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The book Mind over Money, by the father-son duo, Brad Klontz and Ted Klontz, explores the psychological and emotional reasons behind destructive financial behaviour.
Let’s look at some of the key lessons from the book.
Childhood beliefs
As per the book, self-defeating financial behaviour like overspending, stinginess, etc, is a result of deep-seated beliefs shaped by childhood, past experiences and trauma.
Money scripts
It is deeply ingrained, often subconscious, beliefs about money formed during childhood that affect financial behaviour. “Things will get better if I have money” is an example.
Family dynamics
Money scripts are rooted in family dynamics and experiences. A child who grew up in poverty may develop a scarcity mindset with a tendency to hoard money.
Money disorders
Money disorders are persistent, predictable, and often rigid patterns of self-destructive financial behaviours that cause stress, distress and impairment in personal life.
Pathology
The book states that financial pathology (money disorders) typically manifests in three ways: money avoidance, money worship and money relational disorders.
Avoidance
Money avoidance disorders involve a systematic rejection of money. Financial denial (ignoring money problems), financial rejection, excessive risk aversion and underspending are examples.
Worship
It involves a person placing a disproportionate amount of importance on money. Hoarding money, unreasonable risk-taking (pathological gambling) and compulsive buying are some examples.
Relational
They involve using money to be controlled by others or being manipulated by others. Financial dependency and financial infidelity (lying to a partner about money) are some examples.
Resolution
One of the ways to move forward is to acknowledge hurts, understand the lessons learned and rewrite money scripts. It allows a person to process pent-up emotions.
Financial therapy
It involves journaling, meditating, and visualising to challenge beliefs and rewrite money scripts. The book also suggests seeking help from therapists and financial planners if needed.
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