Introduction to
‘The Psychology of Money’
While others struggle with financial stability their entire lives.
Today, we’re going to explore a groundbreaking book that delves into this very question: ‘The Psychology of Money’ by Morgan Housel. In a world where financial advice is often reduced to oversimplified dos and don’ts, ‘The Psychology of Money’ offers a fresh perspective, encouraging us to understand our own unique money mindset.
Lesson 1: Wealth is not the same as money.
Now let’s start with a question: What comes to mind when you hear the words wealth and money? You might think they’re the same, but ‘The Psychology of Money’ offers a different perspective.
It suggests that wealth isn’t about the money you accumulate; it’s about the money you keep.
We know money is what we earn from our jobs, our businesses, or our investments. It’s a medium of exchange—we trade our time, skills, or goods for money.
Wealth, on the other hand, is what we save and invest. It’s the part of the money that we don’t spend. Wealth buys you freedom—freedom to do what you love, freedom to take risks, and freedom from worrying about the future.
Often, we equate wealth with a lavish lifestyle—fancy cars, luxurious houses, designer clothes—but these are just displays of money, not wealth. True wealth is invisible; it’s the money that’s been saved and invested, not the money that’s been spent.
So understanding the difference between wealth and money is crucial because it changes our perspective on financial success.
As Morgan Housel puts it, the world is filled with people who look rich but are poor and people who look poor but are wealthy. So which one would you rather be?
Lesson 2: Luck and Risk
In the second lesson in the psychology of money, Morgan Housel introduces us to two often overlooked factors in financial success: luck and risk. Luck is when unforeseen opportunities come your way; it’s the good fortune you didn’t necessarily earn or foresee.
Risk, on the other hand, is an exposure to danger or loss—the potential downside of any decision we make.
In the world of finance, both luck and risk play a huge role. Sometimes people become wealthy because of luck—they were in the right place at the right time or made a decision that unexpectedly paid off. On the other hand, people can also lose money due to unforeseen risks—a sudden market downturn, an unexpected expense, or a bad investment.
We often hear stories of self-made millionaires who built their fortunes from scratch, but these stories often overlook the role of luck and risk. Yes, hard work and smart decisions are important, but so are luck and the ability to navigate risks.
Understanding the role of luck and risk in financial success can help us make better financial decisions.
It reminds us to be humble when we succeed, knowing that luck played a part, and to be resilient when we fail, knowing that risk is part of the process.
As Morgan Housel puts it, the only factor that you have control over is how you save, invest, and think about money. If you master that, you have won.
Lesson 3: Never Enough
Moving on to the third lesson, Never Enough, it explores our insatiable desire for more. Humans have a tendency to always want more—a raise, a new car, a bigger house.
You know there’s always something else we desire. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, as it can drive us to work harder and achieve more.
But when it comes to money, this desire can lead to stress and dissatisfaction. This phenomenon is often referred to as the hedonic treadmill. We work hard to earn more money, thinking it will make us happier, and it does—but only for a while.
Soon, we adapt to our new standard of living, and the cycle begins again. We’re running on a treadmill, exerting effort but not getting any closer to lasting happiness.
The pursuit of more can lead us to take unnecessary risks, spend beyond our means, and sacrifice our health and relationships for the sake of wealth. It can also blind us to the wealth we already have.
So understanding that more is never enough can help us break free from the hedonic treadmill. As Morgan Housel puts it, the hardest financial skill is getting the goalpost to stop moving, but it’s one of the most important.
Lesson 4: Confounding Compounding
Next up, the fourth lesson is Confounding Compounding, and it’s all about the power of time and patience in growing wealth.
If you don’t know, compounding is the process where the value of an investment increases because the earnings on an investment—both capital gains and interest—earn interest as time passes.
Imagine you have $100 in a bank account that earns 10% interest per year. After one year, you’ll have $110. But in the second year, you’ll earn interest not just on your original $100 but also on the $10 you earned in the first year.
So at the end of the second year, you’ll have $121. That extra $1 is the result of compounding.
The power of compounding isn’t in the interest rate, but in the amount of time you allow it to work. The longer you leave your money invested, the more time it has to grow, and the more profound the compounding effect becomes. This is why starting to save and invest early is so important.
Many people underestimate the power of compounding because its effects aren’t immediately visible. It’s like watching a tree grow day by day—you might not notice any change, but over years and decades, a tiny sapling can grow into a towering tree.
That’s why understanding compounding can fundamentally change the way we approach saving and investing.
As Morgan Housel puts it, the ability to stick around for a long time without interruption is what makes compounding magic.
Lesson 5: Getting Wealthy and Staying Wealthy
Work Moving On
You’ve probably heard stories of people who won the lottery or inherited a fortune, only to end up broke a few years later. It’s a common tale that highlights an important lesson from the psychology of money.
Getting wealthy often involves taking risks, being bold, and seizing opportunities. It’s about growing your income, whether through a high-paying job, a successful business, or savvy investments.
But getting wealthy is only half the battle. Staying wealthy, on the other hand, requires a different set of skills. It’s about being frugal, avoiding unnecessary risks, and not spending money just because you have it.
It’s about preserving and protecting the wealth you’ve accumulated. Many people believe that once they’re wealthy, their financial worries will be over, but wealth can bring its own set of challenges. There’s the fear of losing what you’ve gained, the temptation to spend extravagantly, and the risk of becoming complacent.
Understanding the difference between getting wealthy and staying wealthy can help us make smarter financial decisions.
Lesson 6: Tails, You Win
Next up, let me ask you: Have you ever noticed how some events have a disproportionate impact on the outcome?
A single decision, a stroke of luck, or an unexpected event can dramatically change the trajectory of our financial journey. This is the essence of the sixth lesson, “Tails, You Win.”
In statistics, a tail event is an event that lies on the extreme ends of a distribution curve. These events are rare, but when they occur, their impact is huge.
In the context of finance, a tail event could be a windfall gain, a market crash, or a once-in-a-lifetime investment opportunity. Tail events play a significant role in shaping our financial outcomes.
A single-tail event can outweigh years of steady returns or losses. For example, if you had invested in Amazon or Bitcoin early on, the returns from that single investment could overshadow the rest of your financial decisions.
Many people plan their finances based on averages, like average returns, average risks, and average lifespans.
But real life is not average; it’s messy and unpredictable, often shaped by these tail events. So, understanding the role of tail events can help us better prepare for the uncertainties of life.
As Morgan Housel puts it, “Few things in money are as important as realizing the big gains come in frequently, either from compound interest or outlier events.”
Lesson 7: Freedom
The seventh lesson is freedom, and it’s all about the true value of money in the context of finance. Freedom isn’t about being rich or having a lot of money; it’s about having control over your time and decisions.
It’s the ability to do what you want when you want without worrying about money. Money is a tool that can provide freedom, but it’s not the end goal. The end goal is the freedom that money provides.
This could mean different things to different people. For some, it might be the freedom to quit a job they hate; for others, it might be the freedom to travel the world or spend more time with family.
Many people equate financial freedom with wealth; they believe that once they have a certain amount of money, they’ll be free. But freedom isn’t about how much money you have; it’s about how you use it.
Understanding that the true value of money is freedom can change the way we approach our finances.
Lesson 8: The Man in the Car Paradox
Happy moving on! The eighth lesson is the “Man in the Car Paradox.” The Man in the Car Paradox is a concept that challenges our perception of wealth and success.
It suggests that the person driving a $100,000 car might be less wealthy than the person driving a $20,000 car. Why? Because the person with the cheaper car has chosen to invest their money instead of spending it on a luxury vehicle.
We live in a society where wealth is often equated with material possessions; the more expensive your car, the more successful you must be.
But this perception can be misleading. True wealth is not always visible; in fact, it often goes unnoticed because it’s invested in stocks, real estate, or other assets, not flashy cars or designer clothes.
Many people fall into the trap of trying to keep up with the Joneses, spending money they don’t have to buy things they don’t need to impress people they don’t know.
But this kind of spending can lead to financial stress and doesn’t necessarily reflect true wealth. So, understanding the man in the car paradox can help us redefine our perception of wealth and success.
Lesson 9: Wealth is What You Don’t See
What you don’t see is wealth! Lesson 9 emphasizes that wealth is not about the material possessions you accumulate but about the assets you build.
It’s the money you’ve saved and invested, not the money you’ve spent. In other words, wealth is what you don’t see; it’s invisible.
Spending money on luxury goods and experiences can provide immediate gratification, but it doesn’t build wealth; in fact, it often depletes wealth.
The money you spend on a fancy car or a luxury vacation is money that isn’t being saved or invested. Many people equate wealth with a lavish lifestyle; they see someone driving a luxury car or living in a mansion and assume that person must be wealthy. But this isn’t necessarily true.
The person who drives a modest car and lives in a modest home may be wealthier because they’ve chosen to save and invest their money instead of spending it.
So, understanding that wealth is what you don’t see can change our perception of success and happiness.
It teaches us the value of frugality, saving, and investing for the future.
Conclusion and Call to Action
And that, my friends, brings us to the end of the first part of our journey through the 18 lessons from the psychology of money.
We’ve covered a lot of ground, from understanding the difference between wealth and money to acknowledging the role of luck and risk to appreciating the power of saving and investing.
But it’s not over; stay tuned after this video for the second part, where we’ll talk about the remaining lessons from this insightful book.