What hidden script are you living out?
And is it helping, or hurting you?
In an episode of Hidden Brain called Money 2.0: Rewrite Your Money Story, the podcast talked about how people have scripts for how they think about and use money. These scripts are a framework or way of thinking that can give a person a positive view of money and sometimes a negative view of money and wealthy people in general. And these scripts cause the people that hold them to behave in specific ways. For example, if a part of your money script believes that debt is a normal part of life and everyone will always have it, you will likely carry a car loan for most of your life instead of buying a cheaper car for cash like someone with a different script.
What captured my attention in this episode was an anecdote near the end. The guest on the show told a story about how he talked with his dad and confessed to him that though he worked 40+ hours a week, he always felt like it wasn't enough because his dad had worked 70-hour weeks. Then, his dad told him that though he worked 70-hour weeks, he had always felt like it wasn't enough because his father had worked 100-hour weeks. As it turned out, his father had worked 100-hour weeks because his father had been lazy and didn't take care of the family, so he had to work those 100-hour weeks to care for his mother and the family.
Without realizing it, he had been overworking because of a script that his grandfather created out of necessity. That money script of working non-stop to earn money cared for his grandfather's family, but it made him an absent father. It also made his dad (who worked 70-hour weeks) an absent father. And now, as an adult, this script was threatening to make him an absent father, something he was fighting to stop. He was living out a hidden script that was hurting his family.
So, what I'm wondering is, what hidden script am I living out? And which one are you living out?
Great leadership reading from this week
How Mark Zuckerberg and Stripe Co-Founder Patrick Collison Choose Whom to Work With
I’m not a huge Zuck fan, but this is brilliant. When deciding to hire someone, they ask themselves if they want to work for that person. Would that person be a good boss?3 Habits That'll Make You a More Resilient Leader
One of these habits is to get moving physically and mentally. Great advice as leadership is not only about being a leader; it’s also about being a healthy person from the start.One of the most important leadership traits has taken a hit. Here’s how to get it back
Hint, the trait is trust, and in a virtual environment, many leaders struggle with it more than they realize.
Other great reading from the week
How to become a better listener, according to science
Listening is an underrated skill and one that I’m constantly attempting to improve. The basic formula in this article is perfect: shut up, listen, repeat.As a ‘Seismic Shift’ Fractures Evangelicals, an Arkansas Pastor Leaves Home
I was hesitant to include this article. While it’s something I don’t talk about here, this article describes a bit of my journey, and I identify with Mr. Thompson. Maybe I’ll write more on this another time.The Unmaking of the White Christian Worldview
Another article I share hesitantly, but it shares a critical perspective that aligns with my own experience and is worth reading.
Great podcast episodes from the week
Hidden Brain - Money 2.0: Rewrite Your Money Story
This episode got me thinking, and it’s the start of a series of episodes about money that I’m sure will be great!WorkLife - Rethinking Flexibility at Work
Flexibility at work is more than where you work or when you work. This episode explores that and much more!
My Podcasts to check out
Tech Talk Y'all - My tech/comedy news podcast.
Real Pink - I host the national podcast for Susan G. Komen. If you want some inspiration or information about breast cancer, give it a listen.
Side Hustle to Small Business - This podcast is produced by my company, Edgewise, and hosted by my business partner. I share it here because it’s a fantastic show for entrepreneurs and leaders to listen to and enjoy.
Do me a favor?
Did you find anything helpful or interesting here? Pay me back by sharing it with someone. Thanks for reading!