Rewrite the story. Take back the pen.
At birth, I knew nothing about financial literacy. None of us do.
I grew up in one household from my youth – the son of a carpenter and an IBEW worker. My mother was an artist: basketry, painting, childcare, a ray of sunshine to those around her. She created beauty. My father built things with his hands and earned an honest living.
They worked hard.
But there was no strategic financial plan. No excess. Money was earned and spent. Bills were paid. Life moved forward. There was dignity in the work but no framework for compounding, ownership, or long-term investing.
And yet, one generation further back, the story was different.
My great grandparents represented a blend of business ownership, investment banking before it was even a formal job title, and engineering design. They built, invested, calculated, and structured. There was enterprise. There was strategy.
As a young person, I heard those stories. They felt like legends – a mirage of what could be. Success existed somewhere in the family tree, but I didn’t understand the mechanics of how it worked. I didn’t understand why it wasn’t happening in my immediate environment.
That gap matters.
When you grow up around earning without investing, spending without strategy, and surviving without a long-term plan, you internalize a model.
You learn to:
· Work hard and get paid.
· Upgrade vehicles regularly because that’s what adults do.
· Finance furniture because comfort feels immediate.
· Carry debt because it’s common.
· Sit in a money market account because “at least it’s designed to preserve capital.”
· Avoid investing because it feels risky.
You’re not careless. You’re patterned. And patterns feel normal until you question them.
Meanwhile, the world compounds. Stocks appreciate. Businesses grow. Real estate produces income. Inflation quietly erodes idle cash.
If all you know is earning to survive, you rarely shift into owning to thrive.
That shift begins with belief.
Many people carry invisible limiting beliefs:
“People like us don’t build wealth.”
“I’m not good with money.”
“I’m just not wired for investing.”
“I’ll figure it out later.”
Add to that the negative financial influences we all encounter:
· A friend who says the market is rigged.
· A relative trading off a newsletter.
· A coworker who equates spending with success.
· A social circle that normalizes debt.
· Someone who had one lucky trade and now preaches certainty.
Those voices become your internal board of directors. If you don’t intentionally choose your board, it gets assembled by default.
Here is the empowering truth: financial literacy is learned.
I sought information. I read (a lot). Attending the workshops and taking the courses. Made early investment mistakes and started small businesses along the way. I asked questions. I placed myself around people who understood investment ownership, asset allocation, compounding, and emotional discipline during volatility. They broke it down simply.
One dollar can become 10.
Ownership beats consumption.
Debt can be a tool or a trap.
Volatility is not the same as risk.
Time multiplies discipline.
Once those principles are understood, wealth stops being mysterious. It becomes structured. You are holding the pen.
The story of your upbringing explains your starting point. It does not dictate your destination.
If you are under 21 and reading this column, I will personally provide you with a copy of “Rich Dad Poor Dad.” That book reframes how young minds think about assets, liabilities, and ownership.
If you are over 21, I will provide you with a copy of “The Millionaire Next Door.” It is one of the most practical and grounding books ever written about how ordinary people quietly build extraordinary wealth.
Because sometimes all someone needs is a new voice on their board of directors.
If you have been blessed to care for children or family members, help them start writing earlier than you did. Teach them about ownership. Teach them about patience. Teach them about investing before consumption becomes their identity.
And if you are carrying mental criticisms from earlier chapters – burn them.
Burn the belief that you’re behind.
Burn the belief that wealth is for someone else.
Burn the belief that your parents’ financial habits must become yours.
The rearview mirror is informational, not directional.
You are not late. You are not disqualified. You are not incapable. You are in control.
Rebuild your board of directors.
Seek mentors. Gain professional advice. Choose ownership. Practice discipline. Write intentionally.
The mirage becomes real when you understand the mechanics behind it.
You are holding the pen.
From here forward, write boldly.
Evan R. Guido is founder of Aksala Wealth Advisors LLC, a 2026 Forbes Best in State Wealth Advisor, a 2018 Forbes Next-Gen Advisor, and heads a team of financial strategists for clients who consider themselves the “Millionaire Next Door.” He can be reached at 941-500-5122, Aksala.com, eguido@aksalawealth.com; 6260 Lake Osprey Drive, Lakewood Ranch, FL 34240. Read more at finance.heraldtribune.com/category/ask-guido. Securities offered through Cetera Wealth Services LLC, a member FINRA/SIPC. Advisory services offered through Cetera Investment Advisers LLC, a registered investment adviser. The views and opinions in this article are those of Evan R. Guido and not of Cetera or its subsidiaries. These opinions are not intended to predict or depict performance of any investment and are subject to change. These views should not be construed as a recommendation to buy or sell any securities and are purely for education and entertainment.
This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Stop letting your past define your financial future | Retire on Track
Reporting by Evan Guido, Special to the Herald-Tribune / Sarasota Herald-Tribune
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By Evan Guido, Special to the Herald-Tribune | USA TODAY Network
