Most high-achievers have a money reflex that looks responsible…but keeps them stuck:

• “Give me the plan.”
• “Give me the steps.”
• “Give me the optimal approach.”

This is going to sound offensive, but I say it with love:

Your obsession with strategy might be the biggest thing blocking your wealth.

The moment I realised I was operating backwards

When I worked in banking, my days were intense and long. I’d often finish feeling mentally and physically drained.

At night I’d promise myself:
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​ “Tomorrow I’ll finally sort my finances.”

Tomorrow came.
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I’d open a spreadsheet…and my whole system would go:

"Nope. Not today."

Not because I didn’t care. Not because I lacked discipline.

But because I was trying to build wealth from a terrible foundation:

• my body was exhausted
• my nervous system was fried
• and a story haunted me: “I should already know this.”

So I did what smart people do when something isn’t working:

I doubled down on strategy.

New tracker. New plan. More research.

And I kept failing.

The contrarian truth most people ignore

So instead of giving you “another plan,” here’s the order I use with clients to make any strategy actually implementable.

The 3-step order that makes growing wealth work

1) STATE first (before you touch a plan)

When you’re tired and stressed, you don’t make “rational decisions.” You make relief decisions.

That shows up as:

• procrastinating money tasks
• impulsive spending “because I deserve it”
• avoiding decisions by consuming content (doomscrolling finance included)

Do this (2 minutes): The Money Reset

• a 5–10 minute walk
• OR 6 slow breaths (longer exhale)
• OR 20 bodyweight squats / quick jog in place

Then ask: “Am I calm enough to decide?”

If the answer is “no,” don’t force strategy. Regulate first.

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2) STORY next (your story sets your ceiling)

For years, my default narrative was:

“I’m not worthy to be here. I’m an imposter.”

So of course money felt heavy.

Like a test I could fail.

Like proof of whether I was “good enough.”

The shift was simple and practical:

“I’m learning. I adapt. I can build this skill like any other.”

Do this (3 minutes): Story Rewrite

• Write the sentence you repeat about money when nobody’s listening.
• Then rewrite it as a lesson or strength you’re building.

Examples:

• “I’m behind” → “I’m building my system now, and it will compound.”
• “I always mess this up” → “I’m practicing consistency, not perfection.”
• “I should know this” → “Knowing isn’t the same as implementing, I can learn to implement."

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3) STRATEGY last (build the plan you can follow)

Once your state is steadier and your story supports action, strategy becomes… easier.

Here’s the key upgrade:

Stop asking: “What’s the best plan?”

Ask: “What’s the plan I can follow on my worst week?”

Use this filter:

• If you can’t do it when you’re busy, tired, or stressed, it’s not a strategy - it’s a fantasy.

Try this: the 10-minute “backwards fix” this week

Pick one money task you’ve been avoiding (just one!).

1. 2 minutes regulate (breaths/walk/run)
2. 3 minutes rewrite the story sentence
3. 5 minutes do the smallest version of the task

• open the account, not the whole budget
• set one auto-transfer, not a perfect investing plan
• list your accounts, not your entire net worth

If you do this once, you’ll feel the difference immediately.
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If you’re a high-achiever who keeps ‘planning’ but not progressing, hit reply with "STATE" and I’ll send you the checklist I use with clients.

And if you want hands-on support to build this into your life, my flagship 1:1 Wealth Clarity Accelerator program helps you create a high-state, clean-story, simple-strategy money system you can stick to - even on your worst week.

If that sounds like what you need for 2026, you can book a Breakthrough Call when you’re ready. Q1 spots are limited.

Sanam