Money. It's Not What You Think It Is

Most people think saving money makes them smart. While others fritter their money away without thinking about it.

But investing in something to actually improve their lives? They pause and delay.

Well, what if that's actually keeping you stuck?

What if these habits of yours don't actually serve you?

In this Sunday Session, I break down the biggest money mindset mistakes self-employed HR consultants make — and why clinging to your cash could be the most expensive decision of all.

You’ll hear the story of the £1,000 course that changed everything for me, plus a thought challenge that might just shift how you treat money from today onwards.

So tune in and enjoy.

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Transcript

0:00 Hello there and welcome back to another episode of Sunday Sessions with me, Nick Poninski. Today we are talking about something a bit personal and a bit uncomfortable.
0:09 We are talking about money. Not how to save it, not how to make more of it, but how we use it and how we think about it.
0:17 Because if you're clinging to money like it's something sacred, something that needs protecting at all costs, or you're spending it on crap that you don't need, then we need to have a serious conversation.
0:28 Because here's the hard truth. Money is those people, they do not use their money well. They think they're doing the smart thing, but they're actually paying what I call the dumb tax.
0:38 And they keep money sitting in a bank account and in 1-2% interest while inflation eats away at it, and they tell themselves that they're being responsible.
0:47 But here's the irony. While they're letting their money sit there safely, their bank is out there using that same money to get rich.
0:54 They're taking your money, they're investing it, lending it, turning that money into more money. And they're giving you peanuts. So, yeah, your money's safe, but it's not working for you.
1:07 And what most people don't realise is, while their money is doing nothing, so are they. Now, some people, they're scared to spend their money, right?
1:16 Others, they waste it. They spend £5 a day on coffee, they upgrade their phone every year, they'll buy crap on Amazon or Timoo, stuff they don't need.
1:26 So, while some people are clutching their money in fear, others are casually burning it on things that make no real difference.
1:33 Either way, They're not using their money to improve anything. And then, when something genuinely valuable comes along, a course, a tool, a programme that could help them grow, earn more, or become better at what they do, suddenly they freeze.
1:46 Suddenly it's all, Ooh, that's a bit expensive. Ooh, I can't justify it. Maybe, maybe I'll think about it. Maybe some other time.
1:55 But here's the kicker. They're spending over a grand a year on takeaway coffees without even thinking about it. £5 here, £4 there, every single day, gone in a few sips.
2:04 Or they've left that money in the bank account. And, you know, inflation has eaten away at it. And their money is worth a hell of a lot less than if they'd actually spent it and got something in return.
2:15 But the idea of spending that £1,000 on something that actually helps them think better, market better, earn more. Change their life.
2:24 That feels outrageous. People hesitate, they second guess. Maybe because it doesn't feel normal. This is especially true for people who've spent years in corporate jobs, right, where someone else paid for their development.
2:38 But when they become solidarity. Well, now it's their responsibility. They might not have woken up to that fact yet, right?
2:45 So investing in themselves, it feels strange, maybe risky, maybe indulgent. And that's when it becomes clear. It's not about the fact that they're spending money.
2:55 It's about their priorities. They're prioritizing comfort, convenience, staying in line with what everyone else is doing. But what everyone else is doing is standing still.
3:07 When I, I remember when I bought my first ever proper course with my ex-husband. Samuels, he was on the podcast a while back.
3:14 One of my best mates told me it was a scam. They told me to run a mile. They thought I was mad spending a thousand pounds on an online course.
3:22 And with that investment, it turned out to be one of the biggest turning points of my life. Because it made me better.
3:28 It made me more valuable. It made me more confident, more capable. And it paid off, not just financially, but in terms of direction, freedom, and fulfilment.
3:39 Forever. Meanwhile, the coffees that people buy every day, well, they have gone in ten minutes. No ROI, no change. And the money that's sitting in the bank account, again, just sits there doing nothing.
3:50 Just another habit that feels good, but changes nothing. Take buying a house, for example. Most people will sign off on a mortgage, but most 200k or more, not blink.
4:02 Six figures of debt, tied to them for decades. And sure, I get it. A house is shelter, it's security. And it usually increases in value, if it's been looked after.
4:13 If there's been upkeep, right. So it makes sense. Makes sense in a lot of ways. But they'll commit to that in 30 minutes.
4:19 But then hesitate for weeks over a £1,000 training course. A programme that could bring in more clients. A tool that could save them hours of time.
4:28 Ooh, I'm not sure if I can afford that. What if it doesn't work? Maybe I'll look again next year. And while they're hesitating, their money is getting spent in other areas.
4:40 Getting spent by other people. Getting wasted on stuff they don't actually need. Doing nothing. Not helping them. And here's the punchline.
4:47 While their money sits there, doing nothing for them, they're not growing. They are standing still. They think they're being careful.
4:57 They think they're spending money in the right way. But really, they're just standing still, waiting for something or someone. They don't to change things for them.
5:05 They're handing off responsibility for making the most of their time, skills, and potential. And whether they know it or not, they are drifting.
5:14 Here's what they don't realize when they're drifting, though. Inertia is never neutral. They think standing still is safer than taking a wrong step.
5:23 But while they have paused, everything else is moving. Other people are investing, learning, growing. They're increasing their income, developing their confidence.
5:33 And little by little, those other people, they're pulling ahead. Before long, those people have waiting lists for clients and leads.
5:40 They're charging more, and they're getting it. They're posting on LinkedIn about how they've hit six figures this year. Meanwhile, the cautious ones, they're still overthinking.
5:50 Still tweaking their LinkedIn profile. Still telling themselves, ooh, now's not the right time to invest in that course. They're still wondering what to do, though, and how to grow, and how to change.
6:01 And that's the real cost of so-called safe spending. Staying stuck, frustrated, they're still not earning what they want to earn, knowing they're not living their potential, knowing deep down that things could be better.
6:16 It feels responsible to keep money away, it feels right to spend it on the things that society tells us to spend it on.
6:23 But often, it's not using your money in the right way. It's just slow decline. Now, let's be fair. Not every investment works out, okay?
6:33 Some courses are complete rubbish. Some memberships go nowhere. I bought loads of things that didn't help, but I will keep I'd rather lose money chasing growth than lose time by clinging to safety.
6:47 I'll keep buying, but I'll keep paying for workshops, and I will invest in ChatGPT Pro to think sharper and move faster.
6:56 Because I'm not here to drift. I'm not scared to try. And if you're listening to this, I don't think you are either.
7:03 I think you want to change. I think you want to grow. I think you want to improve. So here's your call to action today.
7:10 Take a second and look at how you use your money. Where's it gro- where's it going? Are you spending to grow, to learn, to move forward, even if it's imperfect?
7:21 Or are you playing it safe while spending hundreds of things on things- hundreds of pounds on things that change nothing?
7:28 Because the truth is, time isn't waiting, and no one is coming to save you. If you want things to change, Thank You've got to start making different decisions, and it starts with how you invest your attention, your energy, and yes, your money.
7:44 So let that sit with you today. Not in a pressure-y way, not in a buy now kind of way, just honestly, where is your money going?
7:52 And what would change if even some of it went towards building the life or the business you actually want? That is your Sunday Reflection.
8:04 So thanks for taking the time to listen, hopefully this was useful for you, and remember, because it's Sunday, embrace the change, because how we change is how we grow.