The Psychology of Wealth: How to Start Thinking Rich with Dr. Brad Klontz
Release Date: 05/26/2025
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_outlineIn this episode, I welcome back financial psychology expert Dr. Brad Klontz to explore his latest book "Start Thinking Rich: The 21 Harsh Truths to Take You from Broke to Financial Freedom." Unlike his previous works, this book takes a direct, no-nonsense approach to addressing the mindset barriers that keep people financially stuck.
Episode Highlights:
The Psychology Behind "Harsh Truths"
- Why Dr. Klontz chose a more confrontational tone for this book
- The difference between therapeutic approaches and direct accountability
- How triggering language like "broke" and "rich" can break through emotional noise
- The timing element: only 2 out of 10 people are ready for direct confrontation at any given time
Broke vs Poor: A Critical Distinction
- "Broke" defined as a temporary state of having no money
- "Poor mindset" as a dangerous mental framework that can keep you broke forever
- The importance of attacking the mindset, not insulting people who lack money
- How poor mindset can affect people earning £100,000+ per year
Developing a Rich Mindset
Internal vs External Locus of Control
- The rare person who looks at their financial situation and says "my mindset got me here"
- Why people with external locus of control often stay broke forever
- The power of focusing on the 50% you can control rather than blaming external factors
- How internal locus of control is the strongest predictor of future wealth
The Money Avoidance Paradox
- People who believe "rich people are greedy" also tend to worship money more than others
- The internal struggle: "I hate money but desperately want to be rich"
- How negative beliefs about wealth create psychological barriers to achieving it
The Body-Mind Connection in Money Psychology
- How financial trauma passes down through generations via DNA changes
- The fight-or-flight response around money stored in our bodies
- Why poverty creates survival behaviours that later keep people stuck
- The importance of acknowledging ancestral trauma whilst moving beyond it
The Social Dynamics of Wealth
- Why people sabotage themselves when they achieve financial success
- The tribal psychology: we're wired to stay within similar socioeconomic groups
- How friends and family unconsciously sabotage your financial growth out of love
- Dr. Klontz's personal experience moving away geographically to manage this dynamic
Teaching Children About Money
- Wealthy families have significantly more money conversations than middle-class families
- Dr. Klontz's strategies with his children: emphasising giving, investing, and hard work
- The importance of saying "that's not how we choose to spend our money" rather than "we can't afford it"
- How digital money makes spending easier and less emotionally connected
Practical Applications
- Finding role models who have achieved your goals and share your background
- The strategy of asking successful people for 20-30 minutes of their time for advice
- Why surrounding yourself with people who have a "poor mindset" will hold you back
- The fire (Financial Independence Retire Early) movement example of extreme opposite culture
Final Thought
The key to developing a rich mindset starts with cultivating an internal locus of control. When facing any problem, ask yourself: "What red flags did I ignore? What can I do differently moving forward?" This shift from blame to personal agency is the foundation of wealth-building psychology.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction to Financial Psychology and Dr. Brad Klont
01:58 Exploring 'Start Thinking Rich' and Harsh Truths
06:29 The Difference Between Broke and Poor Mindsets
10:12 Personal Agency and Financial Mindset
15:49 The Connection Between Love and Money
20:39 Body-Mind Connection in Financial Psychology
25:16 The Impact of Social Circles on Wealth Mindset
29:59 The Psychological Impact of Financial Success
36:05 Navigating Relationships and Money
42:55 Teaching the Next Generation About Money
46:02 Cultivating a Rich Mindset
Resources:
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