The Hidden Psychology of Money: Why Smart People Make Bad Decisions

You know that friend who has three degrees, runs a successful business, and can solve complex problems at work? The same person who also bought a timeshare in Florida and has $15,000 in credit card debt? Welcome to the fascinating world of money psychology. Here's the thing: intelligence doesn't automatically translate to smart money decisions. In fact, some of the brightest people I know make the worst financial choices. And it's not because they don't understand math or lack willpower. It's because money isn't really about money. It's about emotions, stories we tell ourselves, and psychological tricks our brains play on us every single day. The Overconfidence Trap Smart people often think they're smarter than the market. This is where things get interesting. Take my colleague Sarah. She's a brilliant data scientist who can spot patterns in massive datasets. But when it came to investing, she was convinced she could time the market better th...