Personal Finance With Molly

Molly Ford-Coates
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Where money, mindset, and behavior intersect!

  1. 2D AGO

    The Psychology of “Enough” — Why Financial Satisfaction Is Elusive

    Why does financial satisfaction feel so hard to reach—even when income rises, savings grow, and goals are met? In this episode, we explore why humans are cognitively bad at recognizing sufficiency, and how modern money systems quietly exploit that weakness. Drawing from behavioral finance and psychology, this conversation challenges the growth-at-all-costs narrative without being anti-ambition. “Enough” isn’t a number. It’s a design decision—and most people never consciously make it. What You’ll Learn Why your brain isn’t wired to recognize “enough”How hedonic adaptation erodes financial satisfaction over timeWhy financial goalposts move silently (and why you rarely notice)The crucial difference between financial safety and financial satisfactionHow unconscious ambition turns into chronic dissatisfactionA framework for designing your own definition of “enough”How to grow intentionally without burning out or feeling empty Key Concepts Discussed Hedonic adaptation and wealth accumulationSilent lifestyle inflationRelative comparison and identity creepSafety vs. satisfaction mismatchConscious vs. unconscious financial growthBehavioral design over willpower Reflection Questions If you had to define “enough” today, what would it include—and what wouldn’t it?Which financial goals in your life were consciously chosen, and which were inherited?Are you currently chasing growth, or avoiding discomfort?Where are you buying more safety when what you actually want is satisfaction?What would “enough” allow you to say no to? Practical Takeaways Separate safety enough from satisfaction enoughIdentify where your goalposts have shifted without permissionRevisit your definition of enough annually—on purposeTreat ambition as something to design, not suppressStop using money to solve problems it wasn’t built to solve Memorable Lines “Financial dissatisfaction isn’t always caused by scarcity—it’s caused by the absence of a definition.”“You don’t feel richer. You just feel expected to maintain it.”“Ambition without boundaries becomes appetite.”“When you know what ‘enough’ looks like, you stop confusing motion with progress.” Who This Episode Is For High achievers who feel financially successful but emotionally unsatisfiedAnyone stuck on the ‘never enough’ treadmillPeople who want to grow without anxiety or emptinessListeners interested in behavioral finance, money psychology, and identity-based decision making Listen If You’ve Ever Thought “I should feel more content than this.”“I keep hitting goals but don’t feel done.”“I don’t want to quit striving—but I’m tired.”“I don’t actually know what enough looks like for me.”

    10 min

  2. 5D AGO

    Emotional Regulation as the Foundation of Personal Finance

    Episode Summary Most people don’t struggle with money because they’re bad at math. They struggle because they’re overwhelmed, stressed, anxious, or emotionally exhausted. In this episode, we explore why emotional regulation—not discipline, motivation, or willpower—is the real foundation of financial success. We unpack how people use money to manage emotions, why stress sabotages even the best financial plans, and how teaching coping skills instead of rigid rules leads to healthier, more sustainable money behavior. This is a reframing of personal finance as an emotional practice, not just a transactional one. What You’ll Learn Why emotional regulation matters more than financial knowledgeHow money is often used as an emotional coping toolThe hidden role stress and decision fatigue play in money mistakesWhy willpower collapses under emotional loadHow to replace rigid financial rules with emotional coping skillsA healthier definition of financial success that includes emotional stability Key Takeaways Financial behavior is emotional behavior firstStress shuts down long-term thinking and increases impulsive decisionsMoney often becomes a substitute for emotional regulationWillpower is unreliable under emotional strainSustainable money habits require emotional coping skills, not just rules Reflection Questions for Listeners What emotions most often drive your money decisions?When do you notice yourself spending, avoiding, or hoarding money?What feelings are you trying to regulate with money?What non-money tools could help you cope instead? Practical Exercises 1. The Emotional Check-In Before your next purchase, pause and ask: What am I feeling right now? What am I hoping this purchase will change? 2. The 24-Hour Pause Use time as an emotional regulator—not a punishment. 3. Build a Regulation List Create a short list of non-financial ways to calm your nervous system when stressed. Who This Episode Is For People who know what to do with money but struggle to follow throughAnyone dealing with financial stress, anxiety, or burnoutListeners tired of shame-based money adviceThose interested in behavioral finance and money psychology Share the Episode If this episode helped you see your money habits differently, consider sharing it with someone who feels stuck or overwhelmed around money. Sometimes the most powerful financial advice isn’t about numbers—it’s about emotions.

    10 min

  3. JAN 26

    Rebuilding Financial Self-Trust: Why motivation fails — and trust is what actually changes money behavior

    If motivation actually worked, most people wouldn’t still be stuck with money. In this episode, we explore financial self-trust — the missing link between knowing what to do and actually doing it. Instead of relying on willpower, discipline, or “starting fresh,” this conversation takes a CBT-informed approach to rebuilding trust with yourself after financial mistakes. This episode is for anyone who avoids their finances, second-guesses every decision, or feels like they can’t rely on themselves with money anymore. What You’ll Learn What financial self-trust really is (and what it’s not)How broken promises quietly erode money confidenceWhy motivation often backfires in personal financeHow to rebuild trust through small, repeatable behaviorsThe difference between performance and repairWhat financial progress looks like when self-trust is restoredKey Takeaways Motivation is emotional; trust is behavioralSmall promises kept consistently rebuild confidenceSelf-trust is about re-engagement, not flawless outcomesAvoidance is a signal — not a personal failureFinancial stability starts with predictability, not intensity Memorable Quotes “You don’t feel your way into trust — you act your way into it.”“Financial self-trust is believing you’ll show up when it’s uncomfortable.”“Mistakes don’t break trust. Disappearing does.”“Progress is built on boring reliability.” Who This Episode Is For Anyone who avoids looking at their financesPeople stuck in cycles of starting and quittingListeners who don’t trust themselves with money anymoreAnyone exhausted by motivation-based financial advice Listener Reflection Questions What promises do you keep making — and breaking — with yourself?What is one financial promise small enough to keep this week?How do you usually respond when money doesn’t go as planned?What would change if you trusted yourself to re-engage instead of quit?

    8 min

  4. JAN 22

    Financial Thought Distortions: Why your money problems aren’t just about dollars — they’re about distorted thinking

    Most people don’t make bad money decisions because they’re irresponsible — they make them because they’re thinking about money in distorted ways. In this episode, we take a Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) lens to personal finance and explore how maladaptive thought patterns quietly sabotage financial progress. Instead of focusing on budgeting rules or market psychology, we dig into the internal narratives that drive shame, avoidance, and paralysis around money. If you’ve ever felt like one mistake “ruined everything,” believed you were failing because you weren’t wealthy, or avoided your finances out of fear — this episode is for you. What You’ll Learn Why financial behavior is driven more by thought patterns than mathHow cognitive distortions show up in everyday money decisionsThe connection between shame, avoidance, and distorted money beliefsWhy accuracy — not positivity — is the key to financial clarityHow reframing money thoughts can unlock forward momentumKey Takeaways Thoughts are not facts — especially when money is involvedFinancial mistakes are events, not identitiesDirection matters more than perfectionAvoidance is a signal, not a failureClear thinking beats positive thinking every time Memorable Quotes “Money problems aren’t always math problems — they’re thought problems.”“Your financial life is not a verdict; it’s a system under construction.”“Distorted thoughts cost more than bad math.”“You don’t need to feel good about money — you need to think clearly about it.” Who This Episode Is For Anyone stuck in financial shame or self-blamePeople avoiding their finances out of fear or overwhelmListeners who know what to do but can’t bring themselves to do itAnyone who feels “behind” and exhausted by money advice Listener Reflection Questions What financial mistake do you still treat as permanent?Where do you use all-or-nothing thinking with money?What story are you telling yourself that might not be fully accurate?What’s one small action you could take if shame wasn’t in the way?

    11 min

  5. JAN 19

    Wealth Is Just a Race Between Your Impulses and Your Planning

    Episode Summary Why do smart people still struggle with money? Because wealth isn’t about knowledge—it’s about behavior. In this episode, we explore wealth through a behavioral finance lens and explain why financial success is really a race between short-term impulses and long-term planning. Learn how cognitive biases sabotage financial goals, why willpower fails, and how to design systems that let planning win—without relying on motivation. What You’ll Learn Why impulse spending and emotional investing are normal human behaviorsHow present bias, loss aversion, and comparison sabotage wealthWhy planning often collapses under stressHow to build financial systems that protect you from yourselfWhy automation and friction matter more than disciplineA new definition of wealth rooted in peace, consistency, and controlKey Concepts Discussed Behavioral financePresent biasLoss aversionOverconfidence biasMental accountingAutomation vs willpowerFinancial systems designQuotes to Remember “Wealth is just a race between your impulses and your planning.”“Money decisions are psychology problems that happen to involve numbers.”“You don’t need fewer urges—you need better barriers.”Action Steps Automate one financial decision this weekAdd friction to one impulsive spending habitWrite one pre-commitment rule for emotional money momentsConnect If you enjoyed this episode, follow the show, leave a review, and share it with someone who’s trying to build wealth without burning out.

    12 min

  6. JAN 15

    New Year, New Systems: How to Reset Your Finances (A Behavioral Finance Approach)

    Episode Description: Most financial New Year’s resolutions fail—not because people are bad with money, but because they rely on willpower instead of behavior. In this episode, we break down how to reset your finances using behavioral finance principles, uncover the biases that sabotage financial goals, and design systems that make progress easier and more sustainable. What You’ll Learn: Why traditional financial resets don’t stickThe behavioral biases influencing your money decisionsHow to design financial systems that work with human behaviorA step-by-step framework for a realistic financial resetHow to build consistency without relying on motivationKey Topics: Behavioral financeLoss aversionPresent biasDecision fatigueFinancial systems vs. goalsValues-based budgetingAction Steps: Conduct a behavioral spending auditAutomate key financial behaviorsReduce friction around good money habitsReplace shame with curiosityPerfect For: Anyone restarting their finances in the new yearListeners tired of failing financial resolutionsPeople who want sustainable, behavior-based money habits

    10 min

  7. JAN 12

    Part 2: FOMO-Proof Your Money: How to Build Decision Systems That Protect You From Yourself

    Understanding behavioral finance doesn’t eliminate bias. What actually protects you is systems. Behavioral finance teaches us something humbling: You will not outthink your emotions in the moment. When urgency hits, your brain doesn’t ask for logic — it asks for relief. So instead of relying on willpower, confidence, or discipline, this episode is about building anti-FOMO decision systems — structures that make good choices easier before emotion enters the room. If you’ve ever said: “I don’t know why I did that.”“I knew better.”“I panicked.”This episode is for you.

    12 min

  8. JAN 8

    Part 1: When FOMO Turns Toxic: The Financial Behaviors That Quietly Sabotage Your Life

    Fear of Missing Out — FOMO — doesn’t feel toxic when you’re in it. It feels exciting. Urgent. Smart, even. It whispers things like:  “Everyone else is doing this.”  “If you don’t act now, you’ll regret it.”  “This is how people get ahead.” And that’s why FOMO is so dangerous. Today, we’re not talking about harmless curiosity or normal comparison. We’re talking about toxic FOMO — the behaviors that cross the line from awareness into self-sabotage.

    14 min
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About

Where money, mindset, and behavior intersect!

Information

  • Creator
    Molly Ford-Coates
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    38
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Personal Finance With Molly
  • Show Website
    Personal Finance With Molly