Working hard but financially stuck? Here’s why you’re getting nowhere

May 26, 2026 — 3:57pm

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“How come I’m trying so hard but I’m not getting ahead?” Over the years, I’ve seen people work incredibly hard, consume endless information, and still not get ahead financially because of the unconscious patterns that shape the way they think and behave.

Today, I’m breaking down some of the common patterns I see that hold people back from creating their next level of financial growth:

Overthinking and under-doing

What this looks like: Maybe you’ve researched investing, but you can’t bring yourself to invest. Maybe you follow all the news, so you know all about tax and superannuation, but your own finances are a mess.

Maybe you’ve been listening to business podcasts for years, but you still can’t start that side hustle. In short, you know what you “should” be doing, but somehow, you’re not taking action.

What’s going on: At some point, you learnt to create results through researching, analysing, thinking, studying. This now feels safe and familiar. The collecting of information in and of itself provides a level of safety and satisfaction, without the taking action part. “Knowing” things provides you a level of comfort on its own, without “doing”.

Sometimes, the fastest way to........

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