Mindset Shifts That Change Everything About Money | Pillay Place EP 42

You can have money in the bank and still feel like it's never enough — and that feeling has almost nothing to do with the number in your account.

Rahul unpacks the difference between operating from lack and operating from abundance, and how it quietly shapes everything from spending anxiety to how you handle feedback. Van speaks candidly about the season they stopped letting debt define their identity and started taking real responsibility for it.

There's a simple test they walk through that reveals which mindset you're actually running on, and a reframe about humility that flips the usual definition on its head. It's less about willpower and more about which story you believe about yourself and what you have access to.

If money has ever felt like it controls how you feel about your own life, this conversation is worth the time.

Prayer for financial wisdom:

"Dear heavenly Father please reveal the truth re. my finances. What do I need to work on? What part of my mindset needs to shift and please bring me ideas, resources and people who can help me get my finances in order and to the next level." 

For someone who doesn't know God or if He is even real: "God - show me the truth - who are you and is the bible real? Is it truly your Word? Confirm your existence and plant an evidence in my heart." 

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YouTube: @pillayplacepodcast 

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Transcript

SPEAKER_03 0:00

Listen, your bank accounts can be filled, but you can still have a lack mindset. If a peer or friend gets promoted, do you feel envious? Anxiety? What about me? That's more of a lack mindset. When you spend money, you feel pain.

SPEAKER_00 0:13

I do not feel pain.

SPEAKER_03 0:14

You feel anxiety. You feel you feel like money is gone forever. One way to test this is donate money and see how you feel. Okay. One of the deceits of the enemy is to think that we are the source of our success. We did it. We did it ourselves.

SPEAKER_00 0:30

I think when pride gets in the way, like it blocks God from working in your life.

SPEAKER_03 0:36

That's what pride really is. It's taking God off the throne and putting something else on there. Hi everybody. Thanks for joining us at the Pillay Place podcast where we talk about faith, family, and finance. You know, guys, um, if this is if this content is benefiting you, please subscribe, hit the like button because it helps us spread the word. And really our heart is to share about faith, family, and finance, some of the things that has made us successful in these things, these traits, um, that that also helps you leave a good legacy for yourself and your family. Uh, so please help the subscribe button so that that way we can spread the word. Thank you. Hi, everybody. Welcome back to the Pillet Plays podcast, um, where we release new content every single Friday. Today's episode is about mindsets about wealth that has changed the way we manage our finances. And um, and really we'll try to be as practical as possible, but really it's uh we Van and I, when we prepared for this, we did it separately. So we we may say the same things because I think that a lot of it is similar, but maybe differently said. So um why don't you start off? What what are some of the things that you have learned or changed in your mindset that has really benefited our finances?

SPEAKER_00 1:53

Um, I think for me, like when I was reflecting back on this, like from how we were thinking about wealth and finances from before.

SPEAKER_01 2:04

Right.

SPEAKER_00 2:04

And then now is um how we are nothing without without God. Right. Right. And so um there the the verses uh what do we have?

SPEAKER_03 2:21

Deuteronomy 818.

SPEAKER_00 2:23

Yes. Um but you shall remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant, which he swore to your fathers as it is today. So here is, you know, the the remembering part. I actually think back of like our kids, guys. Remember to take this with you to soccer. Remember to put your homework in your backpack, like remember here saying like remember that you are not much without God.

SPEAKER_01 3:01

Yeah, right.

SPEAKER_00 3:02

And so my mindset changed to everything that we already have is from Him. But with God, you have everything, right? Right, which means you have no reason to be in lack and you have or to have to even have a lack mindset. Yeah. Um and I think about how we all have our talents and our gifts, and we have the ability to, but do we use it?

SPEAKER_03 3:33

Yeah. I have the same exact point. The the you know, how I would narrate what she said, because the scripture is very clear, it's it's God that gives us the power to actually obtain wealth. Um, and he does it for a specific reason, and I'll talk about that. But the key to this, what this really tells me is our source is God Himself. You know, and and I I read a lot of get wealth books, and I tried to change my behavior. What I never got into was changing my understanding about wealth. And and the biggest piece in this scripture that became very eye-opening for me is the fact that everything we have is what you said, is he is the source. If he is the source, there is a particular purpose for that thing, right? And I know even in our crowds, a lot of people is like anti-wealth or wealth makes you greedy and all these other things. And it is true.

SPEAKER_02 4:32

It can.

SPEAKER_03 4:32

It is true because Jesus even said it. He said, He said the greed for wealth is evil. Greed is, right? He didn't say wealth is evil, he said the greed for wealth is evil, and that is true. And there's a very, very, very specific reason why God gives us the ability to actually obtain wealth, and he says that it's so that he would establish his covenant. And I'm just going to narrate what that means. His covenant means that his promise that he is our God. What am I trying to say? I'm trying to say that the abilities that he has given us to go out and the resources and the opportunities is so that we know and the world knows who our God is. Yeah. It's a reflection of who he is.

SPEAKER_00 5:17

Well, you know how some people just go like, I actually don't know what my gifts and talents are. Like, I don't know. I don't know how to make money.

SPEAKER_03 5:25

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 5:25

I don't know how to make wealth. What are you what are your thoughts about that?

SPEAKER_03 5:30

Yeah, I mean, it you know, it just goes back to what the scriptures say, seek first me, and everything will be added to you, meaning that you just earnestly seek him, right? And if you don't even if you don't even know who he is, that's a good place to start. Like I I was very clear with God because I didn't know who God was. So I just said, whoever you are, if you are real, reveal yourself to me. That's where it all started. And reality is that uh the Bible says beginning of wisdom is actually knowing who the fear of God, knowing who God is, right? And that's where it all and you you can spend eternity getting to know God. And um, but that scripture adds to that.

SPEAKER_00 6:16

The part that stands out to me is that he gives you the power or he gives you the ability to get wealth.

SPEAKER_03 6:23

That's right.

SPEAKER_00 6:23

Right. And I think sometimes that we actually do have abilities and gifts and talents that he already put inside of us.

SPEAKER_01 6:30

That's right.

SPEAKER_00 6:31

But then we get different voices.

SPEAKER_01 6:35

Yes.

SPEAKER_00 6:36

You know, like if I'm not meant to be a doctor and my parents go, you have to be a doctor.

SPEAKER_01 6:41

Right.

SPEAKER_00 6:42

Which is very typical. Okay. Right? Like you either you're a doctor or a lawyer or a failure, basically.

SPEAKER_03 6:49

So I think it's a cultural thing too. It's like, you know, I know Asian families are that way. Uh my parents were that way. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 6:58

Exactly. And so, but like if you're not meant to be a doctor, like you will not only be unhappy, but that's not your place. I put down, there's it's maybe it's Albert Einstein, says everybody is a genius, but if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it's stupid.

SPEAKER_03 7:22

Yeah, I agree with that. So so it goes back to desires, right? Like we said, seek first him, and you can kind of understand what God has for you, but do not discount the natural interests and the talents inside of you.

SPEAKER_00 7:37

Exactly. But then you also have to like nurture it. That you can be born with amazing genes to be a great athlete. But if you don't practice, correct, you don't like put in the work, or even pursue it.

SPEAKER_03 7:52

Like, don't even show up to the game. You know, you're not gonna do much.

SPEAKER_00 7:55

Exactly. And so it's not just you have this talent that's given to you, and then all right, do something. No, like you have to put that to work.

SPEAKER_01 8:04

That's right.

SPEAKER_00 8:04

Right, which brings me to the first, do you know what your talents are? Are you using it? And um, like you have natural gifts, but you still have to put them to work, right? The second part that I have is taking responsibility, right? So one is remembering that you have the power to make wealth, to get wealth. You have it, you but you have to use it. So the second part is taking responsibility. You and um, you know, you might be born with high quality marble, but that marble won't turn into a statue on its own. Like you have to, that's taking responsibility. You have to put your hands to it. You do, and he blesses the hands that work.

SPEAKER_03 8:50

That's right. And and we we do have a, you know, there are certain circles where the culture is, well, you know, the government is responsible for that, right? Or my teacher is responsible for that, or my boss is responsible for that. It's very, you know, not like offset, that's not my responsibility. And the issue is no matter what has happened in the past that brought you to the circumstances you are at today with your finances, if you just take responsibility of the problem, because you know, us in investments, we don't ever think that there's a money problem. We always think that there's a lack of idea or opportunity problem.

SPEAKER_00 9:32

Okay.

SPEAKER_03 9:32

Right? So, so reality is that is a form of taking responsibility, right? We don't just discard our issues because we're like, oh, we don't have money in the bank, so you know, boo-hoo. No, that it doesn't work that way. It's my responsibility to find a solution, right?

SPEAKER_00 9:50

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 9:51

Um and if you remember the first point, God has given you the power to obtain it. So reality it's your responsibility to do so. The first one drives everything.

SPEAKER_00 10:00

It's actually like a form of stewardship.

SPEAKER_03 10:02

It is to for the it is you're absolutely right. It is stewardship. That's right. Yeah. That's right. Because if you don't, you if you don't, it it's this is not even biblical. You just look at a person and you're like, what a waste of talent.

SPEAKER_00 10:18

It is and have images of a few people that just are not using their their gifts.

SPEAKER_03 10:24

Their gifts, right? And that is a and the scripture clearly says, remember, it's God that gave it to you. And it's yours as a gift. You gotta use it.

SPEAKER_00 10:33

Not mixing that, right? Because like God gave it to you, but you have to hear it and you have to know that that's your gift, not uh somebody else telling you you should do this instead.

SPEAKER_03 10:49

Yeah. Um look for answers outside is what you're referring to. Yes. Yeah, you look for answers inside.

SPEAKER_00 10:54

Yeah. Um third point. Third point, I actually have down humility. Okay, in Proverbs 22, 4 is humility and the fear of the Lord bring wealth and honor and life.

SPEAKER_01 11:08

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 11:09

Um and because when you it keeps you grounded, it keeps you humble. Yeah. Because when you are full of like success and like you're on this high of like everything is going great, it's so easy to lose yourself. It so humility to lose your sight of God.

SPEAKER_03 11:31

Sure. And that is the obvious opposite of humility, right? But let me give you the other side of humility: saying that you don't have opportunities, saying that you are a victim versus someone that can actually figure this out, someone that can take responsibility for this issue and actually get out of the situation, whatever it is. Okay, that's also humility. Because not accepting is is actually not being humble. It's actually claiming that you know this problem can overtake me. Like I I don't have the ability when scripture clearly says that you have the ability. Right? So humility goes both ways.

SPEAKER_00 12:16

So, like having the humility to accept the truth.

SPEAKER_03 12:22

Exactly.

SPEAKER_00 12:24

What God says about you.

SPEAKER_03 12:25

That's really what humility is, right? The definition of humility in the Bible, what Vane is referring to, is accepting sincerely and just genuinely what God says about you. That's the true definition of humility, right? God told Moses, this is just a story. God told Moses, you're the most humble man. Okay. And then the Holy Spirit had him write it down. Humility is writing it down. Moses wrote down about himself. Moses was the most humble man, right, in history. Like that is humility. Humility is actually accepting the truth.

SPEAKER_00 13:01

The accuracy of it.

SPEAKER_03 13:03

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 13:04

Yeah. And not fighting it. Like imagine if God goes, okay, you are love, and you're like, no, I'm not.

SPEAKER_03 13:11

No, I'm not.

SPEAKER_00 13:12

Like having the humility to accept what it says about you is true.

SPEAKER_03 13:17

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 13:19

Yeah. Like no resistance towards it. No buts.

SPEAKER_03 13:23

Yeah. And humility is something that we that we ought to all fight, you know, thrive for. Because we know how how powerful pride can be, can bring you down. And one of the deceits of the enemy is to think that we are the source of our success. We did it. We did it ourselves. Look at me, I'm so talented.

SPEAKER_00 13:42

The opposite of humility is pride. Correct. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 13:46

I think so. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 13:47

Yeah. Pride is when like deep down somewhere you believe that you are more important, that you are better, that what you're you think is more true than the other person or the or God. Like you're more right.

SPEAKER_01 14:03

That's right.

SPEAKER_03 14:06

Yikes what else you got? What else you got?

SPEAKER_00 14:10

Um this well, I think when pride gets in the way, like it blocks God from working in your life, but you are doing it to yourself and you're unable to see it. It's such a th thick layer of wall, you know, that you can't see through, that you are at fault, that you are not that great.

SPEAKER_03 14:32

Or you're nothing without him, right? Like, imagine if you didn't have the hands, the feet, the breath that God gave you.

SPEAKER_00 14:40

The angel, the worship, Satan.

SPEAKER_03 14:42

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 14:43

Like because of pride?

SPEAKER_03 14:44

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 14:45

Yeah. Like pride, you till this day he still thinks he's listening that's what pride really is.

SPEAKER_03 14:52

It's taking God off the throne and putting something else on it.

SPEAKER_00 14:56

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 14:56

And most of the time pride puts you on it, right? It's like, I did this.

SPEAKER_00 15:01

Pride really is such a dangerous weapon that I don't think a lot of people see and recognize.

SPEAKER_03 15:07

The issue with pride is that your eyes are so blinded that you don't see it. You don't see it. It takes a fall for you to actually see it.

SPEAKER_00 15:14

Maybe.

SPEAKER_03 15:15

Hopefully. Yeah. Yeah. Hopefully.

SPEAKER_00 15:17

Yeah. Because the believing you're always right prevents you from learning, prevents you from seeing or getting feedback from people or seeing the problem. Then the problem becomes everybody else except yourself.

SPEAKER_03 15:32

Well, that brings me to another point on mindsets that change the way we manage finances, is actually mindset itself. Is the mindset that you have. And it's simply having a lack mindset versus an abundance mindset. Listen, your bank accounts could be filled, but you could still have a lack mindset.

SPEAKER_00 15:53

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 15:54

Right? Because here's here's here's some here's some signs that you have a lack mindset versus an abundance mindset. Okay.

SPEAKER_00 16:01

You have.

SPEAKER_03 16:03

If a peer or friend gets promoted, do you feel envious? Anxiety? What about me? Look at the flaws of them versus me.

SPEAKER_00 16:14

Okay.

SPEAKER_03 16:15

That's more of a lack mindset. That's there's a subtle difference between being competitive than actually being genuinely envious of the other person versus inspired that if he or she can do it, then I can do it as well.

unknown 16:31

Okay.

SPEAKER_03 16:32

Right. Um lack mindset. When you spend money, you feel pain. I do not feel pain. You feel anxiety. You feel you feel like money is gone forever. One way to test this is donate money and see how you feel.

SPEAKER_00 16:51

Okay.

SPEAKER_03 16:52

If you feel pain, you probably have a lack mindset in donating.

SPEAKER_00 16:56

I like that. I like that test. Right?

SPEAKER_03 16:58

Because that's because that's really an investment in donations, right? Uh when you look at opportunities.

SPEAKER_00 17:05

Well, never mind.

SPEAKER_03 17:07

If you look at opportunities or investment ideas, a lack mindset will immediately go, I can't afford it. Oh, what if I lose? Right? A growth mindset or abundance mindset will say, what is the upside? Can I stomach the risk? How can I make this work? Since relationships is a big big thing, let's talk about relationship. When you get feedback about something at work, your performance, or even your spouse, a lack mindset will take offense. An abundance mindset will think of it as a learning opportunity.

SPEAKER_00 17:47

Can you do you think people can do you think people can be in debt or in debt and still have an abundance mindset?

SPEAKER_03 17:56

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 17:57

Okay.

SPEAKER_03 17:58

And it won't last for too long. I think that debt is gonna get eradicated if it's an abundance mindset. But but they have to work towards it, right? Like you you can't, you know, I've been guilty of this, right? Like we tend to have more abundant mindset. I'm not saying we're always, like, I'm not always abundant mindset. Sometimes I do have a lack mindset. I'm a constant work in progress. I don't think I have a lack mindset. No, you are you are yeah, you're very free. So so um, but if you if you um think about uh debt, right? We had a lingering debt issue until we decided that we're not gonna have an issue anymore.

SPEAKER_00 18:37

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 18:38

And we tackled it, right? Well, it's a but we we had that you gotta you gotta take responsibility. You're like, I'm gonna take care of this.

SPEAKER_00 18:46

It's not gonna vanish on its own because Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 18:49

Yeah, it's that's right.

SPEAKER_00 18:50

It had it.

SPEAKER_03 18:51

You the snake doesn't leak get out of the house until you pick it up and throw it out.

SPEAKER_00 18:56

Yeah. Yeah, I was gonna say something. Um I think the the mindset of even with debt is that it looks hopeful.

SPEAKER_02 19:08

Right?

SPEAKER_00 19:08

Like you look at the debt, whatever number that is, and you're like, okay, I'm hopeful. There's hope to it. I'm encouraged, I'm motivated to pay that off. Versus, okay, we're debt and we're gonna be in debt forever, and it's like never ever going to go away.

SPEAKER_01 19:26

That's right.

SPEAKER_00 19:27

Like the you're you're looking at it with a I have authority over this, I can conquer this. God gives me the ability to do to overcome this, to pay for this. Yeah, and he and he paid for it. And so, like, yeah, then it just feels more hopeful.

SPEAKER_03 19:43

Yeah. What do you mean he paid for it?

SPEAKER_00 19:46

Well, he paid for everything.

SPEAKER_03 19:48

You mean on the cross?

SPEAKER_00 19:49

Yes, yes.

SPEAKER_03 19:50

Yeah, when you when you receive, you know, this is a good place to end, and we'll recap the points. But when you receive Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, and we'll put a prayer down in the comments so that so that you can, we will believe with you. And that will change the source of who's driving your life. Now, somebody is driving our lives today, whether it be our jobs or our families or whatever it is, but when you believe in Jesus Christ, what changes is who's driving that. And the God of heaven and earth starts driving your life. What Van is saying is that once he does start doing that, he has paid for all sorts of debt and sin. He will give you the power and the ability to eradicate any physical debt you have on earth.

SPEAKER_00 20:37

Yeah, I see it like it's like a button that you just activate, like it's sitting there. You have it and you need to activate it. And you have to find it, believe in it, and know that it's there, and then activate it.

SPEAKER_03 20:52

Well, you know, we we really enjoyed this. Um should we recap? Let's recap real quick. So the points that we talked about, okay, mindsets that helped us change the way we manage our finances and get better at it. One is that wealth is a biblical principle, and I know I might get flack for this in comments because there's a lot of friends that do that, or maybe not so friends, and then uh the other piece is humility. Third is taking responsibility, taking responsibility, and then we talked about lack versus abundant mindset.