Last week you started reading your money story — where it came from, who wrote it, and what rules it handed you. This week we go deeper. Here is what most financial advice completely misses: money decisions are emotional decisions. Almost always. Even when they look logical on the surface. The person who knows they need to save but cannot stop spending — that is not a math problem. That is an emotional one. The person who has savings but still lies awake at 3am convinced they are going to lose everything — that is not a logic problem. That is an emotional one. Until we name what we are feeling, we cannot make different choices. We just keep reacting. The Six Core Money Emotions In financial therapy, we see six emotions come up more than any others. Most people are dominated by one or two — though all six may visit at different times. 1. Shame Shame says: There is something fundamentally wrong with me when it comes to money. It is the voice that says you should know better. That you have made too many mistakes to recover. That other adults have figured this out and you are the only one who has not. Shame is the most paralyzing of all the money emotions because it attacks your identity, not just your behavior. When you feel shame around money you avoid looking at it. You do not open the statements. You do not check the balance. You spend impulsively because the temporary relief feels better than the constant weight. 2. Fear Fear says: Something bad is coming and I will not be okay. Fear can look like hypervigilance — obsessively checking accounts, extreme hoarding of money, inability to spend even when it is reasonable. Or it can look like avoidance — refusing to look at finances because knowing the number feels worse than not knowing. Fear usually has a specific origin. A financial crisis you lived through. A parent who lost everything. An experience of sudden instability that taught you the ground can fall out from under you at any moment. 3. Anger Anger says: This is not fair. I have worked hard and it is never enough.

🧵 Introduce Yourself — Who Are You, Brother? Every brotherhood starts with a name and a story. Drop yours below. Tell us: • Name (first name is fine) • Where you’re at in life right now — work, relationships, mindset, whatever feels most relevant • What brought you here — the book, a recommendation, something you’re going through • The one thing you’re actively working to change or build No pressure to have it all figured out. Most of us showed up here because something wasn’t working — and we were finally honest enough to admit it. That honesty is what makes this brotherhood real. I’ll go first: I’m Joe. I wrote The Grounded Man because I needed it before I could write it. I’ve spent years studying what separates men who lead grounded, purposeful lives from men who drift — and building tools to close that gap. This community is the next step in that work. Now it’s your turn. Let’s hear from you. 👇 Drop your intro below.

Welcome to The Brotherhood of Grounded Men. Before you dive in, here’s how to get the most out of this community: 1. Introduce Yourself Head to the Welcome thread and drop a quick intro — your name, where you’re at, and what brought you here. This is how brotherhood starts. 2. Know the Standard This is a no-excuse zone. We don’t complain without taking action. We don’t tear down without building up. We hold each other accountable because we respect each other enough to do so. 3. Engage Like a Man Don’t just lurk. Post. Ask questions. Share wins and losses. The more you put in, the more you get back. 4. Use the Resources Everything inside this community — the posts, frameworks, and discussions — is here to help you build. Use it. The rules are simple: • Show up with honesty • Treat every member with respect • Do the work That’s it. That’s the brotherhood. See you inside. — Joe