Your Money Scripts Revealed

If you want to rocket yourself forward, you have to find a way to get there. One technique I can share with you is how to make your ‘Money Scripts’ explicit, so you can spot any flaws in your thinking. This will make a world of difference to your trading results.

Depending on your upbringing, you may have different views on the value of money and what it means to you personally. Often rooted in religious or cultural beliefs, many traders inadvertently sabotage their own livelihood due to the view that money is evil. This may happen unconsciously. Even though we are surrounded by materialistic goals, some people allow negative statements to creep into their conversations that can be detrimental to their financial well-being.

Have you ever heard the saying, “Money is the root of all evil”? Or, when you see an expensive car driving past, have you thought, “They must be drug dealers”? If so, your views about money may be seriously affecting your trading results. Fix this, and you’re one step closer to living life on your own terms.

One of the simplest ways to stop these types of thoughts from affecting us is to make them explicit. Spit them out. Articulate them.

By spelling out exactly what your beliefs are, you may be able to boost your awareness and eventually diminish their hold over your life. This exercise will help you do just that.

Print out this section of your newsletter and fill it in without overthinking each statement. Alternatively, grab a notebook and fill in your answers.

Don’t just read about it. Do it.

The people who are picking up a pen and filling this in right now have already set themselves apart from the mediocre masses.

Even if you think some of the areas discussed overlap, complete each statement. Just use the first words that come into your head.

• People who have money are:

• My mother always told me that money:

• If I had enough money, I would:

• Money tells people you:

• I use money to:

• Money allows you to:

• If money were no object, I would:

• Money is:

• Dad thinks money:

• The best thing about money is:

• The richest person I know made his/her money by:

• Money comes to those who:

• In my family, people who have money are:

• Money can help:

• The worst thing about money is:

• People with money are:

• If someone doesn’t have much money, they are:

• Enough money will let you:

• If I had lots of money, people would:

• My family thinks money:

• Eventually, I hope to have enough money to:

• The scariest thing about money is:

• Money lets me:

• I really want to use my money to:

• My main influencer in the field of money is:

• When I was a kid, there was never enough money to:

Have a look at your list of thoughts about money. Are there any themes that stand out that could help or hinder your progress with trading?

Where did your thoughts about money come from? Do you feel any of these ideas are holding you back as a trader?

Take some time to detail your thoughts about money here:

I can bet you’ve already had a few things fall into place after completing this exercise. I know that some of these issues can be confronting, but your level of financial achievement will rarely exceed your level of self-development – so you’re already one step closer to developing clarity.

I know some of these emotional issues may be challenging to confront, but they’re key to unlocking your full potential as a trader. I’m here to push you, challenge you, and even confront you if it means helping you break through the mental barriers that are holding you back from the life you truly want to create.

If you’ve skimmed through this article without fully engaging, now is the time to go back and complete the exercises. Don’t underestimate the power of this process—it’s the first step in rewriting your financial future and taking control of your trading destiny.

Your best self as a trader is waiting—let’s make it happen.

Louise Bedford is a behavioural finance expert and the host of the Mind over Markets Youtube channel. She has been a trader for over 30 years and is a best-selling author of several books on the share market. Her titles include Investing Psychology Secrets, Trading Secrets, Charting Secrets, The Secret of Candlestick Charting, Let the Trade Wins Flow and The Secret of Writing Options. She is also the host of the Talking Trading podcast.