TED’s self-proclaimed mission is to make great ideas accessible and to spark conversation. If you’ve never watched a TED Talk, they are short but powerful talks that cover almost any topic from business to science to finance and beyond. At The Humphreys Group, we are avid supporters of meaningful conversations, no matter now challenging or uncomfortable the topic may be. We also understand that money is one of those taboo topics that makes many of us run for the door. But the truth is, when we are honest, open, and willing to freely discuss financial topics, we are much more likely to benefit from collective wisdom and face our money problems head on.
While there are countless wonderful TED Talks on the subject of money, we have rounded up five of our favorites to get you thinking.
- Let’s get honest about our money problems by Tammy Lally, June 2017
Money coach and author Tammy Lally recounts a family tragedy to highlight the danger of the “money shame” cycle that many of us are caught in. She shares that struggling to budget and manage finances are common problems but admits that too few people are willing to speak openly about their experiences due to an internalized sense of shame. Why do we hide our problems around money, especially when they are so common? Lally explains that numbing out our pain to these problems is doing more harm than good and encourages us to stop equating our bank accounts with our self-worth.
- 3 psychological tricks to help you save money by Wendy De La Rosa, January 2019
We all want to save money and be financially prepared—so why do we tend to spend more and save less? In this talk, behavioral scientist Wendy De La Rosa provides us with a guide to help revamp our money habits, explaining that as humans we can be irrational when it comes to saving, spending, and budgeting, but that changing our environment can help us to make the commitment to save more and spend less.
Curtis “Wall Street” Carroll believes that financial literacy isn’t a skill, it’s a lifestyle—but also a disease that has crippled minorities and the lower class in our society for generations. Carroll became financially literate and taught himself how to read and track stocks in prison after being incarcerated at age 17. He is the founder of Project Feel, a nonprofit dedicated to promoting financial literacy, and shares a simple yet powerful message: We all need to be more savvy with our money.
- 6 ways to improve your relationship with money by Thasunda Duckett, January 2020
Thasunda Duckett, Chief Executive Officer of Chase Consumer Banking, shares that taking control of our personal finances can feel overwhelming—but it doesn’t have to be. In her talk, she explains the importance of having honest conversations about saving, shares how to minimize shame around money, and stresses that money does not define you, but rather is a mechanism to accomplish your goals.
- The investment logic for sustainability by Chris McKnett, November 2013
Sustainable investment champion Chris McKnett helps institutional investors—like banks, pension funds and endowments—put money toward sustainable and socially-forward assets. In his talk, he highlights that sustainability is one of the world’s most important goals and reveals why investors need to look at a company’s environmental, social and governance (ESG) structures, in addition to their financial data.
As mentioned earlier, we strongly believe in the importance of having transparent money conversations. That’s one of the reasons that we host regular “Insights & Outcomes” Conversation Circles. These circles create an opportunity for us to share our experiences, tap into our collective wisdom, and have authentic discussions about money—our fears, successes, and memories, as well as the attitudes, behaviors, and legacies we’ve adopted over the years. Learn more about our conversation circles and reach out to participate in the next one!
