathetic sputter, the eruption of classmate laughter. Her choice to prioritize reliability now seems less about waste and more about protecting past wounds.
Sometimes stories cross generations and borders.
A young professional keeps half his savings in gold and Bitcoin. Growing up, he watched his family lose everything to failing banks. His choice is a careful response to inherited trauma.
Not all money stories stem from pain.
A friend invests heavily in small businesses because she watched her mother build a thriving restaurant from a food cart. She learned that taking risks, while scary, can transform lives. Her aggressive investment strategy isn't reckless. It's an expression of hard-earned optimism.
Personal finance isn't physics. Money is more than math. An irrational choice on paper can be a reasonable decision in real life.
It's not about knowing what's right for everyone; it's about understanding what's right for you.
Take the road of curiosity and you’ll find the deeper truth.
Every decision is rooted in a story. One that is impossible to know from the sidelines.
Instead of starting with spreadsheets and investment returns, begin with questions:
Why is money important to me?
What's my first memory of money?
What does financial security mean to me?
The path to financial well-being, like all personal growth, begins with looking inward.
Next time you're tempted to judge someone's financial choices, pause. Ask yourself what story might be behind their decision. Better yet, examine your own money story.
What experiences shaped your instincts?
What emotions drive your decisions?
Understanding your relationship with money might be the most valuable investment you'll make. Not because it will make you richer, but because it will help you write your own story instead of following someone else's script.
And in the end, your story is all that counts.