What are 'money scripts' and how does my mindset affect my finances?

Money scripts are the unconscious beliefs about money you absorbed growing up, and they quietly drive your financial decisions as an adult. Researchers describe a few common patterns: money avoidance (money is bad or corrupting, so you ignore it), money worship (more money will fix everything), money status (net worth equals self-worth), and money vigilance (anxious secrecy and over-saving). Each can sabotage you – avoiders neglect their finances, worshippers overspend chasing happiness, status seekers fall into lifestyle inflation and debt. The first step is noticing your default reaction to money and asking where it came from. Once a script is conscious, you can challenge it and choose behavior on purpose instead of on autopilot. Naming your patterns is genuinely half the work toward changing them.