Wired for (financial) success

Why do we self-sabotage? Why is it that even when you know exactly what to do, you still end up doing something directly opposed to your success?

Last week, I had the pleasure of talking to a group of highly successful traders. The room included mathematicians, professional traders, IT experts, who are all earning their living (or significantly boosting their income) my trading the financial markets. Despite their overall success, they all shared stories of trades gone wrong, when subconscious emotions take over. We investigated emotions such as fear of failure, greed, confirmation bias, fear of missing out, overconfidence, and lack of confidence, as well as their deep-rooted origins within us.

Alexandra Balmer of Redefined Mind giving a presentation on Trading Mindset in May 2025 in Zurich.

We discussed hands-on strategies on how to overcome this programming. These strategies include visualisation, reframing our internal dialogue, becoming aware of our emotions, and shifting our beliefs around money. Let us focus on our beliefs around money.

The way your parents, caregivers, teachers and others spoke to you and around you about money, have a direct impact on how you perceive money to this day. While I hope you were raised with a feeling that money is abundant and flows to you boundlessly, this will not hold true for the majority.

Phrases, such as:

• “Don’t be so greedy!”

• “Who do you think you are?”

• “People like us, don’t …”

• “Money does not grow on trees.”

• “We can’t afford that.”

• “Rich people are bad.”

… will probably have been spoken around you. Unknowingly, you absorbed these into your subconscious mind and to this day, they are impacting how you interact with money.

Perhaps you spend lavishly, without saving much for the future.

Perhaps you find it impossible to make money stay in your account, once you earn it.

Perhaps you find yourself sabotaging yourself, whenever things become too easy financially.

Wherever you may find yourself, your money beliefs are driving you.

Let me share the story of my client, we will call him Mark. Mark grew up financially confused, at times his family was very well off and lived lavishly, at times the family went bankrupt and did not know how to pay the bills. Mark enjoyed the good times and whenever he earned well, he would indulge his friends and be extremely generous. Yet he found it almost impossible, to save money for his own future. He would also sabotage himself, once a job became too easy. Leading him to loose his job.

During our sessions, we uncovered his core belief he had learned from his mother that “Money must be hard to earn or you do not value it”, and “when you have too much money, you must be guilty.” He reframed his beliefs to include that “Money must be easy and effortless to earn.” And “I value and appreciate money and affluence in my life” and “I enjoy the pleasure money brings to my life today, tomorrow and everyday. I appreciate the good I bring to the world with my wealth.”

This rewiring stopped his self-sabotaging behaviours. Suddenly, saving for his future self became easy and desirable. Mark stopped overconsuming and completely transformed his relationship with money.

Whether you are active in the financial markets or not, understanding your money mindset and deep-seated beliefs around money, can completely transform your wealth journey.

If you are ready to shift your dialogue around money, reach out to me and let’s discuss.