From piggy banks to P&Ls, the lessons you absorbed as a kid still call plays on today’s money decisions. Catch the old script and the body cue it rides in on (tight jaw, urge to rush), then swap in a better rule, smarter sizing, cleaner pricing, calmer holds, without forcing it.
What exactly is a “money story”?
A money story is a small bundle of:
- an early lesson you absorbed,
- a body cue that turns on under pressure, and
- a default rule you follow without noticing.
Formula: Story = Belief you learned + Body cue now + Rule you run
- Belief (childhood): “Big wins never last.” / “We can’t afford mistakes.”
- Body cue (today): tight chest, jaw clench, urgency rush.
- Rule (default): “Take profit fast.” / “Don’t scale a winner.” / “Discount to close the deal.”
Why childhood?
Before age ~10, we learn money by watching (not lectures): tone around bills, fights or silence about spending, how windfalls were handled, what counted as “responsible.” Those patterns became safety rules. Under stress, the nervous system reuses those rules to keep you “safe,” even when they cap your upside today.
Common childhood scripts → adult behaviours (with business impact)
- “Money is hard to keep.”
Behaviour: exit winners early, over-diversify, under-size A-grade ideas.
Impact: capped upside; high activity with mediocre compounding. - “Don’t be greedy.”
Behaviour: underprice services, rush to discount, avoid raising prices with value.
Impact: thin margins, cash-flow stress, hard to fund growth. - “Play it safe.”
Behaviour: freeze on clean opportunities, never pilot; analysis becomes delay.
Impact: missed windows, competitors capture momentum. - “Big wins never last.”
Behaviour: churn: constant tweaks to soothe anxiety, not to improve returns.
Impact: fees, context switching, team fatigue. - “We don’t talk about money.”
Behaviour: avoid P&L reviews, soft targets, vague KPIs.
Impact: slow feedback loops, mistakes repeat.
How to spot your story in real time
Look for triggers: time pressure, social stakes (board, partner, team), uncertainty spikes (market moves, cash squeeze).
Then notice tells:
- Body: breath gets shallow, shoulders rise, jitter to act fast.
- Thoughts: binary (“all-in or nothing”), recency bias (“last email = truth”), catastrophising (“if I don’t act now, it’s over”).
- Actions: close winners early, hold losers, discount, over-order inventory “to be safe,” or defer a clean hire.
These aren’t intelligence gaps. They’re old safety rules running the show.
10-Minute Money Story Map (do this once)
Grab a pen.
- Earliest memory: Write one early money moment (age, scene, what was said).
- Belief it taught you: e.g., “If I win, I’ll lose it later.”
- Body cue today: What you feel during decisions (tight chest, jaw clench, rush).
- Rule you follow now: e.g., “Take profit fast. Don’t let it run.”
- Helpful reframe (one sentence): “I can let winners run with planned exits.”
- One new rule: e.g., “When price hits target A, trail a stop instead of closing all.”
Stick this on your screen.
A tiny 7-day experiment (safe, practical)
Pick one behaviour to test, small and reversible.
- If you cut winners fast: Next qualifying position, scale out in two steps (50% at target A, trail the rest).
- If you avoid risk entirely: Take a starter size (¼ normal) in one A-grade setup with a clear stop.
- If you churn: Allow two entry windows per day only. Everything else goes to a watchlist.
Track: result, stress level (0–10), and what you learned.
After-action note (2 minutes)
Answer:
- What did I do that matched my plan?
- What was emotion, not evidence?
- One sentence I’ll use next time (e.g., “Winners earn time; losers earn speed.”)
Why this works
You’re not fighting yourself; you’re updating an old rule with a small proof. Each tiny win makes the new story feel true, so it sticks.
Book a 15-minute “Performance Edge Audit.”
We’ll map your current decision habits, pinpoint the patterns costing you most (dysregulation, dopamine loops, money stories, attachment reflexes, or review gaps), and install one simple, customised protocol you can use the same day.
