Aligning Your Money with Your Purpose: The Key to Financial Fulfillment

Marcella Mollon-Williams

Introduction

Many people assume that financial success is all about numbers—saving, investing, and spending wisely. But what if we told you that your financial decisions are deeply influenced by your emotions, values, and subconscious beliefs?

In a recent episode of the Her Money Story Podcast, host Felicia Gopal spoke with Marcella Mollon-Williams, a Behavioral Financial Advisor and co-founder of Legacy Builder Group. Their discussion revealed how our financial behaviors are often out of alignment with our true purpose and values, leading to stress, guilt, and regret.

So, how can we make sure our money choices reflect what truly matters to us? This article will explore the psychology of financial decision-making, the importance of discovering your true purpose, and practical steps to bring your money and your values into alignment.

Why Smart People Make "Irrational" Money Decisions

Felicia opened the conversation with real-life examples of people making financially questionable choices, such as:

• Acting as personal ATMs for family members.

• Paying rent or buying cars for others while struggling themselves.

• Emptying retirement savings to put kids through college.

• Losing homes because they refused to rent out an empty room.

All of these individuals are highly intelligent and accomplished, yet they made choices that jeopardize their financial well-being. Why?

Marcella explained that these behaviors stem from deep-seated emotional and psychological influences. This is where Behavioral Finance comes in—a field that studies how human emotions, biases, and mental patterns affect financial decisions.

Key Insight: Money decisions aren’t always logical. They are shaped by our fears, values, upbringing, and emotions. Understanding these influences is the first step toward making better choices.

Behavioral Finance: The Missing Link in Wealth Building

Marcella’s journey into Behavioral Finance was fueled by her lifelong love of psychology. Initially, she wanted to become a psychiatrist but was guided toward finance instead. Eventually, she discovered Behavioral Finance, which allowed her to merge her passions for psychology, neuroscience, and personal finance.

What Is Behavioral Finance?

Behavioral Finance is the study of how emotions, biases, and cognitive habits influence financial decisions. Unlike traditional financial advising, which focuses on numbers and strategy, Behavioral Finance helps people:

Identify emotional triggers behind their financial decisions.

Recognize self-sabotaging money habits.

Develop healthier financial behaviors that align with their values.

Example: Have you ever regretted a financial decision the moment you made it? That’s a sign of misalignment between your values and your behavior.

Key Takeaway: When you understand your financial behaviors, you gain the power to change them.

Step 1: Identifying Your Core Financial Values

Before you can align your money with your purpose, you need to understand what truly matters to you. Many people never stop to define their financial values, which leads to inconsistent decision-making.

Marcella emphasized that values are more than just abstract beliefs—they are the guiding principles behind our choices.

Common Financial Values:

Security – Prioritizing savings, emergency funds, and stability.

Education – Investing in personal growth, learning, and higher education.

Freedom – Avoiding debt, pursuing financial independence, or working on passion projects.

Family Support – Helping loved ones financially while maintaining personal stability.

Charity & Giving – Using wealth to make a positive impact on society.

Self-Reflection Exercise:

Ask yourself:

• What financial decisions have made me feel the most fulfilled?

• What money choices have left me feeling regretful or stressed?

• If I had unlimited wealth, what would I prioritize spending on?

Example: If you value security but don’t have life insurance or an emergency fund, your actions are out of alignment with your values.

Key Takeaway: Understanding your values eliminates financial regret and helps you make choices you’re proud of.

Step 2: Discovering Your True Purpose

Aligning your money with your purpose is essential for long-term financial fulfillment. But how do you define your purpose?

Felicia shared that her true purpose is to be a catalyst for economic empowerment—helping her clients and communities achieve financial independence.

Marcella’s true purpose is service—helping people build wealth with a deeper meaning by fostering financial, personal, and spiritual development.

How to Find Your True Purpose:

Reflect on Past Successes – When have you felt the most fulfilled in life?

Consider Your Passions – What do you naturally gravitate toward?

Think About Impact – How do you want to positively influence others?

Write a Purpose Statement – Summarize your mission in 1-2 sentences.

Example: If your true purpose is to support education, you may prioritize college savings plans for your kids, scholarships, or investing in self-education.

Key Takeaway: Your financial strategy should reflect your life’s purpose, not just short-term goals.

Step 3: Aligning Your Money with Your Purpose

Once you understand your values and purpose, you need to make sure your money habits reflect them.

Signs Your Money Is Misaligned:

You say you value security, but you have no retirement savings.

You want financial freedom, but you stay in a high-spending lifestyle.

You value helping family, but you’re constantly drained by financial obligations.

How to Fix It:

Prioritize Investments That Reflect Your Values

• If security is important, focus on retirement accounts, emergency funds, and insurance.

• If freedom matters most, work toward paying off debt and increasing passive income.

Set Boundaries for Financial Support

• Avoid acting as a personal ATM for family members.

• Create a giving budget that allows you to help without sacrificing your well-being.

Be Intentional with Spending

• Before making a major purchase, ask yourself: Does this align with my long-term goals?

• Avoid impulse spending on things that don’t bring lasting fulfillment.

Key Takeaway: Financial peace comes from making deliberate, value-driven choices, not from chasing wealth for wealth’s sake.

The “Legacy Pillars” Framework for True Wealth

Marcella introduced her Legacy Pillars, a framework for building a well-rounded life:

Finance – Managing money as a tool, not an end goal.

Fitness – Taking care of mental, physical, and emotional health.

Family – Strengthening relationships and community ties.

Faith – Cultivating a sense of purpose and spiritual well-being.

Each pillar supports the others—when one is neglected, the entire structure weakens.

Example: If you focus only on finances but neglect health, you might sacrifice well-being for money, which leads to regret.

Key Takeaway: True wealth is holistic—it’s about balancing finances, health, relationships, and purpose.

Final Thoughts: Financial Freedom Starts with Mindset

Marcella emphasized that financial freedom isn’t just about money—it’s about removing guilt, fear, and shame around finances. Even if you have a high net worth, you won’t feel financially free if your money is misaligned with your values and purpose.

Your Next Steps:

Define your financial values.

Discover your true purpose.

Align your money choices with your long-term goals.

Want to take action? Connect with Marcella Mollon-Williams at MarcellaMWilliams.com or follow her on Instagram @MarcellaMWilliams.

Your money should work for you, not against you. Start aligning your finances with your purpose today!