Hope Isn't a Feeling. It’s a Skill. - with Dr. Julia Garcia

About this episode

Dr. Julia Garcia discusses the cognitive process of hope and its impact on financial decision-making.

#727: Not sure what your next money move should be? Start with the free FiiRE Playbook 👉 https://affordanything.com/fiire Dr. Julia Garcia is a psychologist, behavioral researcher, and author of The Five Habits of Hope — and she's spent years studying why smart, hardworking people stay stuck. What if the biggest thing standing between you and your financial goals isn't your income, your debt, or the housing market — but your own brain? I sat down with Dr. Garcia to unpack the neuroscience of hope, why apathy is more dangerous than despair, and the five habits that can rewire your brain — and your relationship with money — for good. (00:00) Hope is not a feeling — it's a cognitive process (05:00) The real reason you can't save money (it's not imposter syndrome) (08:11) Hopelessness vs. despair — and why the difference matters (13:05) The biggest danger isn't despair — it's apathy (21:10) How avoiding feelings leads to avoiding financial decisions (23:45) The "maybe" technique that interrupts negative thought loops (39:26) Habit 2: Risk — why comfort is killing your courage (54:59) Habit 4: Receive — why you can't hold onto wealth you don't feel worthy of (01:01:41) Habit 5…

People in this episode

Host: Paula Pant

Guest: Dr. Julia Garcia

Topics covered

• money management
• psychology of hope
• financial decision making
• neuroscience
• behavioral research

Keywords

• hope
• financial goals
• neuroscience
• apathy
• money decisions
• behavioral research
• psychology

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: The Five Habits of Hope

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