Knowledge is power, and the basis of all knowledge is having the right data. Datapoints (or, data points, if you like) are the smallest form of data. Think of them like information atoms. Alone, they’re seemingly small and insignificant. But when you combine them, you can discover trends, uncover essential information, and better understand the world around you. These minuscule particles of information can be essential to learning about others and ourselves. Here’s what …
What Are Money Scripts? Money scripts are general beliefs about money that are often unconscious and learned during childhood or early adolescence. Money scripts tend to be passed down through generations. These money beliefs tend to be partial truths about money or those who have (or do not have) money. Money scripts are related to different financial outcomes. Money scripts are often measured in financial planning or coaching to understand how financial beliefs might …
A personality test can efficiently measure a client’s money-related attitudes, values, and other characteristics. While not a perfect science, a well-developed test can accurately assess a client’s personality without some downsides of in-person interviews, which can take time and be impacted by interviewers’ biases or lack of structure. But like any assessment, personality tests are prone to some errors. These errors could include how clients respond to a test based on wanting to look …
If you are a consumer of personal finance content like I am, you have by now undoubtedly heard one commentator or another derisively dismiss the idea of even mentioning the long-term cost of a daily Starbucks trip. They don’t want to hear about it—it’s a trope to be ignored. And this derision is coming from otherwise competent and professional personal finance sources. This phenomenon got me thinking: what’s going on here? Surely Commentator X …
Always Say No? Always Say Yes? Which Is It? Warren Buffet is cited for the wisdom that “the difference between successful people and really successful people is that really successful people say no to almost everything.” Over the years I’ve heard any number of snippets of advice from Mr. Buffet and I have to concede that I usually find myself nodding in agreement with his folksy, common-sense perspective. It’s hard to argue with his …