Have you ever heard the phrase: Money makes the world go round. The phrase was made popular by the song “Money” (Money Makes the World Go Round) from the 1966 musical Cabaret, famously performed by Joel Grey and Liza Minnelli.
The lyrics cynically highlight how money buys status, romance, and comfort while poverty brings cold stoves and hunger. Whether this was art imitating life or life imitating art, it’s created an environment where we tend to treat money with a harsh, all-or-nothing mindset.
When we realise our finances aren’t where we want them to be, our first instinct is usually self-judgment. We look at our past decisions and silently berate ourselves for not saving earlier, or for spending too much on things that didn’t matter.
It’s a heavy mindset to hold, and it can easily create a terrible kind of paralysis.
We mistakenly believe that to fix the problem, we have to completely overhaul our entire lives overnight. We try to implement stricter budgets or demand massive, painful sacrifices from our families.
But maybe, instead of feeling judged, we should allow ourselves to be gently nudged.
Human behaviour simply doesn’t respond well to drastic ultimatums. When we yank the steering wheel too hard, we usually just crash and end up right back where we started.
What if we replaced the heavy judgment with a gentle nudge?
In behavioural psychology, a “nudge” is a small, positive prompt that makes a better decision slightly easier to execute. It isn’t about achieving immediate perfection; it is about building quiet momentum.
Instead of judging yourself for a lack of savings, you simply set up a small, automated transfer for the day your salary clears. You don’t feel it, you don’t overthink it, and you don’t have to rely on daily willpower.
That is a nudge.
This philosophy is equally powerful in our relationships.
Money is notoriously difficult to talk about with a partner because conversations so easily slip into criticism. But if we replace judgment with a collaborative nudge, like setting a shared, exciting goal to fund a specific family holiday, the friction slowly dissipates.
We stop focusing on past mistakes and start working together toward a positive future.
Sustainable financial change is rarely the result of one massive, painful overhaul. It is the result of tiny, incremental shifts. It is about giving ourselves the grace to take the next smallest step in a new direction.
It also helps to have a financial planner in your corner.
Sometimes, we just need someone to hold up an objective mirror. We don’t need a critic to judge our past financial choices. We just need an experienced thinking partner to help us design the right nudges for our future.
If you’re feeling like you need a healthy nudge, please feel free to get in touch.