Is it better to earn more or spend less in order to balance your budget? Here we help you start where you are with regards to financial goal setting, and uncover what your first financial goal should be. In addition, we examine why it's not important to be the smartest person in the room, and the importance of being valuable at your job.

In this episode:

• Financial education is sorely lacking and needs real life context [1:00]

• Here’s what needs to happen if you’re ready to change your financial life [5:30]

• It’s always easy to spend more money [6:30]

• First step is understanding where your money is going [7:30]

• The idea is to never spend more than you make [9:30]

• The power of social contracts in goal setting [12:00]

• You’re capable of more than you think [22:30]

• Earning more versus spending less [23:00]

• If you show you’re valuable at work, you’re likely to make more money [25:30]

• Reevaluating your budget is a constant process [27:30]

• The Universe will always throw you curve balls [29:00]

• Struggle makes something valuable and makes the lesson stick [30:00]

• The importance of making realistic goals [31:00]

• Giving more value than what you’re asked is how you become valuable [33:00]

• Take one step towards the teacher and the teacher will take 2 towards you [36:00]

• You don’t have to be the smartest person in the room but you should be the hardest working [37:00]

• First goal with budget should be getting rid of debt [43:00]

• Opportunity abounds in this country [47:00]

• If you think you’re working hard, find someone who works harder and learn from them [49:00]

• We in the U.S. are essentially the 1% of the world [52:00]