I remember a friend telling me that her son, a financial advisor, tried to explain some financial concept to her. “I want you to get this,” he insisted.
She listened intently but when he finished, she told me, “I hadn’t heard a word he said. I went into a haze. I felt so stupid. Why do I do this?”
I see this all the time. A woman attempts to take financial control but she’s suddenly struck by a sense of foreboding. It’s as if she’s entering a place she shouldn’t be and a voice in her head screams out: Danger! Keep Out! Immediately, she shuts down.
It wasn’t until I started studying Neuroscience that the reason for this pervasive reaction became clear. Women’s and men’s brains process financial (and other) information differently. Men see investing in the market as a challenge. Women see investing as a threat.
Our prehistoric brains were wired to ensure our safety and survival. Anytime we feel threatened, our rational brain shuts down, sending us into fight, flight or freeze mode.
This doesn’t apply only to beginners. I’ve had women who work in the financial industry or manage large budgets in their jobs, tell me, “I do this for a living, but my own finances are a mess.” If you’re in this boat, there is a way out. It’s not filling your head with more facts, but instead learning to rewire your brain.
I’m excited to announce McGraw Hill will be publishing my latest book, The Rewire Response: Mind Training for Wealth, Well-being & Whatever Else You Want. I just got the contract so it won’t come out for a while. But I’ll be sharing some brand-new programs on rewiring this fall. Stay tuned.
I’d love to know… Does this help explain why you, a smart woman, have a tendency to avoid money? Leave me a comment below.
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