The Wealthy Barber Podcast #34 — Morgan Housel: Timeless Lessons From “The Psychology of Money” & “The Art of Spending”
Morgan Housel, a behavioral finance writer and bestselling author, delves into profound insights about money in this engaging conversation. He shares how writing 'The Psychology of Money' reshaped his perspective, revealing that more income didn’t significantly change his life. Housel emphasizes the importance of personal experience over data, explains the emotional side of spending, and contrasts independence with societal pressures. Discover why he calls money 'the greatest show on Earth' and get practical advice on making reasonable financial choices.
45:36
Money Rarely Fixes Core Life Problems
- Morgan Housel found that making more money changed almost nothing about what actually mattered in life.
- Core sources of meaning—health, sleep, family—remained unchanged despite financial success.
Money As The World's Window
- Morgan calls money "the greatest show on earth" because finance reveals societal values and individual priorities.
- Observing money flows offers a clear window into what people and societies truly value.
Experience Trumps Abstract Data
- Nothing persuades people more than their own firsthand experiences.
- When judging others, ask what they experienced that led them to that belief before assuming they're wrong.
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Intro
00:00 • 55sec
Why Morgan Wrote The Psychology of Money
00:55 • 2min
From Blog Post to Bestselling Book
03:08 • 3min
How Success Changed His Life (Not Much)
05:56 • 4min
Money as a Window into Society
10:08 • 1min
Firsthand Experience Shapes Beliefs
11:35 • 2min
No One's Crazy: Different Rationales
13:14 • 4min
Make the Train Comfortable, Not Faster
17:16 • 3min
Pressure of Follow-Up Books
19:48 • 2min
Common Money Biases & Attention
21:39 • 2min
Volatility Is the Price of Admission
23:37 • 2min
Buying Independence Versus Impressing Others
26:07 • 3min
Personal Money Mistakes and Lessons
29:17 • 3min
What Morgan Enjoys Spending On
32:13 • 3min
The Role of Luck in Success
35:07 • 4min
Fooled by Randomness and Backtests
39:09 • 2min
Be Reasonable, Not Perfectly Rational
41:00 • 2min
Most Overrated Advice: Buy Low Sell High
43:23 • 42sec
Timeless Lessons and Unexpected Risks
44:06 • 1min
Outro
45:09 • 19sec
#21
• Mentioned in 312 episodes
The Psychology of Money
Timeless Lessons on Wealth, Greed, and Happiness
Morgan Housel
In 'The Psychology of Money,' Morgan Housel delves into the psychological and emotional aspects of financial decisions.
The book consists of 19 short stories that illustrate how personal history, worldview, emotions, and biases influence financial outcomes.
Housel emphasizes the importance of behavior over knowledge in managing money, highlighting the power of compounding, the dangers of greed, and the pursuit of happiness beyond mere wealth accumulation.
He advocates for a frugal lifestyle, long-term perspective, and a balanced approach to investing, stressing that financial success is more about mindset and discipline than about technical financial knowledge.
#9
• Mentioned in 409 episodes
Rich Dad Poor Dad
What the Rich Teach Their Kids about Money - That the Poor and the Middle Class Do Not
C.P.A. Sharon L. Lechter
Robert Kiyosaki
The book tells the story of Robert Kiyosaki's two fathers: his 'poor dad,' a highly educated but fiscally poor man, and his 'rich dad,' the father of his best friend who was a successful entrepreneur.
It emphasizes the importance of financial education, distinguishing between assets and liabilities, and building wealth through investing in assets such as real estate and businesses.
Kiyosaki argues that a good education and a secure job are not guarantees for financial success and provides practical lessons on how to make money work for you rather than working for money.
#2
• Mentioned in 1,071 episodes
Atomic Habits
James Clear
Atomic Habits by James Clear provides a practical and scientifically-backed guide to forming good habits and breaking bad ones.
The book introduces the Four Laws of Behavior Change: make it obvious, make it attractive, make it easy, and make it satisfying.
It also emphasizes the importance of small, incremental changes (atomic habits) that compound over time to produce significant results.
Clear discusses techniques such as habit stacking, optimizing the environment to support desired habits, and focusing on continuous improvement rather than goal fixation.
The book is filled with actionable strategies, real-life examples, and stories from various fields, making it a valuable resource for anyone seeking to improve their habits and achieve personal growth.
#282
• Mentioned in 74 episodes
Fooled by randomness
the hidden role of chance in life and in the markets
Nassim Nicholas Taleb
In 'Fooled by Randomness', Nassim Nicholas Taleb discusses the pervasive influence of chance and randomness in our lives and financial markets.
The book argues that humans tend to underestimate the role of luck and overestimate the role of skill, leading to biases such as hindsight bias, survivorship bias, and the narrative fallacy.
Taleb emphasizes the importance of recognizing and coping with uncertainty, and he critiques the tendency to seek deterministic explanations for random events.
The book is part of Taleb's Incerto series, which also includes 'The Black Swan', 'The Bed of Procrustes', 'Antifragile', and 'Skin in the Game'.
#14
• Mentioned in 353 episodes
Think and Grow Rich
Napoleon Hill
Published in 1937, 'Think and Grow Rich' is a seminal work in the self-help genre.
The book is the result of over twenty years of research by Napoleon Hill, who studied the habits and achievements of more than 500 successful individuals, including Andrew Carnegie, Thomas Edison, and Henry Ford.
Hill distills their wisdom into thirteen principles that, when practiced with persistence and faith, can transform dreams into reality.
These principles include the power of desire, faith, specialized knowledge, organized planning, and the role of the subconscious mind.
The book emphasizes the importance of maintaining a positive mental attitude, setting clear and specific goals, and taking consistent action to achieve success.
It also explores the concept of the 'Master Mind' alliance and the need to overcome fears and doubts to achieve one's objectives.
#1375
• Mentioned in 24 episodes
The Art of Spending Money
Morgan Housel
Morgan Housel's "The Art of Spending Money" delves into the psychology of financial decisions, exploring how our emotions and biases influence our spending habits.
The book challenges conventional wisdom about saving and investing, emphasizing the importance of aligning our financial goals with our values and life experiences.
Housel uses compelling narratives and real-world examples to illustrate the complexities of money management, offering practical insights for readers of all financial backgrounds.
The book encourages readers to develop a more mindful and intentional approach to spending, helping them make choices that enhance their overall well-being.
Ultimately, it aims to empower readers to make informed financial decisions that lead to a more fulfilling life.
#5
• Mentioned in 477 episodes
Thinking, Fast and Slow
Daniel Kahneman
In this book, Daniel Kahneman takes readers on a tour of the mind, explaining how the two systems of thought shape our judgments and decisions.
System 1 is fast, automatic, and emotional, while System 2 is slower, effortful, and logical.
Kahneman discusses the impact of cognitive biases, the difficulties of predicting future happiness, and the effects of overconfidence on corporate strategies.
He offers practical insights into how to guard against mental glitches and how to benefit from slow thinking in both personal and business life.
The book also explores the distinction between the 'experiencing self' and the 'remembering self' and their roles in our perception of happiness.
#356
• Mentioned in 63 episodes
Same as Ever
A Guide to What Never Changes
Morgan Housel
In 'Same as Ever,' Morgan Housel presents a master class on optimizing risk, seizing opportunity, and living a fulfilling life by focusing on what remains constant in a changing world.
Through engaging stories and examples, Housel shows how understanding permanent truths about human behavior can help readers make better decisions and navigate uncertainties.
The book emphasizes the importance of recognizing and adapting to timeless principles in finance, business, and personal life, rather than trying to predict specific future events.
Our guest this episode is Morgan Housel, international bestselling author of “The Psychology of Money,” “Same as Ever” and his newest book, “The Art of Spending Money.”
In this conversation, Dave and Morgan explore the timeless principles that shape how we think about money, happiness and decision-making. Morgan shares the story behind writing “The Psychology of Money,” why earning more didn’t change his life as much as he expected and why he believes money is “the greatest show on Earth.” They dig into core ideas like why firsthand experiences are more persuasive than data, why “no one’s crazy” and how comfort (not speed) is often the real goal in personal finance.
The discussion also covers the emotional side of money — from spending mistakes and regrets to what Morgan actually enjoys spending on — along with big-picture themes like luck, independence, volatility and how to think in terms of what’s reasonable rather than purely rational.
If you’re fascinated by human behaviour, personal finance or simply want to make better decisions with your money, this episode is packed with thoughtful insights and memorable lessons from one of today’s most influential financial thinkers.
Show Notes
(00:00) Intro & Disclaimer
(00:55) Intro to Morgan Housel
(03:01) The Story of Writing “The Psychology of Money”
(07:37) How Making More Money Changed Morgan’s Life (Spoiler: Not Much)
(09:56) Why Morgan Calls Money "The Greatest Show on Earth"
(11:25) Nothing is More Persuasive Than What You’ve Experienced Firsthand
(13:42) “No One’s Crazy”
(17:16) You Can Either Make the Train Twice as Fast or Twice as Comfortable
(19:33) Was There Pressure Writing a Follow-Up Book?
(21:26) Nobody is Paying as Much Attention to You as You Are
(23:32) Volatility is the Price of Admission in Investing
(26:05) Buying Independence vs. Buying Expensive Things
(29:12) Spending Mistakes vs. Regrets
(32:17) What Does Morgan Like to Spend Money On?
(35:08) The Role of Luck in Our Lives
(40:33) Reasonable vs. Rational in Personal Finance
(43:21) The Most Overrated Financial Advice
(44:48) Conclusion