How Words Fuel Money Decisions

Choosing words carefully in a conversation will always build trust, ease financial complications, and can help in taking improved financial decisions

- LARISSA FERNAND

I recently had a conversation with an individual that completely demotivated me. It hit my confidence so hard that I put off executing a project I was working on. Since it was a friend, I mustered up the courage after a month to let her know. Her reaction surprised me. She was profusely apologetic and said that she never meant to convey what “came out of her mouth”, and went on to say that she always felt that people never paid much attention to what she said, so she was very callous with her words. She ended with, “I never realised you would take my words so seriously”.

A few days later, a Mumbai-based professional, Ashish Verghese, posed these questions to a group of us on a Sunday, “Whose words do you pay attention to? What are the words you are saying to yourself?”

Ashish's context was that we are constantly listening to words, but what is grabbing our attention? Are we listening to the words of our enemies or of our friends? Are we paying heed to the words of cynicism, pessimism, or encouragement? Are the words of gossip filling our heads or the words found in scripture?

We underestimate how impactful words can be. Words are powerful tools that shape our thoughts and fuel our emotions, and these emotions propel our behaviour.

I was so deeply challenged that I decided to dig deeper. When I told Ashish that he inspired me to write on this, he was the most amused. So I can't wait for him to see this post.

A caveat though: my context will not be self-esteem and self-worth, but about money issues (obviously).

Having Money Conversations With Family

A few years ago, a financial adviser, on a social platform, invited people to ask questions. A young man presented his case. His fiancée doesn't want to save and wants to live it up. On the other hand, he wants to save for their future but ends up giving in to her. As a result their savings are abysmally low. How must he break this impasse?