All seemingly absurd ideas and decisions are rooted in traceable life experiences.

Morgan Housel says that when he wants to judge someone, he usually asks himself two questions:

What experiences have you had that I haven't, which shaped your current beliefs? If I had gone through the same experiences as you, would I hold the same beliefs?

People have agency, but they are also products of their environment. The environment where a person grows up, especially:

1️⃣ How you were treated by the people closest to you, whom you trust and regard as authority figures;

2️⃣ How you witnessed the people closest to you, whom you trust and regard as authority figures, being treated by the world.

These profoundly influence how a person treats themselves, and shape their core beliefs about "who am I," "how do I deserve to be treated," and "what kind of life can I have."

Most of our confusion and struggles regarding money and investment finances are simply countless reflections of these fundamental questions.