Catching Your Financial “Curveballs”: 5 Behavioral Shifts to Take Control of Your Money
The journey to building true resilience in life requires a strong foundation, which host Dee Hankins calls your "Core Four": your spiritual, physical, mental, and financial health [01:08]. Too often, people treat financial health as a complicated math problem, but as this episode reveals, financial freedom is primarily a behavioral issue—a crucial mindset shift from wishing things were different to taking action.
Your finances are not an isolated part of life; they touch everything—from your mental health (affording therapy) to your physical health (choosing an $8 salad over a $5 value meal) [11:33], [12:37].
Here are five practical, behavioral shifts, inspired by the episode, that will help you move from financial stress to financial control.
1. Master the Two-Letter Power Word: "No"
The first, most powerful tool in your financial arsenal is simply the word "No" [07:42].
Financial freedom is defined not by the number in your bank account, but by making decisions based on opportunity, not necessity [07:26]. When your bank account is "screaming no" at a vacation, expensive party, or a brand-new gadget, you must listen.
2. Stop Wishing, Start Doing: The Action Mindset
Many people get stuck in the "wishing well trap"—aspiring to be debt-free but never actually taking the first step [22:19]. The action required might be uncomfortable, but it's essential for change.
Mindset Shift: Move from wishful thinking to a concrete action plan [04:02].
Take Action Today: Don't wait until next week or next month [24:15]. Go home and take these practical steps:
Action Creates Motivation: Small, consistent actions are what create the motivation to keep going, making the "journey to zero" exciting [25:04], [26:25].
3. Choose Generational Wealth Over Material Guilt
A critical part of taking financial control is examining why you spend. Many parents overspend on materialistic items to give their children what they themselves didn't have [16:54].
Rethink "Giving": While you may be buying every game console or designer item, you may be setting your children up for failure if they start their adult lives saddled with college and credit card debt [18:42].
Long-Term Impact: Prioritize foundation over flash. Ask yourself: Am I putting money toward a 529 plan or trust fund, or am I spending thousands on travel ball or concert tickets that have no lasting financial benefit? [17:33], [39:43].
4. Drop the Excuses and Take Absolute Responsibility
You are the most resilient organism on the planet, so stop making excuses like "I don't have enough time" or "it's too complicated" [31:41].
The Blame Trap: Blaming the government, your job, or the system only delays your freedom [32:01]. While systematic issues are real, you have to focus on the choices you can control.
The System's Game: Remember the credit score system is designed to measure how well you manage debt—how well you owe people—not how well you manage your money [32:51]. Don't let rewards and points trick you into spending more than you have [33:34].
Your Control: You cannot control what a teacher's degree costs, but you can control what you do with every paycheck you receive [38:51]. Taking full responsibility for your choices is the key to becoming financially resilient [39:13].
The key to financial freedom is taking a first, actionable step today. By shifting your behavior, saying "no," and prioritizing long-term security over short-term gratification, you can stop building someone else's dream and start building your own [36:08].
This blog post is based on the central idea and key points from "The Dee Hankins Show - Episode 6 Taking Financial Control," available at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Ow1C22hGR0.