How to Develop the Right Money-Wealth Relationships with 7 Lessons

By Taresh Bhatia, CFP®, Coach at The Richness Academy

As a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER and a coach at The Richness Academy, I help people break free from their mental and emotional blocks around money—so they can live their deserved rich, free, and wise life. Through years of working with senior professionals, business owners, young married couples, single mothers, and retirees across India, I’ve come to realize something profound:

Money is a relationship.

And like any relationship, it needs attention, nurturing, reflection, and respect.

When your relationship with money is healthy, it starts working for you. But when it’s shaped by fear, confusion, or guilt—it silently works against you.

Let me walk you through the 7 core lessons I’ve seen transform this relationship—so you can build a life of lasting richness and financial wisdom.

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1. Wealth Is Not Just Money—It’s How You Feel About Life

Wealth is often mistaken for the balance in your bank account. But real wealth goes beyond that. It’s about how complete, calm, and aligned your life feels. When you only chase money, you’re always running. When you redefine wealth as time freedom, meaningful work, good health, strong relationships, and inner peace—everything shifts.

I once worked with a senior finance director in Mumbai, earning over ₹50 lakh per annum. By conventional standards, he was successful. But he confessed he hadn’t taken a family vacation in 5 years. His son hardly knew him. After we redefined what wealth meant to him, he restructured his work hours, built in regular holidays, and reconnected with his family. The smile he wore the day he shared his Goa vacation photos? That’s the face of real wealth.

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2. The Best Investment You’ll Ever Make Is in Yourself

You are the source of your income. And yet, most people put more money into stocks and fixed deposits than in their own growth. Whether it’s education, skill-building, or even healing past financial traumas—when you invest in your inner capacity, your outer reality changes.

A 32-year-old woman from Ahmedabad came to me feeling stuck in a plateaued corporate role. Her career had stagnated. I encouraged her to sign up for a ₹15,000 digital marketing course. Within 6 months, she had built a side hustle that now earns her over ₹80,000 a month—more than her salary. That course wasn’t an expense. It was an engine of transformation.

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3. Money Should Work for You, Not the Other Way Around

We often exchange our time for money. But the path to financial freedom lies in creating systems where money earns more money. This means passive income—from investments, rentals, royalties, or even digital products—that frees up your time and gives you options.

A couple I coach in Chennai were both doctors working long shifts. They had no time for themselves or their child. We began SIPs in balanced advantage funds, and over time, helped them buy a small clinic space they now rent out. That rental income alone covers 30% of their monthly expenses—and has opened up new choices for work-life balance.

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4. What You Think About Money Is What It Becomes

Your money beliefs are like the software running in the background of your life. If you believe “money is hard to earn,” you’ll struggle. If you believe “I’m not good with money,” you’ll keep making mistakes. But when you shift to beliefs like “I deserve abundance” or “I am learning to grow my wealth,” your actions begin to reflect that shift.

A 45-year-old single mother from Jaipur had grown up hearing “money ruins families.” She would spend her earnings immediately, fearing hoarding would invite loss. Slowly, we worked on her mindset—starting with saving ₹500 weekly in a separate digital envelope. Over time, she began investing in conservative debt funds. Today, she has over ₹6 lakh saved and speaks confidently about money with her teenage daughter.

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5. The Company You Keep Determines the Direction You Go

Your social environment shapes your financial identity. If your circle constantly complains about expenses or flaunts impulsive buying, you’re likely to do the same. But when you’re in a tribe that talks about saving, investing, and growing—your behavior rises to match.

I remember a young entrepreneur from Hyderabad who joined our Richness Mastermind group. At first, he felt intimidated. But just three months in, after hearing weekly wins from others—one paid off a loan, another reached her first ₹1 crore corpus—he got inspired. He launched his second business, and by year-end, had scaled his income by 3X. That’s the power of the right circle.

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6. Risk Is Not the Enemy—Recklessness Is

Most people fear financial risk because they confuse it with recklessness. But all growth comes with some uncertainty. The key is to calculate risk—by understanding your needs, researching well, and taking small, consistent steps outside your comfort zone.

Also read: How to Attract More Money and Achieve Financial Freedom with a Powerful Mindset

A retired engineer from Noida had kept his entire ₹80 lakh retirement corpus in savings accounts and FDs. Inflation was quietly eating away at his future. We discussed conservative mutual fund options. He finally took the leap and invested just ₹10 lakh to start. A year later, he had earned more than he did in 5 years of FDs—and felt far more in control than fearful.

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7. The More You Give, the Richer You Feel

Giving doesn’t deplete wealth—it deepens it. When you contribute to others, you affirm your own abundance. This act of generosity—whether financial or time-based—creates a ripple effect of meaning, trust, and energy. Giving heals your relationship with money.

A businessman in Delhi, whom I mentor, began allocating 5% of his monthly income to community projects—sponsoring children’s education and helping set up solar panels in a village. “Oddly enough,” he told me, “since I started giving, I feel wealthier than ever. My business is thriving, and I sleep with a lighter heart.” That’s richness redefined.

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Final Reflections: The Richness of a Right Relationship

When you transform your relationship with money, your outer world mirrors that change. You move from tension to trust. From confusion to clarity. From chasing wealth to creating it with calm consistency.

Every lesson above is a thread in the beautiful fabric of financial freedom. When you stitch them together, the outcome is not just a bigger bank balance—but a richer life, a wiser heart, and a future you’re proud to build.

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