Where Our Beliefs Come From

• Many of the attitudes we’ve internalized come from our childhood. Even when we don’t realize it, things our parents said and things we saw them do shaped our attitudes about life in general and our financial lives in particular.
• Culture and religion play a role, too, teaching us additional lessons about earning, spending, saving, and giving. Everything from “the stock market is a gamble” to “donate a percentage of your income to those less fortunate” are lessons we absorbed.

If those beliefs help us make the financial decisions that are best for us, great. But all too often they may get in the way.

Chances are, your path to financial health involves several major questions. Should you invest more or pay down your mortgage? Should you save more for retirement or for your child’s dream college?

The right answers aren’t about how well a given investment performs. The an...