Breaking Money Cycles: Why You Feel Broke Even When You Have Money (10-Minute Daily Fix)
It's Not About The Money
Have you ever looked at your bank account and thought "this should feel like enough," yet still felt that familiar knot of anxiety in your stomach whenever money came up? You're absolutely not alone in this experience. This week, I'm diving deep into why you can feel broke even when you have money - and it has nothing to do with the actual numbers in your account. The real culprit? Your nervous system and how it's been programmed to recognise what feels "safe" around money. If you grew up hearing "we can't afford that" or witnessed your parents stress about finances, your body has been...
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Breaking Money Cycles - Why Saving More Money Never Makes You Feel Safe
It's Not About The Money
In this deeply personal episode, I explore why having more money often doesn't make us feel safer, and why this isn't actually a money problem - it's a meaning problem. Drawing from my own experience of nearly losing my youngest son Thomas twice in his first five weeks of life, I reveal how our "not enough" programming around money often stems from our deepest fears about being unprepared when someone we love is at risk. Through my three-zone model of receiving, holding, and giving, I break down how these inherited money beliefs create an exhausting cycle where we work harder but can never...
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Why Hustle Culture is Killing Your Success: The Long-Haul Leadership Revolution with Chris Ducker
It's Not About The Money
In this episode, I'm joined by Chris Ducker, serial entrepreneur, founder of Youpreneur, and author of the brand new book "The Long-Haul Leader." Chris shares his deeply personal journey from building multi-seven figure businesses whilst burning himself out, to being diagnosed with phase three adrenal failure, depression, and anxiety all in the same day in 2021. What emerged from that breakdown was a complete reimagining of what sustainable success looks like - moving away from hustle culture towards what he calls "long-haul leadership." We explore his Life OS framework with its four key...
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Building a Business That Runs Without You with Alexis Kingsbury
It's Not About The Money
Episode Overview In this episode, I'm joined by Alexis Kingsbury, a multi-entrepreneur who started his first business at just 12 years old, yet failed with six consecutive businesses throughout school and university. After being told by a management consultant that he'd "never be able to build a team" and having his first employee quit saying his company had "no culture, no processes and no proper ways of working," Alexis has gone on to build two successful software businesses and a consulting practice serving over 600 organisations worldwide, including Google, Sony and Pepsi. Most...
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From Leukemia to Financial Adviser: How Crisis Shaped My Money Story with Michelle Taylor
It's Not About The Money
Episode Overview In this episode, I'm delighted to chat with Michelle Taylor, founder of Women in Wealth and host of the "Talk Wealthy to Me" podcast, who shares her incredibly powerful and vulnerable money story. From growing up with two parents who had completely opposite approaches to money, to being diagnosed with leukaemia at 17, to finding herself unable to buy a magazine at the airport because four credit cards were declined - Michelle's journey is a masterclass in resilience and financial transformation. Her story beautifully illustrates how our early money experiences shape us, and...
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How to Break Generational Money Blocks in 7 Days
It's Not About The Money
In this episode, I share a powerful story about a well-known financial celebrity who, despite decades of expertise and clear logical reasons, had been putting off the same property purchase for almost 20 years. What we discovered in our conversation reveals everything about why you might be undercharging, avoiding money conversations, or sabotaging your financial success - and it's not what you think. Through my seven-day money story discovery process, I'll show you how to uncover the hidden inherited survival strategies that have been passed down through three generations, affecting every...
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Always Free - How to Become Financially Free with Jason Graystone
It's Not About The Money
In this episode, I'm delighted to chat with Jason Graystone, author of "Always Free" and investor who achieved financial freedom at just 30 years old. Jason and I actually met on a ski trip with Daniel Priestley earlier this year, and I couldn't resist having him on the show to discuss his remarkable journey from hiding behind the sofa as bailiffs knocked on the door in his childhood council estate, to building a half-million subscriber YouTube channel and living completely financially free on his West Sussex farm. We dive deep into why most people never achieve financial freedom, the...
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Master Female Financial Freedom in 1 hour: Everything They Never Taught Women About Money!
It's Not About The Money
In this comprehensive masterclass episode, I share everything I learned during my 15 years working inside banks as a trained financial adviser, watching thousands of intelligent people convinced they weren't good with money. After discovering that you don't need to be rich to get started, don't need financial qualifications, and definitely don't need to love numbers to build wealth like the top 1%, I'm pulling back the curtain on the complete system that's helped thousands break free from financial stress. This is your complete guide to transforming your relationship with money - covering both...
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How to Build Rich Relationships With Selena Soo
It's Not About The Money
Episode Overview In this episode, I'm delighted to chat with bestselling author and visibility expert Selena Soo about her incredible book "Rich Relationships." After following Selena's work for years and witnessing the transformative results her expertise creates, I dive deep into her revolutionary approach to building, nurturing, and activating your million-dollar network. We explore how rich relationships - those that massively enrich the quality of your life - are truly the fastest way to get from where you are to where you want to be, especially in today's economy where trust is at an...
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Why You're Busy But Not Profitable (And The 3 Ways To Fix It)
It's Not About The Money
In this episode, I tackle one of the biggest challenges facing business owners today: working 50-70 hours a week but still lying awake wondering where all the money has gone. Through a real client case study and practical strategies, I reveal why being busy isn't the same as being profitable, and share the three fundamental ways to transform your hard work into actual profit that pays you properly. Chapters 00:00 The Busy vs. Profitable Paradox 02:45 Understanding Profit Confusion 06:07 Designing Your Life for Profit 09:13 The Importance of Knowing Your Financial Needs 12:06 Time...
info_outlineEpisode Overview
In this episode, I explore why so many female founders experience "success ceilings" - those moments when business finally gains momentum, money flows in, goals are hit... and then something happens to pull us back down. Whether it's sudden emergencies, procrastination on new opportunities, or discounting services, these patterns aren't random. They represent unconscious self-sabotage that happens when money starts to flow.
Key Highlights
Understanding Success Ceilings
- Success ceilings manifest as unexpected obstacles just as business gains momentum
- Common signs include anxiety around increased sales, sudden "emergencies" requiring spending, procrastination on opportunities, discounting services, and boundary issues
- The brain is trying to protect us by returning to what feels familiar and safe
The Cautionary Tale of Nasty Girl
- Founder Sophia Amoruso grew from an eBay store to $100 million in revenue
- Appeared on Forbes' list of richest self-made women with net worth of $280 million
- Released bestselling autobiography "Girlboss" and Netflix series
- Filed for bankruptcy in 2016 and was acquired for just $20 million in 2017
- Illustrates both the excitement of rapid success and challenges of sustainable scaling
The Psychology Behind Self-Sabotage
- We all have a financial identity - a concept of how much money we "should" have
- When we exceed our unconscious money set point, we experience identity disruption
- Ancestral programming can trigger safety warnings when we achieve unusual success
- Trauma changes how genes express themselves, and these changes can be inherited
- Our nervous system responds to unfamiliarity by shifting into fight, flight, freeze, or fawn
- Fear of others' expectations creates resistance to expanded success
Breaking Through Success Ceilings
Nervous System Regulation:
- Practice deep breathing: inhale for 4, hold, exhale for 6
- Place one hand on heart, one on stomach while affirming "It is safe for me to receive"
- Regular practice helps rewire physical responses to success
Create Success Containers:
- Open a separate bank account for new income levels
- Practice writing larger invoices and sending them to yourself
- Rehearse conversations about higher rates
- Visualize having a financial team supporting your expanded business
Identity Work:
- Ask: "Who do I need to become to hold this level of success?"
- Create identity statements that align with your expanded financial reality
- Find accountability partners who expect this level of success from you
- Establish celebration rituals for financial milestones
- Set clear boundaries around time and energy
Inspirational Examples:
- Sarah Blakely maintained 100% ownership of Spanx when investors came knocking
- Her quote: "Success to me is internal, not external"
- Built a billion-dollar company by focusing beyond just numbers
Final Thought
Success limits aren't character flaws—they're protective mechanisms that once served us but no longer do. With awareness and practice, we can break through to new levels of sustained success where it feels safe to thrive.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction to Success Ceilings
02:50 Understanding Success Ceilings
06:04 The Story of Sophia Amoruso
08:55 Psychology Behind Self-Sabotage
11:55 Ancestral Programming and Financial Identity
14:53 Nervous System Responses to Success
18:08 Breaking the Cycle of Self-Sabotage
20:58 Practical Steps to Embrace Success
23:47 Visualizing and Embodying Success
27:03 Creating New Financial Containers
29:49 Conclusion and Next Steps
Resources:
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